BBC Worldwide Channels commissions new in-house productions for the BBC Knowledge and BBC Lifestyle.

BBC Worldwide Channels has commissioned brand-new shows for BBC Knowledge (DStv 184) and BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174) and which will be in-house productions for the BBC with the BBC's terrestrial BBC Two TV channel.

It's BBC Worldwide Channels first co-productions with the BBC's in-house team since the major announcement at the end of last month that BBC Worldwide Channels wants to treble the number of original programme hours ordered for its international audience such as South African viewers on MultiChoice's DStv platform.

Coming to BBC Knowledge will be six 50 minute episodes of Dara O Briain's Science Club, a brand-new science magazine format with the Irish comedian as presenter. The show will be seen in South Africa and Africa in 2013.

The new science series will take a single subject each week and examines it from lots of different and unexpected angles - from extinction to sex, Einstein to space exploration and brain chemistry to music. The programmes will plug viewers into the latest thinking on hot topics.

He will be joined by materials scientist and engineer Mark Miodownik, neuroscientist Tali Sharot, physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski and science writer Alok Jha.

Coming to BBC Lifestyle is an international version of the newly revived Food and Drink series, presented by the Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jnr. Food and Drink is BBC Worldwide's first ever original production for BBC Lifestyle. There will initially be six 30 minute episodes.

Each episode of Food and Drink will feature mouth-watering recipes cooked by Michel Roux Jnr and a stellar cast from the world of food and drink who will join him in the kitchen. 

Food and Drink will play host to the latest debates and discussions from the world of gastronomy, and will showcase the hottest food trends - delivering up-to-date news, views and consumer issues. The series will be vibrant and relevant, providing a fascinating look at what, how and why we eat and drink today.

Both shows have been ordered by Tracy Forsyth, the vice president for commissioning at BBC Worldwide Channels.

"Both Dara O Briain's Science Club and  Food and Drink are great examples of the high quality programmes that I am seeking for BBC Worldwide's international channel portfolio," says Tracy Forsyth. "As well as these popular science and culinary formats holding broad appeal for our viewers around the world, I believe the shows have the potential to be returning series which can be built into global brands."