Endemol Shine’s Kirsten Cargill is drawn to Flame

Kirsten Cargill.

Kirsten Cargill has moved from the Endemol Shine group to Flame Distribution as vice president content sales for Australia and New Zealand.

The former Southern Star executive takes over from Robyn Campbell, who did the job part-time, shared with her role as Viacom International Media Networks’ program sales manager for Oz/NZ. Campbell is now full-time at Viacom.

Flame’s factual slate includes Prospero Productions’ Outback Truckers and Outback Opal Hunters, Mindful Media’s Redesign my Brain, Mint Pictures’ Food Fighter and The Ghan and MetamorFlix’s Family Rules.

Cargill reports to Fiona Gilroy, content sales and acquisitions director, who said: “We are delighted to have such an experienced and well connected content sales professional join Flame. We look forward to Kirsten further developing our connections.”

Discovery Channel ANZ has renewed Aussie Gold Hunters and Outback Opal Hunters, its two highest-rating series, co-commissioned with Discovery UK.

Season 2 of Outback Opal Hunters (13×60’) follows crews in Lightning Ridge, Opalton and Coober Pedy as they hunt for the so-called Queen of Gems. The first season aired in more than 20 countries and territories including Discovery Channels in the UK and Germany.

Electric Pictures is filming season four of Aussie Gold Hunters (13×60’), which follows prospectors as they set out to uncover a fortune in the goldfields of Victoria and Western Australia. In S3, the gold diggers discovered more than $1.3 million worth of the precious metal.

That franchise has aired in more than 30 countries and territories including Discovery Channels in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. London-based DCD Rights handles sales in the non-Discovery markets.

Jonathan Rudd, Discovery ANZ VP factual and sports products, said: “Aussie Gold Hunters continues to grow each season, finding new audiences and breaking records for the channel. S1 of Outback Opal Hunters was a break-out hit for us and we can’t wait to see what the new season has in store as we increase our offering to 13 episodes and add Western Australia to the mix.

“There’s a huge appetite for these stories and characters, not just in Australia but internationally, as their success in overseas markets demonstrates.”