Global Agency's latest entertainment format The Greatest Duo has been making headlines ever since it was launched at MIPCOM in Cannes a few weeks ago. The distributor has so far announced two deals for the show in Germany and Italy, and as CEO and Founder Izzet Pinto tells CEETV more territories will be announced shortly, which makes the format one of the fastest-selling new titles on the international TV market in recent years.

In this interview, Mr. Pinto tells us what makes The Greatest Duo so attractive and "easy to sell".


Izzet, The Greatest Duo has secured deals in Italy and Germany following its MIPCOM launch. What does this rapid international expansion tell you about the format's potential?

In just two weeks we closed four deals. We already announced Italy and Germany. In the coming days, once we finalize our deals we will announce the other two territories. Each week we expect to close at least one more deal since the interest has been huge. Looks like we have a big hit in our hand, and the whole team at Global Agency is very excited about it.

We are extremely happy with the international momentum of The Greatest Duo. Securing strong markets in such a short period following its premiere at MIPCOM Cannes is a very encouraging start. Italy became our first international market through Endemol Shine, followed by Germany with Briskpace Unlimited.

These markets have different broadcasting traditions and audience preferences, yet they have all responded to the same central idea: a music competition where relationships matter as much as talent. For us, this is a strong indication of the format's international adaptability. We have always believed that The Greatest Duo has the ingredients to become a major global entertainment franchise, and these early deals reinforce that confidence.


Germany is an important European television market with a strong tradition of entertainment formats. What makes The Greatest Duo particularly suitable for this audience?

Germany has a long history of successful music competitions and relationship-based entertainment, which makes it a particularly exciting market for The Greatest Duo. Our format combines the strongest elements of both genres while introducing a completely new competitive structure. Viewers will follow talented singers, but they will also become invested in their personal connections, loyalties and difficult decisions.

The format has been acquired by BriskPace Unlimited, part of Munich-based BriskPace Studios, and we are delighted to be working with such an experienced production partner. Sebastian Wimmer, who has worked on international versions of Love Island, Dancing with the Stars and Idols, will also be involved in bringing the German version to life.

What makes this partnership particularly exciting is the ambition to develop the show beyond traditional television, with a 360-degree multi-platform approach that allows audiences to engage with the music, performances and relationships across different platforms.

We believe this combination of spectacular performances, powerful emotional storytelling and a strong multi-platform strategy will resonate particularly well with German audiences.


Your marketing campaign at the entrance of the Majestic Hotel attracted a lot of attention at this year’s MIPCOM. What was the story behind it?

We collaborated with an award-winning art director in order to create a concept that reflected both the strength of the format and its creative spirit. At the heart of The Greatest Duo is a simple idea: something extraordinary happens when two people come together.

So, we brought iconic duos from history, literature and comedy into our world, from Cleopatra and Mark Antony to Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and Laurel and Hardy and most importantly Adam and Eve! Each tells a different story of chemistry, contrast and connection. The shared microphone brings them all back to the heart of our format: relationships competition through music.

The Majestic garden became the launch area for that idea to come to life. Every visual told its own story, but together they delivered one message: it takes two!


The Greatest Duo brings a completely new dimension to traditional singing competitions by putting relationships at the heart of the show. How does this concept work, and what makes it stand out from other talent formats?

Most singing competitions focus on finding the best individual voice, but with The Greatest Duo, we wanted to go beyond talent and explore the emotional connection between two people.

Contestants enter the competition as couples, friends or family members, but their individual performances and scores can change everything. One of the most exciting elements is "The Choice," where contestants face a difficult decision: remain loyal to their original partner or choose someone new who might give them a better chance of winning. This is where we see a powerful dilemma between loyalty and ambition.

This creates a unique combination of spectacular musical performances, emotional storytelling and unexpected twists. The audience becomes invested not only in the contestants' talent but also in their relationships and personal journeys.

I believe this is what makes The Greatest Duo different. It is not simply about finding two great singers; it is about discovering whether two people truly belong together. That emotional dimension gives the show a much deeper connection with viewers.


The Greatest Duo made its international debut with a special screening at MIPCOM Cannes. How important was this launch in introducing the format to international buyers, and what was the response?

MIPCOM Cannes was a very important moment for us. We introduced The Greatest Duo with a special screening at the Olympia Cinema in front of around 100 invited guests, including international buyers and media representatives.

We wanted to present the format in a way that would allow buyers to experience its scale, music and emotional impact, rather than simply explaining the concept in a meeting. Seeing the show on the big screen really brought the idea to life.

The fact that we secured our first international agreement with Endemol Shine in Italy shortly after the screening, followed by Germany, was extremely encouraging. It showed us that the concept had attracted serious interest from experienced international production partners.

For us, MIPCOM was the beginning of The Greatest Duo's international journey, and we are very excited about what comes next.