Hold on to your hats kids, it sounds as though Fort Boyard is deffo coming back to UK screens, but in a twist, it’s going to be for older kids. I believe they will be shooting some US episodes as well. To be honest going by the Contestant Call it sounds like they’re trying quite a few things out (18 year old team captain and 13-15 year old team mates?).
But what of the exciting French show beginning July 2nd? Here’s what we’ve gleaned:
- 13 new games, two of which are returning faves (the mud wrestling and the fight with the pugil sticks on a beam) with some high-tech twists, apparently.
- The cells are now decked out in the style of a carnival, the jungle or high tech.
- Three new characters – the mud wrestler, Justice White and The Firefly.
- Teams must now get seven keys again.
- It sounds like The Firefly will help on the high-tech games, whilst Justice White is who the teams go to if they don’t get their seven keys, he’ll give them the chance to make them up for a price.
- Pere Fouras is now in charge of the Council, and this time, it sounds like a modified version of the betting from 2009 is returning – now this time you win or lose Treasure Room time if you win or lose the bet.
- Can’t wait!
I see The Foundation is producing it. At least it will be in safe hands as they know what they’re doing.
Question is, where is it going to go channel wise?
Difficult to say. From the ages involved, I’m thinking ‘early teens’ is the target audience, which, well… No one seems to cater to anymore, though both the BBC and Channel 4 have made noises that they probably should be doing.
The Firefly, she’s like La Lumineuse but not!
People who are applying you can rest assure that Tube Transparent is no more. It will be missed
Fort Boyard could be heading for Sky1 but i would imagine it will either be on BBC1 early Saturday eve or CBBC.
Won’t be Sky1 as they’re now moving away from game shows after a good couple of years. I’m trying to remember the age range for Escape from Scopion Island as the age range fitted into the second series onwards.
Foundation suggests it’s almost certainly not destined for the Disney Channel, they only air their own shows. That it’s a UK-US co-production smells like Nickelodeon’s current modus operandi – Foundation have made in order that it works both sides of the pond, is an American in Britain, and they tend to commission for that sort of age group.
An airing on free-to-air television, I really don’t know.
If I recall correctly, had contestants in the 11-13 age range.
Before that, I see that the French-language channel TV5 has on its schedule on Monday evenings from 6 June. I presume it’s the 2010 edition.
it is the 2010 series on TV5 yes
It is worth noting that the most recent series of Escape… actually was a joint production with an australian TV station and featured 5 aussies and 5 brits.
@olivierminne is on Twitter, if you want some EXCLUSIVE behind the scenes photos – they started filming today.
Also BALL ON A PLANK! is not coming back. Shame.
Meanwhile, here’s the carnivalised cotton bud duel game:
http://lockerz.com/s/106437027
And here, presumably, is a jungly door:
http://lockerz.com/s/106401503
Actually I think I’m going to quite like what they’re doing with the visuals with this…
Me too. This is probably the most excited I’ve been about the show in years. I just hope it works.
Also Manolier will be in that ball pit room.
This game’s called The Stretcher, but it looks a bit like a morturary:
http://lockerz.com/s/106169561
I’m gonna say that if they do really well.. we might just have a hope that adults will compete back on the fort.. and Maybe the UK/Ireland Teams together would be great to see!
This is all rather exciting!!!! I wonder who they will bring in to present the new show? Let’s hope they don’t ruin it like Challenge did…!
I’ll see if i can use my local contacts to see if Melinda Messenger would consider/is doing it!
Surely the 2003 series wasn’t that bad? It was done on the cheap, anyway.
I hated it! It was done on the cheap and it looked like it too! The presenting was bad, the editing and graphics were also very poor. Not good after the high production values of Fremantle from the 2011 series… Hell they even used a few shots of Melinda Messenger on the boat in the title sequence! haha
I wouldn’t mind Tom Baker coming back as Captain Baker. His rambling anecdotes were fantastic.
It looks like it’s the duel version between the USA teens and UK teens. I think it’s meant to be shown in both countries too. The duel version is the version with the show with two teams which the french tried last year which didn’t work, other countries do the same, some between two countries. I don’t like the duel version 🙁
I wonder who is presenting it? If it is going to be on CBBC and becomes successful, HOPEFULLY they can do the single team version with adults on BBC1/2. Just like how you have the Apprentice and Junior Apprentice. Would love it if Melinda and Leslie came back, not sure it’ll happen though 🙁
That would make logical sense, however, urgh.
It is unlikely any TV channel is going to get excited about a combination of hosts that acheived at most 2m viewers over ten years ago these days, regrettably.
I looked at a french Fort Boyard website and translated the language and that’s what I think it said 🙁
The french tried it last year and it didn’t work, now they are going back to the single team version. Hopefully it could be similar here.
But there are many versions that have been successful – the Scandinavian ones for example.
Can I ask where you found it? I know Brits and Americans are filming in July so it would make sense.
On wwww.fort-boyard.fr . It says that Sweden and Norway are the ones doing the duel version of two teams of their same country. They are however filming the USA v UK version between 9 July to 15 July. So I assume that it’s a duel version between those two countries.
I think that’s a fairly safe assumption. Fair enough thanks Peter!
In other news, it’s Pied Marin junglified!
http://lockerz.com/s/106747717
I note the key seems to be hanging from a keyring, presumably they’re going to have to find other smaller keys to free it, whilst the room violently shakes.
On a previous casting call I saw it was being produced for Disney in the US and ITV in the UK.
That would certainly make sense with Foundation’s involvement. Thanks Sophie.
Foundation have done CBBC shows too.
Where did you see that casting call from Sophie?
Right, first picture of FB 2011 I don’t love – the cylinders look a bit “full on”:
http://lockerz.com/s/107016605
Someone has eaten Roald Dahl’s brain, there. Clearly.
Also when they fall off, they fall off into popcorn. Loads of popcorn. WHAT
it will be Laura Hamilton (formerly of Nickelodeon presenting and it will be on CITV