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Comedy Network in Canada is preparing its own take on the venerable gameshow format Match Game and has also sealed a deal for specials from the Just for Laughs festival.
Match Game
The Bell Media-owned channel said it has secured the rights from FremantleMedia Enterprises to an English-language revival of Match Game, the celebrity quizshow that originated on NBC in the early 1960s. It is best remembered for the more risqué version that ran on CBS through the 1970s.
“Although technically a gameshow, Match Game always delivered the laughs,” said Corrie Coe, senior VP of independent production for Comedy’s parent, Bell Media.
The 60x30′ order will be filled by Zone3 Productions, which already turns out a French-language version titled Atomes Crochus for the Quebec channel V (fka TQS). Casting is underway for celebrity contestants for the Comedy Network show.
Separately, the net has linked up with Just for Laughs to turn out a 13x60′ run of stand-up specials to be filmed at this year’s festival in Montreal. The shows will include appearances by comics Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, Jeremy Hotz and Jason Jones as well as The Muppets.
Just for Laughs specials previously aired on pubcaster CBC, though the shows recently fell off the schedule after repeated re-jigs.
The orders from Comedy came in step with greenlights from its corporate sibling CTV for two new comedy pilots, Satisfaction and Spun Out. The two broadcasters often share programming and have been without homemade comedies since the cancellation of Hiccups and Dan for Mayor.
