BBC & NBCU co-commission Belgian format ‘Destination X’

The BBC in the UK and NBCUniversal (NBCU) have co-commissioned adventure reality competition show, Destination X.

The Belgian format, created by Geronimo, follows 10 contestants as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime, but have no idea of their location.

Once on the “innovative Destination X bus”, reality is tweaked to mislead them and the viewers. Information comes with a number of clues designed to help the contestants decide if they can trust what they see.

At the end of each episode, the contestant who places their X on a map furthest away from the bus’s actual location has to leave the game and loses their shot at winning a cash prize.

The NBCU and BBC tie-up is the second such p[artnership, following the commissioning of fellow Belgian format, The Traitors.

Destination X is distributed globally by Be-Entertainment, with North American rights secured by Toby Gorman and Ed Havard for Universal Television Alternative Studio, for development at NBC, led by Corie Henson.

The BBC’s director of unscripted Kate Phillips and editor of unscripted, Syeda Irtizaali, secured UK rights for BBC One and iPlayer.

Geronimo has previously been behind The Big Job Switch and Doctor Davy, which launched on Belgian broadcaster VTM, as did Destination X.

Producers also created additional content detailing the plot twist episodes and how contestants were misled by the production crew for VTM’s AVOD platform VTM Go.

Phillips said: “With countless red herrings and brain-teasing clues, we were gripped from the start. It promises to be a hugely challenging adventure for our ten brave contestants, with plenty of play along for all BBC viewers, as everyone hopes they’ve got the ‘X’ that marks the spot.”

Henson added: “Destination X is a big unique format that pairs spectacular adventure travel with the ultimate guessing game. The Traitors instilled confidence that big formats are back and Destination X is incredibly ambitious.”

Gepke Nederlof, MD of Be-Entertainment, described the format as “a true adventure both in and outside of the Destination X-bus…”