TORONTO – Musicians Elvis Costello and Elton John will collaborate on a new television co-production series that was conceived in Canada and will be broadcast later this year on CTV, it was announced Wednesday.
The show, called Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… will be hosted by its namesake and be produced in conjunction with Elton John’s London-based Rocket Pictures. The series, consisting of 13 one-hour programs, will be co-produced by Toronto’s SpyBox Pictures and Prospero Pictures along with Rocket Pictures.
Elton John is an executive producer of the show, which will also air on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom and on the Sundance Channel in the United States. FremantleMedia Enterprises will handle sales of the show to the rest of the world.
The program will feature in-depth discussions with and performances by some influential artists and personalities.
“I’m not interested in extracting some dark secret. I’d rather hear about a bright secret, a deep love or a curiosity that might be otherwise obscured by fame,” Elvis Costello said in a statement. “This is a wonderful opportunity to talk in complete thoughts about music, movies, art or even vaudeville, then frame it with unique and illustrative performances.”
The producers have partnered with (Product)RED to use the series to raise money and awareness for the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Select program excerpts and performances will be distributed in a variety of new media and conventional platforms, with a portion of the profits directed to the Global Fund.
