Talpa Studios Teams with Signal.Stream

Talpa Studios has entered a creative partnership with Signal.Stream, a Dutch content and production house focused on the streaming market.

The first project to come from the collaboration is No Way Back, an adventure reality show in which a group of adventurers embark on a grueling trail through Norway’s rugged landscape. It is set to premiere on SBS6 in the Netherlands on January 7.

In No Way Back, 16 fearless adventurers are guided by a well-known former Special Forces member on a 12-day-long trail through Norway, with €100,000 at stake. The trail is divided into several stages and becomes more difficult along the way. Each stage ends in a survival camp, during which the contestants must decide whether to stay or continue the journey. If no one voluntarily chooses to stay behind, a vote is taken. The four camps are worth €50,000, and if an adventurer stays until the last day, they win that amount. Completing the full journey adds another €50,000. If no one reaches the finish in time, that amount is divided among the remaining adventurers in the camps.

Talpa Studios’ years of format knowledge and extensive global network makes the company an ideal partner for Signal.Stream, which is focused on inventive, unscripted formats for digital-native audiences. In the 18 months since its founding, it has sold multiple formats and stories to established streaming services, including Super Lions (Superleeuwen), about the Moroccan football dream during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Signal.Stream’s founders, Giel de Winter and Wouter van der Pauw, who previously worked on formats such as Hunting Season and The Vault, initially crossed paths with John de Mol during their time at Talpa Network.

De Mol, owner Talpa Studios, said: “The strength of this partnership lies in the fact that Signal.Stream knows and can reach new target audiences, while Talpa Studios brings its vast experience in format development and international distribution. I’m convinced that with this cooperation and Giel and Wouter’s creativity, we can launch exciting and innovative formats.”

Maarten Meijs, CEO of Talpa Studios, added: “Exemplifying our commitment to an open creative network approach, this collaboration with Giel and Wouter brings fresh, new ideas from their backgrounds in successful formats and advertising. Together, we can develop these ideas into strong formats that can travel the world and reflect the current era.”

Van der Pauw commented: “John de Mol is unprecedented in the field of format creation and production, complemented by a team of experts and a strong global network. Leveraging their network, we can introduce our fresh ideas to global audiences. The flexibility and dynamism of our collaboration will enhance our ideas, ensuring a more significant impact. We look forward to working with the creative team at Talpa Studios within this extensive partnership.”