French designer to lead BBC2 reality show

An upcoming BBC Two series will see budding designers compete for a placement with French style guru Philippe Starck.

Ten applicants will have to prove themselves as they take part in real projects on a course at Starck's school of design.

BBC commissioning executive Lisa Edwards said the series will "focus its eye on the rich and relatively untapped territory of product design".

Starck, a well-known designer with more than 30 years' experience, added: "What excites me about this project is that it's about the future. We are trying to find the talent of young people. We don't want the fashion victim or the design victim, we're seeking the people who do, the people who actually make something.

"That's why this show can be a wake-up machine. It will also show that no one needs to be a genius to be creative. Creativity is accessible."

The series, which has the working title Philippe Starck's School Of Design, will air next year.