German broadcaster buys Irish gameshow

German broadcaster Das Erste has greenlit a local version of Play it by Ear, the Irish family quiz format.

Irish pubcaster RTÉ airs the original version of the show, which it created alongside Dublin-based indie Adare Productions.

The format has three teams go head to head in a test of memory, teamwork and general knowledge, answering questions based on entertaining archive footage.

Das Erste is one of German pubcaster ARD’s digital nets and its local version, Das Quiz Der Jahrzehnte, will go out this summer.

RTÉ’s programme sales unit distributes the format and struck the German deal.

Eddie Doyle, head of comedy, talent development and music at RTÉ commissioned the show in 2015.

“We couldn’t have hoped for a better start to Play It by Year’s international career than a format deal with a major broadcaster in Germany, Europe’s biggest and most competitive TV market,” he said.