Tim Mutimer, CEO of Cineflix Rights, tells ScreenMDM about Tempting Fortune, a reality competition format adapted in seven markets, including the U.K. on Channel 4.
Tell us about the core hook of Tempting Fortune and why you think it resonated with Channel 4 audiences.
Tempting Fortune is a bold adventure format for the age of instant gratification, in which a group of strangers is dropped in the heart of a remote wilderness where an epic cash prize awaits. To keep the money, they must survive a 13-day journey through the tropics of Langkawi—without spending it. But as their grueling trek unfolds—and as hunger and exhaustion set in—they come across some of the most tantalizing creature comforts on Earth, all offered at the world’s most exorbitant prices, and even the chance to withdraw cash for themselves from the Tempting Fortune ATM. And every time someone caves, or chooses to leave, there’s that much less for everyone to share.
It has resonated with audiences in the U.K. and globally by tapping into the moral dilemmas that confront us all, wherever we live around the world, in a highly entertaining format with scale, impact and mischief. As The Times puts it: “Like The Traitors and the best of Big Brother, Tempting Fortune shows what human beings are made of.” Will participants put themselves or the wider group first? Will they live for the moment and money can’t buy experiences, or survive the test of willpower and take home the money?
The first U.K. season was Channel 4’s number one launch in 2023 for adults 16 to 34, doubling the channel’s average share. The second season’s 18-24 audience was up more than 80% on average, and the current third season continues to perform very well.
What are the key format pillars that make it easily exportable?
Broadcasters around the world love the juxtaposition of temptations such as a diner, spa, or luxury hotel against the backdrop of the remote wilderness the show is set in. This precinct is the perfect setting to watch human nature play out in front of audiences, as participants have to decide whether to take a temptation or not. In most cases, we see the group divide into two camps. This simple device has universal appeal as people all over the world share similar values and reactions. Set pieces such as wading through mud flats or completing grueling treks make for great television. The palette of temptations is increasing as producers of three U.K. seasons and versions produced for Italy, Norway and Mexico come up with new ways to tempt participants—whether that’s a coffee at the start of the day, a shortcut to a trek or a KFC after two days eating beans and rice. The format is simple and strong and can easily be tweaked to meet the broadcaster’s requirements. In Italy, the Sky Italia version is more heavily formatted; for public service broadcaster NRK, the show highlights the authentic social experiment that forms the basis of the format; and in Mexico, there is more gameplay.
The temptations lend themselves to brand integration. Whilst in the U.K. brands that were featured made no payment to C4, in other territories broadcasters have incorporated brands into the format to help fund production.
What makes the format returnable, and how do they maintain freshness from one season to the next?
The producers have tweaked both the route of the trek to introduce spectacular new scenery, physical challenges and new temptations. Twists are added each season so that contestants face scenarios that may not be what they might have expected. For example, in the Italian version, the finalists have to decide whether to take more than their share of the prize fund, thus leaving some contestants with nothing. Learning from what has worked well in the different international versions has allowed us to move some elements around different territories, for example, emotional calls home or the use of the ATM to tempt individual contestants with prize money that is just for them.
As it’s started building an international footprint, what differences have emerged from one territory to the next?
Tempting Fortune has now been made for multiple seasons in Italy, Norway, Mexico, Greece and various other territories, and we’ve just announced a deal with Warner Bros. International Television Production Spain to produce the format for Mediaset there. What has made all these international versions work so well is the adaptability of the format. Each local producer has made changes which ensure it works best for their platform and their audience.
For example, the Italian version, produced by Blu Yazmine for Sky with the title Money Road, took the essential elements of the original Channel 4 series and added more reality elements and format beats appropriate to Sky Italia’s primetime audience. The series used a celebrity host in a much more central role, outlining the social experiment nature of the format, and also used Sky Italia’s on-screen talent to tempt participants; for example, celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli prepared a mouth-watering pasta dish for a food temptation.
Are you looking at a production hub model for efficiency?
We have a production hub in Malaysia to increase efficiencies and reduce costs for individual broadcasters who are able to follow each other into production, sharing experienced crew, routes and temptations. In Malaysia, producers can also benefit from government tax credits.
Channel 4 is a YouTube-savvy broadcaster. What digital elements can broadcasters leverage when rolling out their own versions?
The format is a rich source of memeable, clippable, and highly shareable moments that can be amplified across social media and YouTube to drive reach, conversation, and audience engagement. From “Why is there a Greggs in the jungle?” to participants succumbing to temptation and comic moments with the host, there’s a wealth of entertaining content that can take on a life beyond the show.
KEY DETAILS:
Genre: Reality competition/format
Description: The epic competition with a twist, where 12 strangers trek through the hostile jungle while costly temptations threaten to slash a shared prize pot.
Distributor: Cineflix RightsDuration: Total 22×60 min. (U.K.)
Production Companies: Voltage TV & WPP Media Motion Entertainment
Contact: sales@cineflix.com
