The new unscripted format development opportunity backed by the BBC and NBCUniversal has selected a co-production from Expectation and Plegazoid as the winning candidate.
After partnering on The Traitors and Destination X, the BBC and NBCUniversal issued a call to U.K. indies seeking compelling format IP that could be adapted in the U.S. and the U.K., with an emphasis on properties that used a shared location or production hub.
The “highly competitive process sees a studio-based game show from Expectation and Plegazoid securing funding for non-transmission pilots for BBC and NBC. Expectation, Plegazoid, and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group, will co-produce the NBC version.
Michael Jochnowitz, BBC’s interim editor of unscripted, commented, “This was a very competitive process which led to many brilliant ideas and proved once again the strength of our phenomenal partnership with NBCU. The rallying call for brand new British IP seemed to galvanize the industry, and we were thrilled with all the ideas shortlisted, which we’ve spent the past few months developing together. It was a tough choice, but one idea stood out above the rest, and we’re super-excited to see how it develops further. We want to thank all the companies that took part in this opportunity and demonstrated, once more, that British creativity truly is the best in the world.”
Sharon Vuong, EVP of NBC unscripted, added, “Our partnership with the BBC continues to prove what’s possible when you create space for bold, original ideas with global appeal. The response from the U.K.’s independent community was exceptional, which made it incredibly difficult to select just one. Expectation and Plegazoid’s concept stood out for its scale, originality, and global potential. We’re excited to take this next step together and to continue investing in distinctive IP with the potential to travel co-developed through the partnership with NBCU and BBC.”
Ben Wicks, creative director for entertainment at Expectation, said: “Opportunities this big come around as often as England winning the World Cup, so when it did, we were fortunate to be pitching to the finest creative minds at two of the world’s leading broadcasters. They, like us, feel our idea—a bold reinvention of the game show—has the potential to be a global hit. Huge thanks to them for being so generous with their time, creativity, and passion, and to our outstanding development team for pulling out all the stops for an idea that truly deserved it.”
David Flynn, founder at Plegazoid, added: “This was a unique opportunity to have the combined creative input of two broadcasters who tasked us with creating something bold and original that would work in both the U.K. and the U.S. We’ve developed a game show with all the drama and jeopardy of the best reality shows, where ordinary people will risk it all to win big. We’re excited to bring our idea to the next stage.”
