Show of the week: 5 Gold Rings

5 Gold Rings is the first format jointly developed by Possessed, the ITV Studios prodco, and sister company Talpa, and Talpa Global will be launching the interactive quiz format at MIPTV next week. Highlighting the Netherlands-UK connection, the series is on air on SBS6 and ITV respectively.

The format sees two couples take each other on and their knowledge is put to the test in a unique visual way. They are asked questions on the basis of images that are projected on a huge interactive LED floor in the studio and provide the answer by putting a golden ring somewhere on the image.

Each couple starts with five rings, and they lose a ring for a wrong answer and progress to the next level for a correct response. The interactive element comes courtesy of an accompanying app that allows viewers to play along and place their own rings on the board.

The easy-to-understand set-up and interactivity are key selling points, says Maarten Meijs, the managing director of Talpa Global.

“It’s a simple but compelling game: people will immediately get it and it’s impossible not to play along,” he says. “On social media, viewers were shouting out how much they loved the show and the app. In the UK, we even see that 15 minutes before broadcast, a large group has already opened their app. The show creates a full living room takeover.”

The Talpa sales chief adds that the show proves there is an appetite for interactive formats.

“5 Gold Rings is proving that viewers embrace connected formats,” says Meijs. “Both on ratings and play along, 5 Gold Rings has produced great results in both The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. A pilot has been commissioned in the US by NBC, and many more territories are currently in negotiation.”

The app is offered as part of the package for the format, and Talpa sys it can be scaled up or down as needs be. “The show can easily be turned into a shorter, daily version for example.”

An added benefit for broadcasters is the commercial opportunity that the connected elements provide. “The new type of connection with the viewer makes all kinds of new commercial opportunities arise,” Meijs says. “Expanded reach, narrow casting and lead generation are only a few examples.”

The show: 5 Gold Rings

The creators: Possessed, Talpa

The distributor: Talpa Global

The concept: Interactive quiz show, on air in the UK and the Netherlands and being piloted in the US