The Wall is headed to Greece with well-known presenter Christos Ferentinos fronting the local version for Skai. The gameshow was added to the NBCUniversal Formats catalog last year and the studio has been pushing it internationally, with hopes of creating new production hubs in Europe. The Greek version is the first since NBCU took over distribution.
Ferentinos (Greece’s Got Talent and Deal or No Deal Greece), is one of the country’s most recognizable TV and radio presenters. The version he is fronting will run to sixty episodes of thirty minutes. The Greek show will have a 12-meter-high Wall, with two players per episode facing the make-or-break questions, and a cash prize of up to €350,000 ($408,000).
Glassman Media, The SpringHill Company, Universal Television Alternative Studio and Foss Productions are on production duty.
NBCUniversal Formats, in turn part of Universal Studio Group, is effectively relaunching the show in international markets where it has historically sold well. To date, over 1,500 episodes have been produced across 32 countries meaning it is well-known around the world.
Alkistis Maragoudaki, Chief Content Officer at Skai TV, said: “This format combines fast-paced gameplay with high risks and high gains, in a high-tech and immersive set where the players became the ultimate protagonists. We are certain our viewers will embrace the show wholeheartedly.”
Albertina Marfil, Director, Format Sales and Production at NBCUniversal Formats, added: “The show is thrilling, emotional and full of suspense, but at its heart, it is about human stories that connect with viewers everywhere.”
In distribution terms, the Greek deal is a marker as NBCU attempts to get the show back into international markets and establish production bases that can be used to efficiently make multiple versions. It set out its stall at the last edition of MIPCOM, with unscripted boss Toby Gorman telling Deadline about ambitious plans to boost the show’s profile outside the U.S. “We feel like now is the time to bring it back, not just in one country, but multiple at the same time,” he said at the time.
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