MUMBAI: BBC America has announced its first primetime original show. ?No Kitchen Required? is an adventure cooking competition series that kicks off on 3 April.

Hosted by British presenter Dr. Shini Somara, the show follows three chefs as they are dropped into the most exotic and remote places on earth. There they must work with the locals to hunt, fish and forage for ingredients to create locally-inspired meals that will be judged by the communities.

?No Kitchen Required? joins BBC America?s stable of all-new original programming, along with Richard Hammond?s Crash Course, Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan and scripted drama Copper, which all premiere later this year.

The three fearless chefs are Michelin-starred New York restaurateur Michael Psilakis, first ever Chopped Grand Champion chef Madison Cowan, who has roots in London, Detroit and Jamaica, and elite personal chef from New Zealand, Kayne Raymond. The trio leave the comforts of their kitchens as they are dropped into ten locations around the world including Dominica, New Zealand, Belize, Fiji, Chiang Dao - Thailand, Koh Lanta - Thailand, Hawaii, New Mexico, Louisiana and Florida.

Integrating themselves in the communities, the chefs are exposed to all of the flavours and traditions of the locals. Challenged with the task of putting their own spin on the traditional cuisine, they are eagerly guided by locals who demonstrate the best techniques for catching their protein, including diving for crayfish and crabs, hunting for iguana with a slingshot, using a bow and arrow to hunt turkey and spear fishing for trout. It?s up to the chefs to combine their skills with the techniques and flavours of the locals to create a delectable feast for their hosts in just three hours. While all three chefs must face the hardships of the environment, only one can win the vote of their toughest critics ? the locals.

The show?s executive producer, director Chachi Senior said, " ?No Kitchen Required? is definitely the first of its kind. We?re introducing the viewing audience to cultures they may not be familiar with and using food as the vehicle for them to learn about these cultures. Along the way they get to engage in a rocking adventure through the eyes of our chefs."

Meanwhile, viewers who tune into the premiere episode of No Kitchen Required will have the opportunity to enter into a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to Hawaii. A secret entry code will be revealed during the broadcast.

MUMBAI: BBC has cut costs by 15 per cent compared to the last quarter as the global economy shows no signs of an economic recovery.

The UK pubcaster has published its latest expenses relating to taxis, hotels, flights, rail and hospitality for the 101 senior managers - those who earn over ?150000 and sit on one of the Divisional Boards.

A BBC spokesperson said: ?The BBC is a major broadcasting organisation with production bases across the UK and a news operation that covers a constantly changing global news agenda. There will always be unavoidable costs to keep the business running but we are mindful that we spend public money and we work hard to keep this expenditure to a minimum.?

BBC is also publishing the Gifts & Hospitality Register for these senior managers for the same period, together with Declarations of Personal Interests. The disclosure includes specific information on each of these senior managers in terms of leadership, financial and decision-making responsibility.

From this disclosure period onwards, updated information on pay and total remuneration for senior managers will also be published on a quarterly basis.

BBC said it is committed to being open and transparent, and this will give a more accurate reflection of changes within the business as they occur.

MUMBAI: BBC has announced the appointment of Anna Mallett as BBC Studios and Post Production CEO.

Mallett, who will start her new role in Sepetember 2012, will report to BBC Studios and Post Production chairman John Tate who is also the BBC?s Group director of policy and strategy.

She has been part of the BBC?s senior leadership team since 2006.

Since September 2008, she has been Controller of business strategy, responsible for the BBC?s overall commercial strategy. She also developed the BBC?s distribution strategy, ensuring the continuing accessibility and prominence of BBC content.

Tate said, "It is Anna?s wealth of commercial experience and expertise, combined with her energy and vision which I believe will help drive BBC Studios and Post Production forward. I am looking forward to working with Anna to build a strong future for the business.?

BBC Studios and Post Production provides studios and post production services to the media industry. As a separate commercial arm of the BBC, it operates some of the most sophisticated TV studios and post production facilities in the world.

Last year it worked with hundreds of media companies and other customers, creating titles such as ?EastEnders?, ?I?m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!? and ?Deal Or No Deal?.

It also delivers digital media services: preserving, re-mastering and managing content through digital archiving, restoration and distribution services. The business just completed its best ever year with the highest profitability since it was formed in 1998.

MUMBAI: Is gambling in sport good for business? Will 2012 be another year of headline convictions and corruption in a major competition? Is betting an integral part of commercial success, or a risk to the competitive integrity of the sport industry? What?s next for gambling in sport?

These questions and many more will be debated at the Global Sports Forum Barcelona 2012 (GSFB), from 7 ? 9 March, as ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat joins Fifa head of security Chris Eaton, and Norbert Teufelberger, Co-CEO of online gambling company Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment for a panel discussion on ?Gambling in sport.?

Eaton, who recently estimated that ? 300 billion- ? 500 billion is gambled on sport across the globe every year, has been involved in international criminal investigations for 40 years. He joins the panel to discuss his view that as many as 70 per cent of bets placed on sport fixtures go through unregulated and unregistered bookmakers, which is threatening the integrity of professional sport.

Havas Sport and Entertainment president, CEO Lucien Boyer who is also the general commissioner of the Global Sports Forum Barcelona, said, ?Gambling and corruption in sport remains a top priority for governing bodies across the globe, with three Pakistan cricketers convicted of spot-fixing and Fifa appointing Chris Eaton to a new head of security role in 2011.?

?In such a big year for sport, the GSFB 2012 is leading the way in tackling the issues that are of vital importance to the future of the sport industry and we are delighted to welcome five of the industry?s leading experts to the Forum. We will be investigating how sport can manage legal gambling and eradicate the illegal bookmaking culture to protect the industry we all know and love.?

Lorgat recently highlighted the danger illegal gambling posts to sport, telling BBC Test Match special that spot fixing in cricket is ?the most significant issue we need to tackle.?

?You cannot underestimate the value of protecting your integrity and the reputation of the game and if that was to go, we?ve got no game. I think we have shown we will not rest until we do tackle the issue,? Lorgat told the BBC.

Lorgat, Eaton and Teufelberger will also be joined on the panel by John Abbott, Chairman of the Interpol steering group for the Interpol ? Fifa initiative to reduce corruption in football, and Warren Phelops, gambling policy representative for the European Sponsorship Association.