Banijay has acquired the global distribution rights to new ITV1 and ITVX reality entertainment series, The Fortune Hotel. Banijay will represent the format, with distribution arm Banijay Rights handling finished tape sales.
Creators Tuesday’s Child retain the rights to produce the format in the U.S.
The new primetime series is hosted by Stephen Mangan. The 8 x 60’ series will see ten pairs of contestants arrive at The Fortune Hotel – at a luxury Caribbean resort – where they will each be given an all-important briefcase. However, only one contains the ultimate cash jackpot of £250,000.
Eight briefcases are empty, and one contains the dreaded Early Checkout Card. Whichever pair of contestants is left holding the Checkout Card at the end of each show will see their stay brought to a dramatic, and premature, end.
The deal was negotiated by Banijay Rights with Tuesday’s Child, which is the producer behind hit competition reality format, LEGO Masters (with 20 versions produced globally). The Fortune Hotel will launch on ITV1 and ITVX in 2024, produced by Tuesday’s Child.
Helen Greatorex, Head of Format Acquisitions at Banijay and Simon Cox, EVP Content & Acquisitions at Banijay Rights, said in a joint statement: “Building on our excellent long-standing partnership with Tuesday’s Child, we’re thrilled to now partner on The Fortune Hotel, the edge-of-your-seat competition series that provides twists aplenty in a fabulous sunny location.
“We’re excited by the potential for this format to travel across our production footprint and beyond, and are in no doubt that both the format and finished series will resonate with viewers worldwide.”
Karen Smith, Managing Director at Tuesday’s Child, adds: “We’re delighted to once again be working with Banijay on this new high-paced event series, continuing our ever-fruitful partnership which began with global format sensation LEGO Masters.”
Every day, The Fortune Hotel contestants have the chance to try to uncover who has which case through playing compelling challenges. Viewers will be ‘in the know’, witnessing contestant plans and strategies playing out. The climax of each episode is the nerve-shredding case swap in the Lady Luck bar, where each pair must decide whether to keep or swap.
“Have the couple with the life-changing sum of cash managed to bluff and blag their way free of suspicion?” we are asked to consider. “Or will their case be ruthlessly taken off them? And who will be left holding the Early Checkout Card?”
Ben Wilson is Series Editor for Tuesday’s Child with Steph Harris as Executive Producer.
