SBS6 extends Utopia for open-ended run

Dutch commercial channel SBS6 to has extended social experiment reality series Utopia’s for an open-ended run.

The Talpa Media show was initially commissioned for a one-year run, but SBS has decided on the extension after it nearly quadrupled its average slot share.

“Utopia in the Netherlands has become a solid block of successful programming in the early evening hours of SBS,” said Talpa founder John de Mol. “It’s now proven itself as a format that ensures continuity. I’m very happy about that, as the social experiment is far from being finished.”

Other versions of the show are set to air in Germany, Romania and Turkey, while the US version on Fox got off to a slow start, but saw its 18-49 audience grow 56% for its second episode.

The format sees 15 individuals leave their lives to attempt to build a new society from scratch.