Relativity seeks ‘real-life gameshows’

MIPTV: US prodco RelativityReal is here hunting new formats that can tap into the ‘real-life gameshow’ trend started by factual entertainment series such as Pawn Stars and Storage Wars.

Tom Forman, CEO of RelativityReal, the company behind Food Network’s Restaurant Stakeout and Discovery’s Inside Combat, said US broadcast and cable channels are all calling for new shows based on “organic games” formats.

Speaking during a MipFormats panel session here in Cannes over the weekend, Forman said: “We are churning the world looking for real-life gameshows. Pawn Stars is basically Let’s Make A Deal. There’s Storage Wars. It could be any sort of transactional competition.”

RelativityReal’s current slate includes Beat the Chefs, a series that sets amateur cooks against their professional counterparts, and quiz show The American Bible Challenge, both for GSN (fka Game Show Network).

The company, part of The Social Network movie studio Relativity Media, is also coproducing daytime series Trisha’s Southern Kitchen with Ellen Rakieten Entertainment for Food Network.