Gil laughs all the way to the bank with format

The original Laughing All the Way to the Bank

Two European prodcos have picked up rights to Israeli firm Gil Formats’ comedy competition format Laughing All the Way to the Bank.

Endemol Shine Iberia has taken rights in Spain and Portugal, while Seapoint has acquired German rights to the format, which was launched at Mipcom in October.

In the format, people who think they’re funny get the chance to win a cash prize by making the thrifty TV channel’s accountant laugh out loud during a car ride to their bank. The accountant does their best to keep a straight face, not laugh and, most importantly, not pay.

Gil Formats is part of producer Assaf Gil’s Gil Productions, which has produced Israeli adaptations of formats such as Married at First Sight, Dancing with the Stars, MasterChef, Shark Tank and Come Dine With Me.

The company’s Pregnant & Platonic format launched on UK pubcaster BBC2 last year and is currently being adapted in Finland by ITV Studios for Nelonen, while Life on Duty has aired for two seasons on Cuatro in Spain.