Stewart energises cable TV

Stewart is diversifying from pop into television

Eurythmics star Dave Stewart is carving a name for himself in lifestyle TV with the launch of his own high-energy channel.

The 47-year-old has teamed up with entertainment executives Morgan Mason and Eileen Gregory to create Innergy, set to launch on Dutch cable network UPCtv this summer.

Billed as the world's first "human potential, mind, body and spirit" channel, Innergy will offer viewers help and guidance for self-empowerment.

With so many channels bombarding us with trivial information, as Mick Jagger would say 'at last I can get some satisfaction'

Dave Stewart

Programmes will range from documentaries to magazine shows. Topics covered will include a variety of personal and professional issues such as spirituality, sex and cooking, presented by "gurus" in the particular field.

Stewart has been working independently on the Innergy concept for nine years before partnering up with Mason and Gregory.

He said: "I am very proud to be involved with the channel dedicated to investigating human potential.

"With so many channels bombarding us with trivial information, as Mick Jagger would say 'at last I can get some satisfaction' - with a little help from my friends at UPCtv."

Meeting of minds

The three brains behind Innergy were brought together by the mind, body and spirit writer Dr Deepak Chopra, who knew they were each thinking along similar lines alongside their solo projects.

Stewart is best known as a musician, both with his Tourists and Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox and as a solo artist.

In recent years, he has also ventured into films - most recently directing Honest, starring three of the girl group All Saints.

Stewart and Lennox: Working together for more than 20 years

Mason has been active in film and TV since 1983 acting as executive producer of the Cannes Film Festival and chief executive of London Films.

Gregory has been a documentary and movie-maker for more than 20 years.

Speaking about her new collaborative venture, she said: "We see Innergy as a network, not just a niche cable channel. We will cover all aspects of life.

"Innergy is transformational TV - the power to make a difference. We will reach a wide audience with a wide variety of hip and sexy programming."

Amsterdam-based UPCtv is the channel creation and marketing arm of United Pan-Europe Communications (UPC).

UPCtv currently has six cable channels, distributed across Europe. During the coming months Innergy will roll out on UPC and non-UPC networks across Europe.

UPC also plans to develop Innergy into an interactive experience through the launch of an associated website. It also hopes to add interactive features to its digital television signal, following the roll out of its digital set-top boxes later this year.