FOX Entertainment Global’s Nathalie Wogue

It has been three years since FOX Entertainment launched its $100 million International Unscripted Format Fund (IUFF), with an eye to finding the next wave of unscripted formats for the global market, and already, four series have launched from it to date. The company has partnerships in place with France’s TF1 and Studio Ramsay Global, among others. All of this has contributed to flexibility in exploring unconventional ideas and embracing risk in the format space. Nathalie Wogue, senior VP of global formats at FOX Entertainment Global, talks about the strategy for third-party deals in taking on format rights and the health and vitality of the unscripted entertainment landscape.

TV FORMATS: What’s guiding the company’s format strategy?
WOGUE: FOX Entertainment prides itself on being a bellwether in the unscripted space, and staying in front of global trends is an important component to our overall content strategy. We approach unscripted with an eye toward creating unexpected, unforgettable entertainment, identifying that hook of originality that will grab the viewer and keep them engaged. This sensibility is applied to both our inbound formats like The Masked Singer and The Floor, as well as outbound formats we bring to worldwide markets, such as Gordon Ramsay’s hit cooking competition series Next Level Chef.

In today’s entertainment ecosystem, it’s essential to develop concepts that can be broadly and universally enjoyed by audiences everywhere—something you can watch alongside friends and the whole family, whether that be in the U.S., Germany or Brazil. That’s where we want to be as a global content creator.

One of the secrets to getting there involves actively pitching new ideas to our international clients, sometimes even before securing a greenlight in the U.S. We stay attuned to and ahead of emerging trends, audience tastes and our clients’ needs in every territory, recognizing the value in testing new series in regions where the genre or concept will resonate with viewers.

TV FORMATS: How is the International Unscripted Format Fund bearing fruit?
WOGUE: Our International Unscripted Format Fund has yielded significant success, resulting in the launch of four series to date. These include The Big Deal for Ireland’s Virgin Media Television in collaboration with Dublin-based BiggerStage, the celebrity performance competition The Masterpiece (internationally known as Celebrity Masterpiece) for Workpoint Entertainment in Thailand, the celebrity competition Beat My Mini-Mes (locally known as Dream Team) for TF1 in France and the dating show Marriage Market for Germany’s ProSieben.

With IUFF, we are strategically expanding our partnerships globally by collaboratively merging cultures and ideas while anticipating and exceeding viewer expectations. The ongoing dialogue we maintain across our global network is invaluable and continues to deliver strong original creative, underscoring the strength of the international market.

TV FORMATS: How has the collaboration with France’s TF1 worked out?
WOGUE: TF1 has been a good partner to us and our search for uniqueness. Beat My Mini-Mes started as a paper format created by FOX, co-developed with TF1, and it brought original twists to the singing competition genre: A-list celebrity singers competing against each other, surrounded by talented kids all wearing the same outfit and a vertical set that looks like an arena where they can react while their competitors are performing.

This partnership with one of the main European networks enabled us to successfully test a big performance show—a key genre for linear TV—with a large viewing demo (prime time) and a high production value. And we’re now discussing adaptations with other international channels, based on finished tapes we’re very proud of. Throughout the process we learned a lot about each other, which helps to consider moving on to the next project together. And, more generally, it encourages us to work with more networks around the world, exchanging experiences and perspectives, for the ultimate benefits of the whole industry.

TV FORMATS: What’s the strategy for third-party deals in taking on format rights?
WOGUE: FOX Entertainment has a long-standing track record of creating unexpected original content and formats. We enjoy the freedom to collaborate with anyone, anywhere, and when you consider our International Unscripted Format Fund, we have even more flexibility to explore unconventional ideas and embrace risk, delivering meaningful value to our production portfolio and growing content library. This openness also means that ideas can originate from any corner of the world, allowing us to partner with those best suited to help us bring new concepts to life. In fact, we ostensibly function as an independent studio, casting a wide net and maintaining operational agility but also enjoying scale that matches our creative ambitions and growth strategy.

TV FORMATS: How does the partnership with Studio Ramsay Global bolster the format slate, and what are the strengths of that relationship?
WOGUE: We’ve been in business with Gordon Ramsay for nearly 20 years, and we can’t say enough about how fortunate we are to have expanded that partnership with Studio Ramsay Global. They are amazing partners in every sense, driving both creativity and long-term value. It’s widely known that cooking shows consistently captivate audiences across all platforms, despite being a hugely competitive space, but when you look stateside, the top five cooking shows on television are from Gordon and on FOX.

What sets Studio Ramsay Global apart, however, is the unique combination of two key factors. First, the team reliably delivers groundbreaking and imaginative concepts, continually pushing themselves creatively. Second, and unsurprisingly, there’s the not-so-secret ingredient: Gordon himself. He is an unparalleled talent both in front of and behind the camera and has built a brand that travels the world and tells a great growth story, making Gordon an invaluable part of the FOX Entertainment family. Look at his hit competition series Next Level Chef alone. With three seasons under its belt, the NLC format has already sold into the U.K. and Spain, with more territories coming shortly.

TV FORMATS: What’s your take on the health and vitality of the unscripted entertainment landscape and the market for format remakes?
WOGUE: There’s always room for great ideas, and we’re thriving in the current landscape thanks to being creatively unrestrained and open to unconventional, innovative approaches. Compared to scripted, the TV format space can be highly cost-effective and agile, allowing for rapid production and quick responses to last-minute decisions by programmers, which is what the market is requiring today. The rise of streaming platforms has expanded opportunities for unscripted content, in all genres now, enabling the swift launch of new series, spin-offs and companion shows across networks and digital platforms, further enhancing brand reach. Niche formats have the potential to evolve into major series, moving from one platform to another or from one territory to another.

Because times are challenging, the whole format industry also seems more open to development and production partnerships. For instance, international hubs are now becoming a standard discussion for cost sharing, as these facilities can present meaningful production and scheduling efficiencies. Consider the FOX format Next Level Chef. We established a production hub in Ireland for the competition series, where our growing list of format partners can leverage existing sets, infrastructure and expertise, presenting significant creative and financial benefits.

So, opportunity is everywhere with unscripted formats, thanks to the diversity of their genres, their financial and programming flexibility and their global purpose. The opportunity today—and always—is to create great content that can travel everywhere and, hopefully, forever.