FOX Commissions The Money Drop for Full Series

LONDON: Endemol’s high-stakes game show The Money Drop has been given a 12-episode order from FOX in the U.S., following a pilot commission earlier this year.

The show will have the local title Million Dollar Money Drop and will feature Kevin Pollack as the host. Jeff Apploff (Don’t Forget the Lyrics) will executive produce. The series will debut on FOX on December 20, airing four consecutive nights through December 23. Additional airdates are to be announced.

In the U.K., the second season of the Channel 4 show, titled The Million Pound Drop, has built significantly on the success of season one. The Money Drop has also launched in Turkey, Greece, Russia, Germany and Israel. The format is further set for Spain, Ukraine, Albania and Hungary, with 11 total territories set and more pending.

David Flynn at Endemol UK who created The Money Drop commented: “From the outset we knew The Money Drop had real global appeal. It’s a simple format that delivers heart-stopping jeopardy throughout, with contestants risking their fortune on every single question. Having seen it now in five different languages it’s clear that the dilemma at the heart of the game—be bold to win big but risk losing it all—is universal and I’m convinced an American audience will also be hooked.”

Tim Hincks, the CEO of Endemol UK, said: “The Money Drop has all the hallmarks of a classic Endemol format—jeopardy, drama and high stakes. It’s another great example of the U.K. and U.S. teams working hand in hand to create and produce the next generation of global hits."

David Goldberg, the chairman of Endemol North America, added: “Like Deal or No Deal, Million Dollar Money Drop has proven to be a global hit, and we are thrilled to be bringing it to FOX. In the latest of a long line of innovative and captivating game shows from Endemol, the show is wrought with emotion, and viewers won’t be able to take their eyes off Million Dollar Money Drop.”