ITV America develops TV version of live YouTube blindfold-dating format UpDating
Brandon Berman (left) and Harrison Forman
Varun Mummadi
US-based production group ITV America is developing a TV version of UpDating, a viral YouTube dating format that sees blindfolded singles take part in dates in front of a live audience.
The company has struck a deal with the project’s creators Brandon Berman and Harrison Forman, who are developing the TV adaptation with ITV America’s Nashville team, led by executive producer Adam Reed.
A new episode of UpDating is released each week, with its YouTube page having amassed more than one million subscribers and the show generating more than five billion views across all social platforms.
Beyond its social media footprint, the format has already proved to be a popular commodity with live shows in more than 140 cities globally, including in New York’s The Town Hall and Boston’s The Wilbur Theatre.
A tour recently kicked off in the US, with a pair of sold-out shows scheduled in LA next month. One of those shows will include “special invites to industry execs,” said ITV America, which produces shows including Love Island USA, Queer Eye, Hell’s Kitchen and Alone.
Hosted by Berman and Forman, UpDated is described as an “entirely spontaneous and unfiltered experience” that is “packed with laughs and including fascinating, sometimes weird, sometimes awkward and often spicy interactions among the hopeful daters.”
ITV America said the television remake will be “closely based on the live experience,” with series episodes being released in real time, allowing “at-home audiences to not only participate in the action, but also to actually join the cast and shoot their own shot.”
With this news, ITV America becomes the latest unscripted US player to expand its interest in the creator space. Last week, Fox Entertainment launched Fox Creator Studios, a new division dedicated to developing new formats and IP in collaboration with creators. At launch, the new entity struck development deals with personalities and influencers including Gordon Ramsay and YouTube creators Rosanna Pansino, Jolly, Sorted Food, Food Theorists and Little Remy Food.
“UpDating is a format that we’ve built and fine-tuned in front of live audiences across the globe, night after night, for years,” said Berman and Forman.
“Every show is entirely unpredictable, and at this point we know exactly how to navigate the chaos and turn it into magic. There’s been a lot of recent interest from potential creative partners, and we’re excited to team up with ITV America to bring the mayhem to an even bigger stage.”
ITV America’s Reed called the format a “hilarious and thrilling live show experience that’s also ridiculously addictive on YouTube.”
“We’re working together to really supersize the show, amplifying the creative elements that have made it such a hit, from its genuine spontaneity to the interactive nature, while adding some new twists that will appeal to both the hardcore fans and newbies,” added Reed.
