Germany’s RTL orders first int’l version of Send in the Clowns’ Finder$ Keeper$

Finder$ Keeper$ initially aired as a special on VTM

RTL in Germany has commissioned the first international version of Belgian family entertainment format Finder$ Keeper$ through a deal with distributor Be Entertainment.

The show, which launched as a one-off episode on VTM in Belgium in September and was shopped by Be Entertainment at Mipcom last month, will air on RTL2 in 2023.

After the one-off, VTM commissioned a series of hour-long episodes that will launch in early 2023. Bavaria Entertainment will produce the show in Germany.

Based on an idea from Belgian format collective Send in the Clowns and produced by Pit in Belgium, it sees a family given the chance to win a cash prize that has been hidden in different areas of their own home in wildly inventive ways, such as inside an unopened bottle of wine.

All the money they find within 30 minutes is theirs to keep and after that time a buzzer sounds and the family has 10 seconds to leave the house. If they don’t manage it, they only get half of the money they’ve accumulated.

Be Entertainment MD Gepke Nederlof said: “We received overwhelming interest in the format after Mipcom. The reactions were really positive and we’re currently in talks in a range of countries. It’s one of those shows that stands out for its humour and high entertainment value. Plus, it can be produced on an affordable budget.”