NBC Orders Benidorm Bastards

BURBANK/MUNICH: NBC has placed an order for 12 half-hour episodes of the SevenOne hidden-camera format Benidorm Bastards, to air under the local total Off Their Rockers, with Betty White set to host.

Kinetic Content, the new company backed by ProSiebenSat.1’s Red Arrow Entertainment Group and run by Chris Coelen (Secret Millionaire), will produce the series for the U.S. White, Coelen, Kinetic’s Matilda Zoltowski and SHELTER’s Tim Van Aelst will serve as executive producers of the U.S. version.

The series features a group of seven senior citizens who go out and play pranks on unsuspecting young people. The show was originally produced by SHELTER in Belgium, and SevenOne has sold the series into more than 20 territories.

"People have been telling me that I’m ‘Off My Rocker’ for years—now I can prove it," said White.

"Betty White is a comedic genius who escalates hilarity in any situation," commented Paul Telegdy, the executive VP of alternative programming at NBC and Universal Media Studios. "Viewers will thoroughly enjoy watching her pull one over on the unsuspecting youth of America."

Coelen added, "NBC is a terrific home for great comedy and Betty White’s mischievous sense of humor is a perfect fit with this format which has shattered ratings expectations and garnered critical acclaim in every territory around the world."

Caroline Kusser, the director for North America at SevenOne International, remarked, "We are thrilled to work with Betty White and Chris Coelen—an absolute dream team for this hilarious international smash hit."