Eyeworks’ Blondes invade China

Eyeworks, the Dutch prodco that Warner Bros. is set to take over, will have its Beat the Blondes format remade in China for a number of regional channels.

Following a deal with 3C Media, the format will be produced as a 13-part series for regional free TV channels Jiangxi, Henan, Chongqing, Shanxi, Qingdao TV and Hubei. Other channels will be added soon, Eyeworks said.

The format and its spin off The Line-Up has already been produced in Russia, Turkey, Germany, Romania, Ukraine, Greece, Czech Republic, Italy, Bulgaria and the Netherlands.

This deal marks its first entrance to the Asian market.

Xichen Liu, CEO and president of 3C Media: “We are very happy to work with Eyeworks in bringing this fresh and exciting quiz show format into China. In the adapted local version, we will have one male contestant competing with 50 long‐haired beauties in two rounds of general knowledge battles.

“We are using long haired girls instead of blondes due to the traditional Chinese saying ‘women’s wit does not match their long hair, thus women are short‐sighted’.”

Last month, it emerged Warner Bros. International Television Productions was close to buying Eyeworks, which is also behind the Celebrity Splash format. It’s understood the deal could close as soon as this month, with the parties currently thrashing out a deal.