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Press Release

14 October 2008 (Brighton,UK): TV Yachts, home of The Virtual Shipyard and the first dedicated television channel to showcase the world’s finest sailing and motorised yachts, launched at the 2008 PSP Southampton Boat Show (12 – 21 September). With over 600 exhibitors and a total of 121,389* visitors, the 40th Southampton Boat Show, in association with ITV Meridian, was the ideal place to capture and bring together the most exotic yachts for sale and show, providing TV Yachts with over 20 exclusive interviews with major names from the boating and sailing industry.

TV Yachts, which is available to view on television via the PlayTV UK set-top box service and online at TVYachts.com, is now broadcasting interviews from the show, in addition to archive material from the 2007 Southampton Boat Show (courtesy of SBS / ITV Meridian) and the 2008 London Boat Shown (courtesy of SBS / Channel 4).

TV Yachts spoke with a number of exhibitors, including Robert Braithwaite MBE, founder and managing director of Sunseeker, which has current annual sales of £172 million from a single brand and which has once again supplied vessels for the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. This will be the fourth consecutive time Sunseeker vessels have starred in Bond films, but the famously private Mr Braithwaite is now rumoured to have also taken part in the film. With over $50 million of its latest models on display at the show, thousands of visitors flocked to the stand to get a taste of the high octane luxury lifestyle for which Sunseeker is so renowned. With a show opening launch by sailing gold medallist Ben Ainslie and a fifth Queen’s Award for Export, Mr Braithwaite explained the secret of 100% British Sunseeker’s success.

He said: “There are two and a half thousand of us in the company and what makes this company so successful is the team, not me – I am just part of the team. We invest everything back in the company; we have a fantastic design team, in house, run by my brother, so it is a family business; and we love what we do, so we are out to create the most fabulous product there is. That’s what is different – it is the whole feeling, it is the family team, how we design and build the product and what we do. We do it because we love it.”

Frank Dixie, founder and managing director of Premier Shipping and Packing Ltd (PSP) which has specialised in the shipping of yachts around the world for ten years and is sponsoring the show for three years, explained that PSP’s profile has risen significantly since becoming involved with the SBS: “This is said to be the best boat show in the world and I believe it is. It has just done our name and image no bad at all! We came here as title sponsors, not knowing what to expect, but we’re delighted we have surpassed our targets, both in orders and brand awareness.”

Edward Brereton, TV Yachts channel coordinator, comments: “The idea behind TV Yachts is to bring together interviews from people in the industry, alongside boats that are for sale and key information on the boating world, all in one place.”

He continues: “The response at the 2008 Southampton Boat Show was very encouraging, it seemed as though people had been waiting for someone to create TV Yachts and now it is here and we are looking forward to the 2008 Sail, Power and Watersports Show at Earls Court and the 2009 London International Boat Show at ExCeL.”

Along with showcasing information on the boating world, TV Yachts has chosen the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as the charity it aims to assist by increasing awareness of the important work the RNLI undertakes. The RNLI provides a 24-hour lifesaving service around the UK and Republic of Ireland and last year rescued almost 8,000 people, an average of 21 people a day. TV Yachts will supply promotion for the Life Boat Institution free of charge.

TV Yachts will be attending the Sail, Power and Watersports show at Earls Court from 26 – 30 November 2008. The show is set to be London's premier maritime event, with hundreds of boats on display and a mix of fun and entertainment for all ages. This year they are hosting the biggest boat auction ever seen. It is a live event with a ‘Top 100' boats for sale, including dinghies, canoes, RIBs, sports boats, family cruisers, tenders, jet-skis, motor boats, classic yachts and powerboats.

TV Yachts will also be visiting the London International Boat Show at ExCeL from 9 – 18 January 2009. The show is set to celebrate 55 years of bringing the best of boating to the nation’s capital, with over 500 exhibitors showcasing power boats, sail boats, dinghies, deck equipment, charter holidays, sailing courses and more. Over 135,000 people are expected to attend.

Video material, including interviews from the 2008 Southampton Boat Show, is being added to the on-demand and schedule listings of TV Yachts each day.

*Figure from the PSP Southampton Boat Show (unaudited).

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About TV Yachts:
TV Yachts / The Virtual Shipyard gives an exclusive opportunity to get inside the world’s top yachts. Whether moored in Monaco or cruising the Caribbean, The Virtual Shipyard brings together the most exotic yachts for sale and for show, providing a never seen before insight to an international world of sea-faring luxury.

Whether you are looking to purchase one of these incredible aquatic mansions today, or you simply wish to peruse the attractions on offer and refine your retirement dreams, The Virtual Shipyard will provide all the specifications you need in order to make a formative and educated decision. With detailed descriptions of the top ports and amenities, mooring fees for the world leading destinations and listings for international boat yards, The Virtual Shipyard offers everything you need to own, maintain, or even sell your yacht.

The Virtual Shipyard – showcasing the world’s finest sailing and motorised yachts.
For further information, please visit: http://www.tvyachts.com

About the PSP Southampton Boat Show:
National Boat Shows' (NBS) portfolio contains two world-class boat Shows: the 40th PSP Southampton Boat Show in September at Mayflower Park and the 55th London Boat Show, taking place at ExCeL in January. A new addition this year, NBS is responsible for the on-water offering at the forthcoming British International Motor Show, known as The Marine Experience.

NBS is a subsidiary of the British Marine Federation (BMF), the trade association for the UK boating industry. Run by the industry, for the industry, the profits from both Shows are reinvested back into the UK leisure marine industry through the services and representation provided by the BMF.

For further information, please see: http://www.southamptonboatshow.com

About PlayTV UK:
PlayTV UK is a British broadcast network which has incorporated high-definition and digital technologies, in order to provide a triple-play package including IPTV, telephone and broadband services. Powered by the Global Digital Broadcast IPTV network, PlayTV UK offers free to view channels and a number of packages including Play Entertainment and Family, Play Movies, the international and foreign language channel package, Play World and the largest selection of sports programming through Play Setanta and Play Sports. Channels include major broadcasters such as Paramount, Discovery, MTV, VH1, Disney, TCM, et al.

For further information on PlayTV UK, to view the full EPG and/or to order the service, please visit http://www.playtvuk.com


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