BBC, NBCUniversal Co-Commission Destination X Adaptation

BBC and NBCUniversal have co-commissioned an adaptation of the Belgian adventure reality competition format Destination X.

Originally created and produced by Geronimo, the format sees ten contestants embark on the road trip of a lifetime, with no knowledge of their locations. They will receive clues to help them decide if they can trust what they see outside of the bus, and whichever contestant places their X on a map furthest away from the bus’s actual location at the end of each episode is eliminated.

The original series launched in Belgium on February 20 on VTM and has consistently won the slot on Monday evenings, with a 42 percent market share over the first eight episodes. The format is distributed globally by Be-Entertainment.

This co-commission follows the successful co-commission between the two broadcast giants of The Traitors, which has become a global phenomenon.

Kate Phillips, director of unscripted at the BBC, said: “Following the must-see success of The Traitors, I’m delighted that once again we’re partnering with NBCUniversal on another very smart, very addictive and very innovative competition show. With countless red herrings and brain-teasing clues, we were gripped from the start. It promises to be a hugely challenging adventure for our ten brave contestants, with plenty of play-along for all BBC viewers, as everyone hopes they’ve got the X that marks the spot!”

Corie Henson, executive VP of unscripted programming at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, commented: “Destination X is a big unique format that pairs spectacular adventure travel with the ultimate guessing game. The Traitors instilled confidence that big formats are back, and Destination X is incredibly ambitious. We’re thrilled to have the perfect traveling partners in Universal Television Alternative Studios, BBC and, of course, Be-Entertainment for this one-of-a-kind immersive gameplay set among stunning locations.”

Gepke Nederlof, managing director of Be-Entertainment, added: “It’s amazing to see how Destination X has literally taken off since its launch! It’s a true adventure both in and outside of the Destination X bus, and we could not be more proud than to partner with two of the leading content companies in the world in such an early stage of our international journey.”