4 GAME SHOWS (from PUSH)

And a look at the Married At First Sight universe

The inaugural Paris Unscripted Showcase (PUSH) took place at the Sofitel Arc de Triomphe in Paris from 28-30 April 2025. In the next issue we will have a report from Asif Zubairy on the event. Here is a preview of the four game shows presented, two French and two Israeli.

2 FRENCH GAME SHOWS …

The Great Knowledge Challenge is an iconic French radio game show that has been around for over 60 years and is now a successful television format. Contestants answer general knowledge questions in a bid to win up to €1000.

The TV version features 10 teams and a champion duo competing in two rounds followed by a final. Viewers can take part by playing live and submitting their own questions. What sets The Great Knowledge Challenge apart is its regional focus: it's a show that celebrates the different departments of France (and right now quizzes with questions about countries/regions are quite popular, see Small World IFT’s Win Your Country).

The second one is Lettrix, a new game concept where players must figure out the missing letter in a word to form another. Speed and strategy are key: the first to find the letter and stay focused, despite the traps, will score the most points. The game takes place over three rounds and stands out with its strong graphic identity and real visual and auditory interactivity.

Both games are launched internationally by France TV Distribution, the commercial sales arm of French public broadcaster France Télévisions.

… AND 2 ISRAELI GAME SHOWS

In the brand-new game show The Auction two teams of five from the same family compete in an auction programme. Each team is given a budget to purchase mysterious, high-value items in order to reach the final and compete for the grand prize.

The format is the result of a collaboration with fellow Israeli company Abot Hameiri and Latin American companies América Televisión, Kapow and Open Kimono, with international rights held by Dori Media Group. The first version will be produced this year in Peru at the facilities of América Estudios and will premiere on América Televisión.

Among the other programmes presented in Paris is another interesting Israeli game show. Tresor, the German unscripted production company owned by global producer and distributor Keshet International (KI), has been commissioned by RTL Germany to produce a local version of Domination.

Based on the original Keshet Broadcasting format, produced for Israel's Keshet 12 channel and previously licensed in Vietnam on VTV3, Tresor's German adaptation is called Schlauer als Alle - Schlägst du Deutschland? (Smarter than everyone else – can you beat Germany?).

The format pits a single player against the collective knowledge of Germany - represented by a wide variety of groups. Hundreds of trivia questions have been answered in advance by thousands of randomly selected Germans - from doctors and supermarket cashiers to bald men and Tinder users - to map their knowledge.

In each round, the contestant chooses a group to compete against in a given category. Who gets more correct answers - the contestant or the group average? Seven duels lead to the grand final - where it all comes down to one decision: walk away with a guaranteed €20,000, or risk it all and go up against the Elite Team (‘The National Team’ in the Israeli version) for €100,000?

An interesting concept that challenges stereotypes and disproves myths. I remember a very similar concept in a Dutch game from the early 2000s (which also divided the nation into categories: professors, students...), but I can't remember the title. Can anyone help me?

FRANCHISE AT FIRST SIGHT

Originally created by Seven.One’s Snowman Productions, Married at First Sight is one of the most successful formats of recent years, spawning over 30 international adaptations and spin-offs since its launch in Denmark in 2013.

There are so many updates and new developments in this franchise around the world that the prodco has created its own newsletter. Here is a summary of what is in the latest issue.

• The latest season of Married at First Sight Australia recently concluded with record-breaking numbers, boosting its audience by 14.9% year-on-year, to draw an average Total TV audience of 2.5 million viewers per episode.

• Married at First Sight in the US has moved from Lifetime to Peacock, in a multi-year deal. The US version of the world’s most successful dating format will make its debut on the US streaming service later this year with Season 19. Since its launch in 2014, over 300 episodes of Married at First Sight US have aired.

• In France, M6 is set to launch a new international adaptation of Married at First Sight: Second Chances (10 x 45’; local title: Mariés au premier regard: Nouveau rendez-vous avec l'amour) this Spring, originally produced by Kinetic Content for Lifetime (US). The spinoff gives past participants another shot at love.

• Israel’s Keshet Channel 12 has commissioned new spinoff Married at First Sight: Last Resort, following singles on a final stab at finding love—whether they are divorcees, widows, or widowers — with the help of Married at First Sight experts. Produced by July August Productions, the series premieres later this year.

• In France, M6 is set to launch a new international adaptation of Married at First Sight: Second Chances (local title: Mariés au premier regard: Nouveau rendez-vous avec l'amour) this Spring, originally produced by Kinetic Content for Lifetime (US). The spinoff gives past participants another shot at love.

• The MAFS universe is expanding as broadcasters commission new spinoffs. ProSiebenSat.1 streaming platform Joyn has ordered Married at Second Sight, a fresh adaptation targeting a younger audience, in which twelve single strangers first meet at their engagement ceremony, and three weeks later decide whether to say “I do” to marriage.

• Samsung TV Plus in Germany has launched a dedicated Married at First Sight FAST channel this Spring – a continuation of their longstanding partnership with Seven.One Studios International. The channel will air Married at First Sight seasons from Australia, the UK and Germany, 24/7. This follows the successful launch of 9Network in Australia’s FAST channel in 2024.

International adaptations, spin-offs and even a dedicated FAST channel... this franchise really has it all ;)

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NEWS IN A NUSHELL

• Banijay Italia is producing Starstruck for Warner Bros. Discovery's Nove channel, which will air on Wednesday 14 May under the title Like a Star.

• The reality competition Werwölfe - Das Spiel von List und Täuschung (Werewolves – The Game of Cunning and Deception), produced by ITV Studios Germany, will soon be broadcast on German public broadcasters BR and ARD. It is the first international adaptation of the French format Les Loups-Garous (originally broadcast on French pay-TV channel Canal+ and distributed by Dreamspark), based on the card game of the same name.

• Belgian adventure show Bestimming X (Destination X) will premiere on NBC on 27 May, following America's Got Talent, with episodes airing the following day on sister platform Peacock, produced by ITV Studios' Twofour label and hosted and executive produced by Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The original Belgian format is produced by Geronimo and distributed by Be-Entertainment.

• On Tuesday 29th April, the Spanish public channel La 1 will premiere That's My Jam: que el ritmo no pare (Let the rhythm go on), an adaptation of the internationally successful NBC format created by Jimmy Fallon.

• Traitors España arrives on Antena 3 on Wednesday 7 May, produced by Atresmedia in collaboration with Gestmusic (Banijay Iberia), with Juanra Bonet as presenter.

• Comcast-owned American streaming service Peacock is expanding its Love Island USA franchise with the greenlight of spin-off series Love Island: Beyond the Villa (w/t). Set to premiere this summer, the series follows contestants from the sixth season of Love Island USA as they navigate new careers, friendships and fame in LA.

• CBS has ordered America’s Culinary Cup (w.t.), a new cooking competition series from food expert Padma Lakshmi (Top Chef, Taste the Nation), for the 2025-26 broadcast season.

• TLC has announced the latest spin-off of its popular 90 Day franchise, 90 Day: Hunt for Love, which is set to premiere on the cable network on May 26.

  Set in Tulum, Mexico, the new series features eight singles from the 90 Day world ready to look for love again, this time joined by new faces and romantic hopefuls.

• A brand new talent show, Pase a la Fama (Pass to the fame), will have its premiere on Sunday 8 June on the Spanish language channel Telemundo.

• Argentina's Telefe is preparing for the return of La Voz Argentina with a new, updated edition and new coaches for the ultra-well-known talent show.