Channel 4 Commissions Another Season of The Circle

Channel 4 has ordered a second season of the reality game show The Circle, which will have an extended run and a weekly live episode.

The first season was Channel 4’s most popular new factual-entertainment series for young viewers in 2018. On All 4, The Circle was the biggest new original commission launch since 2012, with over 10 million views.

Produced by Studio Lambert and Motion Content Group, The Circle allows players to communicate via a social network. Contestants live in separate apartments in a single building and play games and chat with each other through a unique voice-activated social media platform, called The Circle. They rate each other frequently; unpopular players are ‘blocked’ and ultimately the most popular player wins a cash prize.

In season two, viewers will be given greater control and increased interactivity with the game. They will be able to influence how the contestants play.

Kelly Webb-Lamb, Channel 4’s deputy director of programs and head of popular factual, commented: “It was a genuine risk to take on such an innovative new reality format, but The Circle absolutely struck a chord with young viewers who were utterly gripped by the drama and relationships that unfolded on screen—even though the players never met. The second series will have more of what the viewers loved—warmth, humor, more live elements and even more surprises. I’m excited to see how it will build on the success of series one.”

“We were blown away by the love on social media for our entertaining cast and the nightly drama of the show,” added Studio Lambert’s creative director, Tim Harcourt. “This year we have some thrilling twists and turns in both our casting and the gameplay. We will also have a weekly live show that offers our audience more chance to engage and make a big impact on the narrative.”

“We have partnered with producers of some of the world’s biggest formats,” said Richard Foster, CEO of the Motion Content Group. “We believe The Circle is one of the most innovative formats for many years and with the support of Channel 4 and Netflix has a bright future in the U.K. and around the world.”