{"id":7549,"date":"2020-03-16T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2020-03-16T13:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev2.worldscreen.com\/tvformats\/worldscreen.com\/"},"modified":"2020-03-17T10:34:35","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T14:34:35","slug":"taking-a-ride-with-cash-cab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvformats\/taking-a-ride-with-cash-cab\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking a Ride with Cash Cab"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Nick Smith, executive VP of formats at all3media international, talks to <\/em>TV Formats<em> about the game-show format <\/em>Cash Cab<em>, which has traveled extensively since its inception in 2005.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>At some point over the course of the past 15 years, most New Yorkers (myself included) have secretly wished that the ceiling would light up with colorful squares as they sit down in the taxi they\u2019ve just hailed. And most would know exactly what that means if it does: they\u2019ve just become unwitting contestants on <em>Cash Cab<\/em>. The offbeat game show takes place right in the taxi as the host\u2014who\u2019s also the driver\u2014asks passengers trivia questions. If the contestants answer correctly, not only do they get a free cab ride, they exit the vehicle with a sizeable amount of cash. If they answer incorrectly three times, though, they\u2019re unceremoniously booted from the car wherever they happen to be and have to find another way to get to their destination.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully the opportunity to ride in the Cash Cab is not exclusive to New York\u2014the game-show format has traveled extensively since its inception in 2005. &#8220;<em>Cash Cab<\/em> has performed well all over the world in every timeslot imaginable,\u201d says Nick Smith, executive VP of formats at all3media international. \u201c<em>Cash Cab<\/em> has currently been commissioned in 48 countries around the world, and we&#8217;re really determined to get the number up to 50 in 2020\u2014its 15th year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The series actually began across the pond in London and was hosted by a real black-cab driver as it aired for two seasons on ITV. &#8220;I think it is fair to say it went largely under the radar,\u201d says Smith. It wasn\u2019t until Lion Television produced a U.S. version for Discovery later that same year that the format really took off. The American iteration featured a stand-up comedian (Ben Bailey) as the host, and many international variations have since followed suit.<\/p>\n<p>In Israel, in particular, Smith points out, the series has really taken off, playing in prime time since 2007 and rating at the same level as some of the most expensive formats. &#8220;<em>Cash Cab<\/em> has become so ingrained in the culture that it has been featured in a number of other TV shows,&#8221; says Smith. &#8220;The Cash Cab and host drove into the garden of the <em>Big Brother<\/em> house in Israel to play the game with the housemates.\u201d (And speaking of TV crossovers, who could forget comedian Tracy Morgan\u2019s character taking a ride in the U.S. Cash Cab on an episode of <em>30 Rock<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<p><em>Cash Cab<\/em> is recognizable on TV wherever viewers may be in the world, but it does have various international adaptations and tweaks, though the gameplay is fairly standardized. \u201cWe have approved some slight tweaks such as \u2018Loot or the Boot,\u2019 which runs in some countries and allows contestants after five questions to decide whether to exchange their winnings so far for the prize in the boot of the car\u2014the only catch is they don\u2019t know what it is!\u201d says Smith.<\/p>\n<p>The format continues to stay relevant because taxis are a popular form of transportation across the world\u2014so even though the cabs look different in each version, the show itself is unmistakable and evergreen. And with the modern rise of ride-sharing apps, all3media international has recently signed two licensing deals for versions of the format that incorporate local taxi apps. \u201cIt really is the perfect format for these companies to be involved in,\u201d says Smith. \u201cNot only <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/newsletters.worldscreen.com\/tvformatos\/img\/2020-03-11-Cash-Cab.jpg\" alt=\"***Image***\" width=\"256\" height=\"170\" \/>do they get to promote exactly what their business model is, but it encourages people to use their platform as maybe they\u2019ll be hailing the Cash Cab!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And not only is <em>Cash Cab<\/em> expanding its footprint around the world, but it&#8217;s also circling back to where it all began, with a new U.S. version of the series that bowed on Bravo last year. The series sticks to its traditional format for the most part, with two or three games per episode, Bailey hosting and, of course, the beloved shout-outs. For this iteration, in keeping with the times, passengers can ask for a social media shout-out as a lifeline. &#8220;When contestants are stuck, they can ask the host to go live on Facebook and appeal to fans of the show to share their opinion,&#8221; Smith says. &#8220;Also, some \u2018Bravolebrities\u2019 pop up throughout the season and join contestants on their rides.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As for the future of the already-global format, Smith notes that the series has yet to be produced on the African continent, a market with huge potential. \u201cWe are keen to change that in 2020 and have optioned the formats to producers in a couple of African countries that are keen to get the show on air, so watch this space,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nick Smith, executive VP of formats at all3media international, talks about the game-show format Cash Cab, which has traveled extensively since its inception in 2005.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1049,"featured_media":7550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68,69],"tags":[157,2048,532],"class_list":["post-7549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-profiles","category-top-stories","tag-all3media-international","tag-cash-cab","tag-nick-smith","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.7 - 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