KUALA LUMPUR, APRIL 11, 2019 – iflix, Southeast Asia’s leading entertainment service, is thrilled to confirm that Malaysia’s Reformasi icon, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, will be the featured guest on the country’s premiere of Hot Ones, the one-on-one interview show with a twist, on 9 May, 2019.
The format made famous by First We Feast sees both host and guest eat increasingly spicier chicken wings throughout the interview. The catch? In iflix’s version, guests will feast on a uniquely Malaysian specialty – satay – where each inferno-inducing bite is followed by a no-holds-barred question solicited directly from Malaysians on social media, to deliver the most raw, honest and hilarious reactions.
Following in the footsteps of more than 100 international A-list celebrities and athletes including Gordon Ramsay, Kevin Hart, Natalie Portman and Shaquille O’Neal, the prolific political figure widely tipped to be the future Prime Minister, will bravely take on the hot questions, and even hotter satay.
Malaysian-German film actress, singer, and environmental activist, Maya Karin, will host the highly-anticipated interview. Maya Karin is one of the country’s most established entertainers whose movies and shows, including No Problem, Sejoli, and Caraoke Drift, are all available on iflix.
The new Malaysian version of the viral hit marks the second time iflix has localised the Complex Network format for local audiences following the Company’s ground-breaking content partnership announcement with the youth culture media company in June 2018. The first adaptation, Hot Ones Philippines with host Sam YG, premiered exclusively on iflix in October 2018 and featured popular regional hot sauces alongside Hot Ones’ staples, including ‘The Last Dab’ – a hot sauce that registers 2,000,000 on the Scoville heat unit scale – for a truly fire-breathing experience.
Mark Francis, iflix Global Director of Original Programming, said, “We have an unprecedented opportunity to create content on topics that interest and resonates deeply with Malaysia’s youth culture. We know this, because we’re putting the power in their hands to candidly confront topics with a Malaysian political heavyweight and an enigma of a character like DS Anwar Ibrahim.”
“Our social media-savvy audience is enormous and hugely influential, leading the way in defining and shaping trends and innovation in media and culture. This exclusive iflix original production represents a significant step forward, combining world-leading formats with cultural relevance and local flair,” he added.
“Struggling with spicy food is a universal experience, so it’s fun to see our unique interview concept spread to other countries and personalities through our partnership with iflix,” says Hot Ones creator and First We Feast GM Chris Schonberger. “There’s no better way to cut through the jargon and get to know the real person than by having a shared experience such as tackling some of the world’s spiciest food. We’re thrilled to kick off the Malaysian version of Hot Ones with someone of DS Anwar Ibrahim’s stature and look forward to continuing to push diverse conversations internationally.”
Complex Networks currently produces over 30 daily and weekly series across its award-winning brands, including Everyday Struggle, #JobsUnlisted, Complex Closets and Full Size Run. Its flagship shows Sneaker Shopping and Hot Ones each have over 1 billion lifetime views across various platforms.
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