Zeal Acquires Singing Game Show Format

LONDON, April 11: Zeal Television has secured the
representation rights to the new musical game show format Singing Bee, which is currently in development for NBC.

ITV in the U.K. has already picked up the rights and
commissioned a 90-minute special for this summer. Zeal will distribute the
series in all other markets.

Jointly created by U.S. producers Phil Gurin of the Gurin Co
and Bob Horowitz, the format is a twist on the “spelling bee” idea where
contestants sing words or phrases instead of spelling words. Each episode will
begin with 28 contestants on stage who will be asked to sing a word, phrase or
an entire verse of a song as accurately as possible. Frequently misunderstood
lyrics will also be thrown in, in an attempt to trip up contestants.

“This is a show for all those people who sing along in the
shower or in the car,” commented Zeal’s MD, Andrea Jackson. “Singing Bee contestants don’t need to be great singers, they
just need to love music. I know that Singing Bee is a format that will work around the world.”