THE LEGEND OF THE FORT
Every now and then, it's good to talk about the classics — or rather, the ultra-classics. There is a format that is also an island, that is also a legend, for 35 years. We are talking about the legendary Fort Boyard (the adjective is more than appropriate in this case), an action game, which has been broadcast since 1990, first on Antenne 2 and then (since 1992) on France 2. The format is filmed on the real Fort Boyard, a small island located in the Pertuis d'Antioche strait on the west coast of France. Measuring 61 metres in length, 31 metres in width and 20 metres in height, it is truly impressive.
Père Fouras ('Father Fouras' - played by three different actors during the programme) is the centenarian guardian of the fort's keys. His true age is not known by anyone. According to legend, he helped build the fort and made it his home. It is also said that he spends the winter devising new challenges in the utmost secrecy. From 1990, he welcomed contestants to his lookout post, where he would ask them a riddle (visual or mathematical, depending on the season) or provide definitions.
There are also numerous other characters, regular cast members of this spectacular format, each with their own story (e.g. Jacques and Jules, two dwarves who guide the team through the Fort to the next challenge, Mr Boo and Lady Boo, two wrestlers who take prisoners to the dungeon, and many others), so it is not only a 'simply' format, but a multilayer story that mixes scripted and unscripted elements.
It is impossible to describe the number of physical and mental challenges and variations that have occurred over the course of these long years. For example, in a couple of seasons, the competitors spent the night in the fort and faced particularly tough trials. It has been sold in over 30 countries worldwide, but is still produced within the original walls of the fort, using part of the technical team and characters from the original French show, but also because only there can you capture the original spirit of the series.
On 5 July, again on France 2, the first episode of the 36th series was broadcast, entitled Fort Boyard - Les Origines. In this new season, Père Fouras and his assistants propose many revisited classics and new challenges to surprise the celebrities who play to donate money to a non-profit organisation (in this case, the ‘Princesse Margot’ association, which supports children and parents affected by paediatric cancer).
The legend of Fort Boyard continues…
A MATTER OF INTUITION
From an ultra-classic format that has been on air for 35 years to one that has just been announced. France Télévisions, the French public broadcaster, has given the green light to Intuition, a collaboration between AH Production, part of Satisfaction Group, in collaboration with CyrilProd, the company founded by French TV and radio host Cyril Féraud, which is behind series such as Le Quiz des Champions and Duels en Famille.
This brand-new quiz follows in the footsteps of “big shows” such as The 1% Club, The Floor, and Qui Restera dans la Lumière? (on France 2), and even increases the number of contestants to 150 per episode. The contestants will be helped by a group of celebrities known as the 'Intuitive Gang', who will compete for a €50,000 prize by getting as close as possible to the correct answer for each question.
Not much is known yet, but the concept is clear from the title: it's not about knowledge, but intuition, and all you need to do is get as close as possible to the right answer. Basically, you don’t need the right answer to win; a good guess is enough. We'll see if the quiz is as engaging as it seems.
There is no confirmed premiere date yet, but the series is expected to debut in September.
MURDER AT MUSEUM
On Wednesday, 16 July, Murder Party au Musée premiered on M6, produced by ITV Studios France. This is the local version of the Dutch 'Who Dunnit' format A Party to Die For, originally created by ITV Studios Netherlands and Talpa Studio and produced by ITV Studios Netherlands for broadcaster SBS6.
Seven celebrities have been invited to the opening night of the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle) in Paris. However, the evening takes a dark turn when one of the guests is found dead. The remaining six guests must discover who the murderer is, because they are all suspects. Throughout the evening, the investigators must sniff out the right leads by completing various challenges, including a variety of games, played either in teams or individually, to find clues, such as locating the murder weapon or retrieving police files containing information about the killer's identity.
The killer's goal, of course, will be to sabotage these missions. The celebrity who discovers the murderer's identity will receive €10,000, which will be donated to their chosen charity. If no one unmasks the criminal, he/sghe will win the sum.
An intriguing variation on the ‘Psycho Formats’ trend, which emerged following the success of The Traitors, which we have already analysed in various issues of this newsletter (see, for example, FE 30 May).
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
Spanish broadcaster Telecinco is preparing for the premiere of Agárrate al Sillón, a new daily game show in which six contestants will compete each day for the chance to challenge the show's champion.
Following the international success of its fourth season, Drag Race España will return to Atresplayer in September with a new edition. The fifth edition will feature important new developments, including an increase in the final prize: the winner will receive €50,000, up from €30,000 in previous seasons.
French commercial broadcaster M6 has recommissioned a local version of the quiz show The Weakest Link. Produced by BBC Studios France, the new series — known locally as Le Maillon Faible — marks the format's return to French television following two specials that aired on M6 in October 2024.
UK broadcaster ITV is revamping its hit game show The 1% Club for the fall as a stripped, week-long event, culminating in a Saturday night broadcast titled The 1% Club Rollover.
UK commercial broadcaster ITV has commissioned a UK version of Australian format Millionaire Hot Seat. The show is a off from ITV’s classic Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? format and has aired for 15 seasons on Nine in Australia since debuting in 2009.
Talpa Studios has landed new deals for its hit game show The Floor in Estonia and Latvia. In Estonia, TV3 has opted for a daily edition, ordering 60 episodes, while Latvia’s TV3 will air the series across 12 weeks. Both versions will be produced by Elitaz in a newly developed Baltic hub.
On Sunday 13 July, NBCUniversal's Kings Court premiered on Bravo and Peacock. In each episode, three eligible bachelors date a group of 21 single women, deciding who goes home and who gets another chance at love. Blending glamour, vulnerability, and high-stakes decision-making, the format sees each king overcome personal challenges to put their heart on the line. Ultimately, the kings must choose which of these accomplished women will be the queen of their dreams.
Netflix has renewed Squid Game: The Challenge, the unscripted version of the Korean hit, for a third season ahead of the launch of Season 2. The second season of the show, which sees contestants compete for a $4.56M prize, will launch November 4 on Netflix.
Netflix has also begun casting for an American version of the Korean competition format Physical: 100. In the format, athletes, bodybuilders and military professionals face off in tests of strength and endurance. A. Smith & Co. Productions is producing the American edition. Physical 100: Asia, an evolution of the Korean original, arrives later this year featuring contestants from across Asia. A European adaptation is also underway.
Finally, Netflix is adding the new Japanese physical competition series Final Draft to its slate, which will be released on 12 August. Produced by Tokyo-based production company The Far Eastern TV Entertainment, the format brings together 25 former athletes — some of whom were forced to give up their dreams, while others retired on their own terms — who will compete in physical and psychological challenges for a ¥30 million prize to help them start a new career.
TelevisaUnivision has acquired the original Uruguayan takent show, Maestros del Hogar, which is distributed internationally as Home Masters. Created, developed and produced by Canal 4, the format features pairs competing in design, DIY and decoration challenges.
Telemundo Internacional has announced the fourth season of Top Chef VIP, which is set to premiere in Latin America this month, with a simultaneous broadcast in the United States.
Another excellent newsletter, Axel, thank you ! Whilst on the subject of France, have you caught any episodes of France Television's Intervilles ? Its third episode was last night (Thursday 17 July). The producers have done a tremendous job but for some reason they've made it live - difficult to choreograph 2 hours of games involving pools, costumes props etc but the real issue is that losers have the chance to challenge the result of each game - prompting a VAR style review by the judge. It happens nearly every time and not only slows the pace of the show down, it also introduces a slight disappointing element to the otherwise upbeat, enthusiastic and frenetic energy of the show. It would have been much better - in my opinion - to pre-record the shows and edit out all the objections etc. Just saying....