UKTV’s Dave & VICE Studios Pact for Game Show

UKTV’s entertainment channel Dave is making its first program with VICE Studios, titled Beat the Internet with John Robins.

The 20×30-minute game show is hosted by the titular 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner. The program pits members of the public against each other in a quest to predict how search engines will respond to a series of questions. all3media holds the global rights for Beat the Internet with John Robins and will be launching the format and finished program to international buyers later this year.

Robins said, “For many years now I’ve been suspicious that the ‘internet’ is getting too big for its boots. Its war against our high streets, laws and HMRC goes completely unchecked, and that’s not to mention the unknowable impact on future generations of the constant stream of top-shelf material it provides, whose sheer volume and variety never ceases to astonish and horrify. I say it’s time to fight back, to reclaim our streets, to enforce our laws, recoup our taxes, and place pornography back on actual shelves in the real world, where it can be controlled, policed, and placed under a copy of The Times before handing to a sympathetic newsagent. Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to Beat the Internet.”

Iain Coyle, UKTV’s senior commissioning editor, added, “I’m really excited about this. Is it: a) a new genre for the channel, b) a highly addictive, play-along game, or c) a chance to work with one of the most exciting new comedy talents to emerge in the last few years? Answer: It’s all three.”

Luke Hales, channel director at Dave, commented, “This is one of those concepts that immediately jumped out at us as fresh, exciting and with great potential to excite Dave viewers. We’re also all huge fans of John and are delighted to welcome him to the channel.”

Yonni Usiskin, creative director and executive producer at VICE Studios, stated, “We are delighted to be working with UKTV on our first studio game show, Beat the Internet with John Robins. Not only is this our first commission for UKTV but it also marks our move into unscripted formats and entertainment programming. Beat the Internet is unlike any other game show; it is born from the bizarre and highly intimate everyday relationship we all have with search engines and turns it into a game show that is hilarious, surprising and addictive viewing.”