The Masked Singer exec producer Craig Plestis is bringing another Korean format to U.S. screens with Mayim Bialik fronting an adaptation of talent competition My Little Television for TBS.
The cable network has greenlit the show, known as Celebrity Show-Off in the U.S., which sees celebrities compete to see who can produce the most compelling content from their own homes.
The ten-part series is being produced remotely and will launch on June 23 at 10 PM.
Celebrities taking part include Diplo, Ja Rule, Action Bronson, Gabi Butler, Dwight Howard, Travis Kelce, Nene Leakes, Jason Mraz, Kevin Smith, Tori Spelling, Bella Thorne, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah Willis.
In each episode, five stars will compete to create quirky self-shot content that premieres online and the goal is to attract the most online viewers to keep their shows “on the air.” The digital shows will debut on TBS’ YouTube channel on June 24 and will be scored by total views, view duration and engagement. Each week, they will come together in a virtual studio to find out who will remain in the competition. The lowest-performing celebrity will be replaced with a new star and the longer each person stays in the competition, the more money they raise for charity.
The series is based on Korean format My Little Television, which premiered on Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) in 2015. It ran for over 140 episodes and the latest season ended earlier this year.
It is the latest Korean format heading to U.S. screens following the success of The Masked Singer; Fox ordered a remake of I Can See Your Voice, also exec produced by Plestis, while NBC previously adapted Better Late Than Never.
Celebrity Show-Off is executive produced by Craig Plestis for Smart Dog Media. It is produced by Critical Content with Tom Forman executive producing alongside Jenny Daly and Jon Beyer with Aliyah Silverstein serving as executive producer and showrunner.
“Wait until you see what this cast has pulled off,” said Corie Henson EVP and head of unscripted programming for TBS, TNT and truTV. “From sharing never-before-seen talents, to performing crazy stunts or even bringing on special guests, the celebs’ shows are creatively ambitious with DIY charm – since our cast are all working with the limitations of what they’ve got available at home.”
“After discovering The Masked Singer and bringing it to American audiences, I have been on the lookout for interesting and innovative Korean formats. Celebrity Show-Off is exactly that – a fresh, fun series unlike anything else on television,” said Craig Plestis. “It’s a cutting edge take on celebrity competition that will allow viewers to see their favorite stars in completely new ways, and put a smile on their faces in these trying times.”
“We’ve all seen shows where stars are produced to dance, or sing, or compete. This isn’t that. These celebrities are raw and unfiltered and no one knows what they’ll do next,” added Tom Forman. “That means making the show is the most challenging thing ever, and watching it is pure joy.”
Bialik is represented by Mosaic, WME Shep Rosenman of RLG LLP. Craig Plestis and Smart Dog Media are represented by Paradigm, which also represents MBC.
