Paris Hilton was in the UAE for less than three weeks, but her brief stay could pave the way for more U.S. TV shows to be filmed in the Gulf, especially low budget reality series, a leading TV executive said in remarks published on Sunday.
"It's clear that there's a desire and need for more programming and that there's an opportunity in terms of bringing both formats and top talent here," Michael Hirschorn, co-founder of ISH Productions, which producing Hilton's new series of My New BFF in Dubai, told UAE daily the National.
"American stars are very open to the idea of coming here but they just don't know how to ... Clearly it's a business opportunity and there is still financing here where it has dried up in a lot of other parts of the world."
Hirschorn said there is also scope to film arts and documentary projects involving joint U.S. and UAE financing.
Paris Hilton was in the UAE filming the third series of My New BFF, in which she puts a group of women through their paces to see if they are compatible and can be her 'best friend forever'.
The American beauty's stay in the Muslim state attracted global media attention and some much-needed positive publicity for Dubai, which has taken a beating in the international media as the global financial crisis takes its toll on the once-booming trade and tourism hub.
John Sammon, executive producer at Abu Dhabi-based All 4 Media Production Co, said the large number of channels in the Middle East meant there is constant demand for new shows, especially low-budget reality TV, and they could be easier and quicker to produce in the UAE.
"While working in Hollywood means you have the infrastructure around you, in some respects it can work against you and prove problematic with so much red tape ... Here it is still easier to push through good ideas," he was quoted as saying.