John de Mol’s Talpa Studios, whose hit formats include quiz show “The Floor,” is heading to next week’s TV market Mipcom with a series of new entertainment formats led by “Sing With Me” and “The Golden Elevators.”
“Sing With Me” is a feel-good music entertainment format developed in collaboration with Dutch producer IDTV, the creator of “The Traitors”.
The show gives aspiring singers a chance to share the stage with some of the biggest artistes in the country. Each performance begins as a solo, but when one of the established artists hears something special, they may grab a microphone and join in, turning the performance into a duet.
The format will launch on SBS6 in the Netherlands on 7 November.
“The Golden Elevators”, a quiz show that combines general knowledge with social strategy, has been ordered by ITV in the UK and SBS 6 in the Netherlands, where it is due to air early next year.
Ten contestants enter a skyscraper where they must choose between two elevators, each representing a possible answer to 10 questions. Choose correctly and you will move up; Choose wrong and you’re out.
Before the doors close, contestants can work together and share what they know – or deliberately send an opponent to the wrong elevator – turning every question into a battle of knowledge, strategy and confidence. Waiting at the top is a life-changing jackpot, one that can be shared with anyone who gets there.
With 26 formats active in 34 countries, Talpa Studios continues to expand its global footprint, and Sebastian van Barneveld, director of global distribution for Talpa Studios, underlines the company’s investment in original IP, as well as the role of partnerships in that growth.
Shows developed through the partnership now account for over 40% of Talpa Studios’ catalogue.
“In a rapidly changing market, strong ideas need more than just creativity. Collaboration and flexibility are key in driving them forward,” he said. “Our MIPCOM slate reflects that vision: by connecting original IP with creative partnerships and developing formats that can work across markets, platforms and audiences, we are creating multiple pathways for ideas to flourish.”
The partnership model has produced titles such as the murder mystery format “A Party to Die For”, developed with ITV Studios, and “Let’s Play Ball”, originally co-developed by Endemolschine Nederland (part of Banijay Benelux), Talpa Studios and Signal.Stream. The format has since secured commissions in French Canada and Finland.
Signal.Stream, a strategic partner of Talpa Studios, which has focused on creating the format for the streaming generation, has developed several other titles that are gaining popularity in the market. “Most Wanted” has new commissions in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Romania, while “Catch Us” has added adaptations in the Netherlands and Hungary, as well as new commissions from TV4 in Sweden and ProSieben in Germany.
Talpa Studios’ established brands are building momentum across the globe. For example, “The Floor” has reached over 30 territories. Meanwhile, “The Winner Takes It All” received its first international sale to France Télévisions and a recommendation in the Netherlands.
Daily reality competition “The Alliance”, nominated for the Netherlands’ most prestigious television viewership award, launches on Prime Video in India with a celebrity transformation, and the streaming giant has confirmed a second season.
“Caught in the Middle,” a high-energy studio game show in which a pair must outwit 100 opponents around them, returns for a second season in the Netherlands and continues to travel internationally with adaptations in Spain for AtresMedia and Australia for Seven Network.
De Mol is a reality TV legend who previously led Endemol and Talpa Media, producers of iconic brands such as “Big Brother,” “Deal or No Deal,” “Fear Factor” and “The Voice.” Formed in September 2023, Talpa Studio is led by CEO Maarten Meij.