Polsat intent on Facing the Classroom

MIPTV: Polish broadcast group Polsat has acquired a format that sees public figures answer questions from a classroom full of children from French producer and distributor Vivendi Entertainment.

Polsat will adapt political factual entertainment format Facing the Classroom for its TV4 and TV6 channels, with a premiere scheduled for the end of the year.

The format has also been picked up by MBC in the Middle East, with local producer IProd making the adaptation, while in the UK, RDF – the Banijay company behind Channel 4’s The Secret Life of… franchise – has entered an exclusive option agreement with Vivendi.

Vivendi is also working with a global OTT platform on adaptations for two Latin American countries. In addition, Spanish prodco Unicorn has an option, as does an as-yet-unnamed Canadian network.

These developments follow successful adaptations of Facing the Classroom in the Netherlands on SBS6; Italy, where pubcaster Rai Tre has a version produced by Endemol Shine Italy; and New Zealand with TVNZ and Screentime Banijay.

C8 in France has already commissioned seven new episodes of the show, expanding the remit beyond presidential candidates, the original subjects of the format.