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CNN is launching another installment in its Searching For travel food franchise, sending star Eva Longoria to France for a new season that will debut in 2026.

Longoria has already hosted two editions of the show, Searching For Mexico, which was originally ordered for the ill-fated CNN+ streaming service, and Searching For Spain, which debuted earlier this year.

The franchise began of course with Searching For Italy, hosted by Stanley Tucci, though CNN canceled that series in 2022 as part of a pullback in original programming, a strategic move that was reversed after Mark Thompson joined as CEO. Tucci now hosts a different Italy travel food series for Nat Geo.

“France has long been a cornerstone of global cuisine, and I’m thrilled to be partnering with CNN for this next chapter in our culinary and cultural journey,” said Longoria. “I can’t wait to dive into the country’s rich gastronomic traditions,...

Access Entertainment has taken a 24.9% stake in Bad Wolf, the production company behind the upcoming BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman’s epic His Dark Materials. Launched by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner in 2015, in association with Welsh Government, Bad Wolf is based in South Wales and LA. Current projects include A Discovery Of Witches, based on the Deborah Harkness novels, and an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. This investment by Access Entertainment provides Bad Wolf with further support to fast track its scripted productions, and grow business globally. Access Entertainment launched last year under former BBC Director of Television, Danny Cohen. Its focus is to invest across the entertainment sector with a concentration in high-quality TV, films, digital content and theater. In January, it teamed with BBC Worldwide and Lookout Point to launch Benchmark Television, an indie commissioning entity with the power to greelight scripted series without backing from a network or platform.