US deal for Silent Library

MTV has picked up Nippon Television’s comedy format Silent Library, marking the Japanese show’s first deal stateside.

The deal was inked by Sony Pictures Television, which holds the format’s international distribution rights. Format broker Small World IFT handles Nippon TV’s shows.

MTV describes the competition show as ‘Jackass set in an enclosed environment.’ It will feature six friends all vying for a cash prize who are forced to impose stunts on one another.

The pranks range from brushing one’s teeth with wasabi to having your face held in the path of ‘the slapper’ – a gloved hand that rotates on a machine. The twist is that contestants must remain silent.

The news follows Silent Library being picked up in France in February. M6’s DTT channel W9 is to adapt the format.