John De Mol & Stephen Lambert link in US, UK for ‘Million Dollar Island’

Million Dollar Island

Format industry heavyweights Stephen Lambert and John De Mol have struck a deal to take the latter’s Million Dollar Island show into the US and the UK.

The adventure reality format, which has been created by De Mol’s Talpa, will be produced in the US and the UK by Lambert’s All3Media-backed firm Studio Lambert.

Jon De Mol

Both Talpa and Studio Lambert are represented in the US by Creative Artists Agency, which will be marketing the US version of Million Dollar Island later this month.

The deal comes shortly after the original Dutch version completed shooting in the Philippines, with the show set to air in the Netherlands on Tapa’s SBS6 in March. Amazon Prime in Holland will have a day-and-date SVOD second window.

The format follows 100 people who are dropped on an uninhabited tropical island, where they need to survive for two months. Upon arrival, each contestant is given a numbered bracelet worth $10,000 so the 100 bracelets together are worth $1m.

The contestants gain and lose bracelets by playing duels and challenges – and by receiving them from those who quit. Contestants can quit at any time. When they do, they must give their bracelet, or bracelets – and therefore the value – to one of the remaining contestants. Friendship and competitive skills will determine who ends up with the most bracelets and the chance to win most of the prize money.

Lambert said: “John has created several of the world’s biggest and most successful formats, from Big Brother to The Voice, and we’re hugely excited about the prospect of making the first English language versions of what we believe will be his next global hit.”

Marble Mania creator Talpa has partnered with numerous producers around the world for its format remakes, signing up Holey Moley outfit Eureka Productions in Australia, Dok1 Media in Belgium, Satisfaction Group in France and Seven.One Entertainment Group in Germany.