Nippon format travels around Asia

Nippon TV’s Blockout

Broadcasters in Indonesia and Vietnam have picked up gameshow format Blockout from Japan’s Nippon TV.

PT Cakrawala Andalas Televisi will produce the Indonesian version of the format for ANTV, Vietnamese national broadcaster VTV’s version will be made by QV Media.

Nippon TV developed the Blockot format with Red Arrow Studios. It sees two teams of four players – each standing on a ledge with their backs against a wall – battle it out in physical, trivia, strategy and chance games.

Each team plays on a separate wall made up of more than 100 giant blocks that are pushed out of the wall in a variety of combinations and speeds if contestants make a mistake. Contestants must get into unusual positions to try to avoid being knocked into the pit below. The team that keeps the most players on the ledge for the longest wins the game.

The Indonesian and Vietnamese versions of the show will begin airing next month.

Red Arrow Studios International holds rights to the show outside Asia, where the show is distributed by Nippon TV.

Nippon has previously sold the show to Zense Entertainment in Thailand, where it jumped straight to the top of the ratings chart after launching in July.