Arabic version of survival format Million Dollar Island heads to MBC Group

Million Dollar Land is produced by MBC Group and Blue Engine Studios

MBC Group in the Middle East is to develop an Arabic version of Dutch survival reality format Million Dollar Island, to broadcast on its satellite channels MBC1 and MBC Iraq.

To be named Ard Al-Million (Million Dollar Land), it will be produced by MBC Group in partnership with Dubai-based Blue Engine Studios and filmed in Saudi Arabia.

Presented by Saudi actor Mohamed El Shehri, the social experiment format sees 100 contestants from across the Arab world compete in a series of mental and physical challenges for the chance to win a US$1m grand prize.

“Audiences are in for a gripping and tense competition full of twists and turns,” said producer Hussein Jaber.

Dutch non-scripted specialist Talpa originally created Million Dollar Island for RTL in the Netherlands. The format has also been sold to Australia’s Seven Network and NBC in the US, although the latter then abandoned plans to adapt it amid budget concerns.

In 2021, John de Mol’s Talpa partnered with Blue Engine Studios, set up by Ziad Kebbi and Hani Ghorayeb, to licence its formats at the Middle East and North Africa.