Banijay Lands French Commission for New Game Show

LONDON: Air Productions, part of the Banijay Group, has been commissioned to produce the new game show Honey, Pack the Bags!, one of several titles on Banijay’s MIPTV slate, for France 2.

Set to air under the local title Cheri(e) Fait Les Valises, the format is slated for a 40-episode run, starting March 28. It will be housed by the popular French host Nagui, who is also the founder of Air Productions. The format watches as three audience members compete in a series of crazy challenges and answer general-knowledge questions in order to earn points they need to win a holiday trip. The format will make its launch to international buyers at MIPTV, along with a number of formats and finished shows from the Banijay catalogue.

Further highlights for MIPTV include One Night Stand from Toto Productions of Ireland. The show uses the power of social media to attract a flash mob of potential dates ready to try and impress a trio of singles. Try Sleeping In My Bed is from Nordisk Film TV of Denmark, a Banijay Group company. In this nation-wide experiment, families turn their lives upside down by allowing the wives and mothers of their family to cross the country and live with unknown people in an unknown place.

From DR of Denmark comes Whack ‘n Munch, which follows an experienced rural hunter and a young urban cook as they prepare to spend a night in the wild. The Zig Zag created format Back On the Job watches as celebrities are sent back to the bottom of the ladder to see if they can still make it in the job they had before they became famous. Saddle Ranch, a 10×30-minute finished show from Bunim/Murray, a U.S. Banijay Group company, features guys and girls working at this iconic Hollywood restaurant. The waiters are all trying to make it in the fast-pace Hollywood lifestyle.

Returning Banijay hits include the adventure-reality show 71 Degrees North, with a second season; My Parents Are Gonna Love You, a third adaptation; Love Games, which returns for a second run; and The People’s Quiz, a show currently finding success in the Middle East.