BBC Studios has confirmed it has secured international distribution rights to Norwegian based Montreux Film and Fjernsyn’s gameshow format, Nation’s Dumbest.
Nation’s Dumbest is the first ever television show where the loser is the winner. 12 celebrities fight it out to be eliminated from the competition as quickly as possible to avoid being crowned the nation’s dumbest. From influencers to wrestlers, comedians to politicians, the contestants are put to the test in a series of entertaining physical and mental rounds in this successful, relatable, and family-friendly show about all the things you really should know.
The original comedy gameshow format, Norges Dummeste (Norway’s Dumbest) began airing on Norway’s public broadcaster TV 2 in August 2024 and has quickly become Norway’s most-watched TV show.
The format launches at Mipcom 2024 later this month during a bespoke session hosted by BBC Studios for international buyers dedicated to the global appeal of gameshow and quiz formats. Nation’s Dumbest creators Erik Solbakken and Jørgen Høst will present the format to buyers for the first time.
With the trend for gameshows currently on the rise, commissioners and producers of the hottest gameshow formats from BBC Studios will be sharing key insights at the exclusive panel session, The Power of Game and Quiz. Other panelists include Suzy Lamb, Managing Director, UK Entertainment, BBC Studios, Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted for the BBC and Richard Bacon, Founder, Yes Yes Media and Executive Producer, Silence is Golden. The one-off session will take place on Tuesday 22nd October in Auditorium A from 9.00 -10:00 CET.
This follows last year’s successful session dedicated to the international primetime entertainment format from Magnum Media, The 1% Club which saw international buyers compete in a play-a-long of the show itself, and gained BBC Studios a further four international licenses with the show now standing at twelve.
Matt Forde, Managing Director, Global Entertainment, BBC Studios said, “Game and quiz show formats remain a staple in global schedules, and we’re thrilled to include Nation’s Dumbest in our MIPCOM slate. It’s part of a strong lineup of new and iconic titles we will present to commissioners and production partners in Cannes, as we continue to seek out and develop a portfolio of formats to meet the needs of every schedule and platform. We’re delighted to continue working with Montreux Film and Fjernsyn, and are confident buyers will love the appeal of Nation’s Dumbest as much as they have Weakest Link and The 1% Club.”
New quiz and gameshow formats launching at Mipcom include BBC Studios Entertainment Productions The Answer Run, a high-stakes game show which sees three teams battle it out for one cash prize. Every question travels down the ‘run’, and the players must sort the questions into the correct answer to bank the cash. Victory depends on a split-second swipe. With the pressure of time, will they make the right decision or risk walking away with nothing?
From BBC Studios Entertainment Productions, Nippon TV and Empire of Arkadia, Koso Koso’s contestants think they are in a product review show, unaware of the secret squad of celebrity sneakers constantly observing their every move. The celebrity sneakers must skillfully complete ridiculous missions without getting caught to win cash for the clueless contestants. Once the missions conclude, the biggest secret is revealed: contestants find out about the gameshow they never knew they were playing and face a final challenge alongside the celebrities to win the cash prize.
Finally, Silence is Golden from Yes Yes Media Production is a TV first as it’s the very first comedy game show where it pays not to laugh. Quite literally. The studio audience begin with a shared prize pot of £250k and all they have to do to keep it is not make a sound. But when confronted with a team of entertainers who will do anything and everything to make the audience break their silence, chaos starts to unfold.
Also at Mipcom, Matt Forde, MD, Global Entertainment, BBC Studios, will take part in a scripted formats panel, Producer and Distributor Collaboration in the Remake Process, at 14:30 in the Producer’s Hub on Monday 21st October.
BBC Studios also represent formats that are nominated at The International Format Awards, including Magnum Media’s The 1% Club for Best Returning Format and Love Productions’ The Great Bake Off for Best Competition Reality Format. The awards will be announced during the market on Sunday 20th October at Hyde Beach.
