Lingo lands in UK on ITV

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has ordered a local version of word-themed gameshow format Lingo from Objective Media Group’s Wildcard Television.

Adil Ray (photo: Nick James)

Lingo, which comes from All3Media-owned IDTV and Talpa TV, is one of Europe’s longest-running gameshows.

It has aired for 29 years in France and was rebooted in the Netherlands last year, where it had previously aired for 25 years. The format has also travelled to the US, where more than 500 episodes have aired.

The UK version, which will be hosted by presenter, actor and comedian Adil Ray, will see contestant pairs compete across a series of rounds for a chance to win a cash prize. The teams are pitted against each other in a quick-thinking game of words, with the stakes becoming higher and the prize money escalating in each round.

Lingo (30×60’) will be filmed in Manchester out of Objective Media Group North and distributed by All3Media International.

Exec producing are Andrew Cartmell, Ed de Burgh and Ben Shephard for Wildcard, and Pam Cavannagh for Objective Media Group North.

In related news, ITV has renewed detective drama Mcdonald & Dodds for a second season following the success of the feature-length films that aired earlier this year, produced by UK indie Mammoth Screen.

The new season sees Tala Gouveia (Cold Feet) and Jason Watkins (The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, The Crown) reprise their roles as the ambitious DCI McDonald and the humble, quietly brilliant DS Dodds in three new murder mysteries.

It was greenlit by ITV drama commissioner Huw Kennair Jones and head of drama Polly Hill. ITV Studios will distribute the drama internationally.

Finally, ITV has appointed Ade Rawcliffe as group director of diversity and inclusion, reporting to group CEO Carolyn McCall.

Rawcliffe will lead, develop and grow ITV’s D&I strategy to deliver its published targets and will partner with all management board leaders, the commissioning teams, social purpose team and the HR team to deliver the ITV Diversity Acceleration Plan.