Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) kicks off its attendance at NEM in Dubrovnik with the news that Impractical Jokers, the long-running hidden camera prank show format, is heading to Lithuania.
TV3 Group has commissioned a 24 x 30’ local version, making Lithuania the 14th territory to adapt the title. Production will begin later this year.
Originally created by the American comedy troupe The Tenderloins, Impractical Jokers has become a global comedy favourite. The U.S. original has seen 11 seasons and more than 300 episodes produced for truTV, including numerous spin-offs and specials. Internationally, the format has been adapted in several countries, including the UK, the Netherlands, Greece, Mexico, Sweden and Australia, where The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers, produced locally by WBITVP Australia, returns for its third season on Paramount+ today.
In each episode of Impractical Jokers, four comedian friends compete to embarrass each other in public with a series of outrageous, funny and entertaining dares. These challenges could include anything from eating the food off other people’s plates at a top restaurant to deliberately making a bad impression at a speed-dating event. The least successful team member in each episode endures a punishment – a final embarrassing task, which could be a big public spectacle, a funny one-on-one encounter, a gross act of humiliation or any combination thereof!
Four of Lithuania’s leading comedy talents will star in TV3’s Impractical Jokers. Antanas Sadauskas is a comedian and cultural innovator who also runs a successful comedy club; Markas Žukauskas is a fast-thinking and fearless stand-up comedian who thrives in unpredictable situations; Simanas Žurauskas is a stand-up comedian and high-profile content creator known for his humorous takes on everyday life; and Viktoras Balykovas, a stand-out voice on the country’s comedy scene who is known for his sharp humour, relatable storytelling and strong presence on social media.
André Renaud, GVP Format & Finished Sales at WBITVP, said: “We’re delighted to see Impractical Jokers heading to Lithuania and welcome TV3 into the global pranking family. The format is evergreen, highly adaptable, and a lot of fun to produce. We’ve seen titles like The Bachelor and Cash or Trash perform consistently well across Central & Eastern Europe, and we believe Impractical Jokers offers something equally compelling in primetime: a strong sense of friendship and playfulness that resonates with audiences everywhere. I’m looking forward to seeing our Lithuanian pranksters bring this format to life”
Arvydas Rimas, Creative Director at TV3 Group Lithuania, added, “Impractical Jokers is the ‘gold standard’ of hidden camera prank shows, so we are delighted to have struck this deal with WBITVP. It is exciting to have four such high-profile, popular and witty comedians
already on board, so we look forward to moving into production and getting the first pranks underway. TV3 Group Lithuania has consistently set a standard for the country by presenting the most relevant and up-to-date global formats, so we have high hopes and every confidence that Impractical Jokers will quickly become an important ‘must watch’ title for a wide audience.”
TV3 has previously adapted WBITVP’s competitive diving format, Celebrity Splash, for local audiences.
The deal was brokered by Reema Patel, Director of Formats at WBITVP.
