Nippon TV’s Mute It! Gets Two-Hour Prime-Time Special in Japan

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Nippon TV’s game-show format Mute It! has been greenlit for a two-hour special set to air during a prime-time slot on August 14.

The game show first aired on Nippon TV in November 2019, followed by a move to prime time in March 2020. It has garnered stellar ratings, especially from the children/teens/20-to-34-year-old demographic, and has been a hit on social media.

Nippon TV, which launched the format in April, has already received numerous requests for international adaptations.

There’s only one rule in Mute It!: don’t make any sounds. Contestants play four stages of games in the Hall of Silence, a custom-built giant studio with difficult challenges for the players to accomplish, yet at the same time, filled with loud sound making traps all around. If contestants make any sounds above 50dB, the Sound Watchman, purveyor of the Hall of Silence, suddenly shows up to take the contestant away.

“Since the original airing, Mute It! has far exceeded our expectations,” commented Fusako Nagashima, head of formats, international business development for Nippon TV. “Not just here in Japan but around the world with the interest that this unique game-show format has been generating. We are excited to be unveiling this two-hour special with new themes including pirates, treasure island, secret caves and jungles, and we are certain that Mute It! will continue to grasp attention from buyers looking for a fun studio gameshow format.”

Added Nagashima, “Through our research, we found viewers not only avidly watched the show but also posted a huge number of real-time comments on social media cheering on their favorite celebrities who challenge the game in total silence, and even saying that they wanted to participate in this game show themselves. We are confident the ratings and social media hits will skyrocket once again.”