Irwin Entertainment’s John Irwin

The series House of Villains debuted on E! in the U.S. earlier this month, reaching an audience of 1.2 million viewers across seven days of multiplatform viewing—marking the network’s most-watched series premiere. John Irwin, executive producer of House of Villains and founder and president of Irwin Entertainment, talks to TV Formats about bringing forward this type of noisy, buzz-generating content to cut through in a crowded market.

TV FORMATS: What’s guiding Irwin Entertainment’s strategy in the entertainment formats arena?
IRWIN: In today’s overcrowded marketplace, we are focused on formats that can generate their own buzz, either through celebrity attachments or concepts that are very loud or outrageous. House of Villains is a perfect example of this. We took some of the most buzzworthy reality villains of the last 20 years and created a format that pits these conniving baddies against one another for a cash prize and ultimate bragging rights.

TV FORMATS: What’s working best in the entertainment landscape at present?
IRWIN: Because the viewing landscape currently is cluttered with too many options for viewers, we need to identify shows that can cut through the noise and are self-promotional in some way.

TV FORMATS: How did House of Villains come about? What are the keys to producing a local adaptation of that show you’d impart for someone working on an international treatment?
IRWIN: We collaborated with E! on this format. E! had the initial idea and came to us to develop it because of our longstanding success with loud, over-the-top, celebrity house shows. The key to producing a local adaptation in an international territory is to book the right combination of celebrity cast members and pair with exceptional storytelling, both in the field and in postproduction. We put a lot of energy into giving House of Villains a self-deprecating comedic tone, which I think introduces a key element that truly makes the show stand out.

TV FORMATS: Having launched several shows on U.S. networks, what are the keys to working in the U.S. entertainment market?
IRWIN: With American broadcasters, having either recognizable IP or big on-camera talent can be a shoo-in to getting a show on the air, but in order to anticipate what could become the next trend, it’s important to remain several steps ahead and keep an ear to what’s bubbling to the surface, whether it’s an innovative shift in something already in the market or a brand-new concept that reflects the cultural zeitgeist.

TV FORMATS: As you look at the year ahead, where do you see the greatest opportunities in the entertainment and formats business?
IRWIN: While at the moment the market is challenging, I think there’s a push toward challenge-based formats that feature celebrities who are happy to immerse themselves in fish-out-of-water situations. Encouraging them to venture outside their comfort zones and experience circumstances totally out of their element is becoming an interesting space. House of Villains is the perfect example of potential opportunities within this lane of programming, and already, we have an unannounced show in the same vein to add to a growing slate of others we’re exploring.

TV FORMATS: And what are the challenges it faces?
IRWIN: Right now, there are just too many places to find content, ironically making it very difficult for audiences to identify shows they want to watch. The main way audiences hear about a new show these days is through word of mouth. So for us, it’s important to work closely, from the onset, with marketing and PR to closely align our promotional messaging with our key demographics while also seeking out-of-the-box opportunities that highlight the content.