Channel 4 exits The Circle

The UK version of The Circle

UK commercial broadcaster Channel 4 has cancelled Studio Lambert reality format The Circle after three seasons.

In a statement, C4 said the show, which is coproduced by Studio Lambert North and Motion Content Group, was axed because the broadcaster “has a responsibility to continually look at how we reinvent and create space for new ideas.”

However, there are reports that Studio Lambert is in discussions with Netflix – which has already adapted the format for the US, Brazil and France – to produce a UK version for the streamer.

First aired in 2018, The Circle features contestants living in separate apartments in a block. They can only communicate with each other via a social media platform, allowing them to play as themselves or invent characters.

C4’s statement in full: “The Circle has been a huge hit for young audiences and has grown successively over three seasons on Channel 4, consistently outperforming slot averages. We’re incredibly proud to have worked with Studio Lambert North and Motion Content Group to invest in such an innovative show and to have given it a springboard for its international format success.

“In much the same way as when we originally commissioned The Circle, Channel 4 has a responsibility to continually look at how we reinvent and create space for new ideas, and so we have decided not to commission the show for a fourth season. We’d like to thank Studio Lambert, Motion and all those involved for The Circle’s huge success over the last three series.”