Nigel Lythgoe to Bring DRG Quiz Show to U.S.

LOS ANGELES: Nigel Lythgoe has picked up the U.S. rights to co-produce a local version of DRG’s prime-time quiz show Secret Fortune with creators Wild Rover Productions.

The Irish outfit Wild Rover has produced a U.K. version of the show, which is set to launch February 12 on BBC One. The U.S. treatment, Secret Fortune USA, will be co-produced by Wild Rover and Lythgoe and Simon Fuller’s production company Big Red 2. The format is the first title to launch from DRG’s recently created strategy to co-fund format pilots with broadcasters. Secret Fortune has also been licensed across Europe to Italy, Spain and Holland, among other territories.

Lythgoe, president and co-founder of Big Red 2, commented, “Secret Fortune is a beautifully constructed quiz show that while it guarantees the contestants prize money, it allows the whole family a chance to play along at home. I am delighted to be working with its creators Phil Morrow and Wild Rover Productions on this project.”

Phil Morrow, the managing director of Wild Rover, said, “We’re delighted to be working with Nigel Lythgoe in the U.S.—he’s the best studio entertainment producer in the world. Secret Fortune is the next generation of quiz show. It’s such a fun format, packed with jeopardy and emotion and it can change people’s lives forever. We can’t wait for the U.K. premiere, this Saturday at 8 p.m. on BBC One.”

Kary McHoul, the president of DRG America, added, “Nigel is a world leader and expert in the production of formatted programming and we’re all incredibly excited to be announcing Secret Fortune USA. Today’s deal underlines our mission for bringing the very best and most original European formats to U.S. producers.”

Andrea Jackson, the managing director of acquisitions at DRG, remarked, “It’s an exceptional start to the year for Secret Fortune, which I believe is one of the most exciting new quiz shows in the market. This is the first show born from DRG’s formats co-funding strategy, where we’re actively investing in the co-production of broadcast quality pilots with the original commissioners. This enables us to take the highest quality example of the format to our international partners and immediately begin building the show into a global brand, a significant revenue stream for our producer partners.”