Russia 1 snags CJ ENM’s singing format ‘I Can See Your Voice’

I Can See Your Face

Russia 1 has become the latest broadcaster to order a local version of music mystery format I Can See Your Voice, while remake rights have also been optioned across nine other countries.

The Russian broadcaster will debut its local version in 2021 following the deal with Fremantle, which sells the format for South Korean media giant CJ ENM.

Fremantle has also sold format rights into Norway, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, India, Mexico, Estonia and Lithuania. Details of the sales remain under wraps.

The pick-ups are the latest for the fast-travelling format, which was acquired by BBC One in the UK earlier this year. Its 8 x 60-minute version is being produced in the UK by Fremantle duo Thames and Naked, and will debut in 2021.

The format sees a team of two players, helped by a panel of celebrity experts and a famous performer, attempting to win a cash prize by guessing who can and can’t sing from a group of contestants, without ever hearing their voices.

Contestants take part in a series of lip sync challenges, with the panel offered entertaining hidden clues to help the players whittle down the group until there is only one singer left. The final remaining mystery singer then gets the chance to sing. If she or he can really sing, the players will receive a cash prize, but if the final mystery singer is an imposter, they take home the cash.

The show was created by Lee Seon-young and launched in 2015 in Korea via music entertainment channel MNET. It is currently in its seventh season in the country and has also sold to numerous networks internationally, including Thailand, Bulgaria, Romania and Malaysia.

Earlier this year, Fox in the US confirmed it was remaking the show for its music-skewing entertainment line-up, joining fellow Korean format Masked Singer.

Diane Min, format sales head at CJ ENM, said the format was “continuing its journey to becoming a mega IP” while Vasha Wallace, EVP of global acquisitions & development at Fremantle, added that it offered “fun and escapism” for family audiences.