Case Study of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Sarah Tong, the director of sales at Hat Trick International, talks to TV Formats about the company’s success with the unscripted comedy format Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Cast members and guest performers use improvisation and audience suggestions to compete in a variety of games on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, an unscripted comedy format sold by Hat Trick International. The show started life as a British radio program before debuting on TV in the U.K. “Jimmy Mulville [Hat Trick’s co-founder and managing director] became involved when he took the format to Channel 4, which commissioned the first series in 1988, and it’s been in production ever since,” says Sarah Tong, Hat Trick’s director of sales.

A decade later, ABC in the U.S. placed an order for an American version that remained on the air until 2007. Games played included voicing over a clip from a movie without the soundtrack, inventing a song about an audience member, and using props in amusing ways. The show saw host Drew Carey award an arbitrary amount of points “that don’t matter” to the best players, with the “winner” getting to read the closing credits out loud in a funny style. In 2013, The CW revived Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which is now presented by Aisha Tyler and sees original cast members Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie perform alongside new talent and celebrity guests.

Hat Trick has secured finished-tape sales for both the U.K. and new U.S. versions of the format. “They sell very well internationally (to a total of 102 countries), both to TV and VOD platforms,” says Tong.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? has also been adapted in 13 other territories, including France, Germany, Spain, Russia and the Netherlands. “The series has been extremely successful in the Netherlands, where they’ve made nine seasons as well as a number of stage shows, which [has also been] done in the U.K.,” notes Tong. “As well as more international versions for TV, we are looking at doing more live stage shows after having two successful runs in London’s West End. We are looking at opportunities in the U.K. and abroad.”

The most recent local treatments of the format were ordered in Vietnam and Australia. “In Australia, The Comedy Channel commissioned a 10-part series hosted by Tommy Little, with an ensemble cast including Rhys Darby, Susie Youssef and Steen Raskopoulos,” says Tong.

There are a few minor differences between the various versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? “Some use music more than others, some have more than four chairs (we allow up to six), some use the same four chairs (performers) each week and some rotate,” says Tong. “Some have created their own spin-offs of our games and some have used social media and live suggestions for games online.”

Regarding what makes the format easy to adapt, Tong notes that “excellent consultancy and a comprehensive bible” are very important to have. She says the concept has been a hit “because it combines well-known talent with the best in exciting new talent playing a variety of hilarious games. And it’s unpredictable. But best of all, it’s successful because it makes you laugh.”

Tong adds: “Although there have been a few copycat formats over the years, the forerunner to all of those—Whose Line Is It Anyway?—has stood the test of time and will continue to be a global hit for years to come.”