Fasten your seatbelts, boys and girls, because Thursday night TV is just about to take off in some very odd and entertaining ways.
Under the umbrella title of Format Farm, a series of pilots are coming your way. They include a reality show where the staff take over and the bosses take a back seat; a songwriting contest where a pop star chooses (and performs) the winning tune; a night on the town with a twist as couples sample other couples' idea of a good night out; and a hidden camera show featuring a fake company of actors and an unsuspecting new employee.
“This is an innovative series of exciting new Irish-generated TV entertainment programme formats,” explains Eddie Doyle, Commissioning Editor for RTÉ Two. “Partnering up with the biggest TV distributors in the world, RTÉ have commissioned this run of pilot programmes to entertain audiences at home, and also to be exported around the world, bringing jobs and revenue back to Ireland. The five pilots will include programmes fronted by Laura Whitmore and Norah Casey.”
As more and more people watch formatted shows - Dragons' Den, Secret Millionaire, The Apprentice, Don’t Tell the Bride, Masterchef, The Voice, Take Me Out are just some examples in an Irish context – Format Farm is a response to changes in Irish viewers’ tastes and habits.
All of the above-mentioned shows started life elsewhere before having an Irish version produced – and RTÉ is aiming to turn the tide more in the other direction.
“Dirty Old Towns, the ICA Bootcamp and Operation Transformation have shown the appeal of well produced formats which originate in this country,” says Doyle. “With this series, we want to generate our own formats which can entertain Irish viewers, and which could potentially be exported around the world – bring revenue back to Ireland, and potentially creating additional jobs in Ireland.
“The scheme has attracted some of the biggest names in international TV distribution – such as Sony, Warner Brothers, Fremantle – and they have put their money where their mouth is, co-funding each of the pilots. The series has also attracted some of the most credible and talented independent Irish TV producers, and features some of the biggest names in Irish broadcasting, in both production and presenting roles.”
The five pilots include Thursday’s opener, The Takeover. This is essentially a business makeover show that sees the boss of a struggling company stand aside and let the employees take over in a last ditch attempt to save the business and secure their jobs.
“It’s an interesting concept – seeing how a business gets on when its employees replace their bosses,” says Doyle. The business with the uncertain future is traditional bakery Teatime Express, and The Takeover is fronted by Norah Casey of Dragons' Den, who’ll be offering the workers sound business advice.
The second pilot's called The Hit, and is presented by Laura Whitmore (or "Laura Hit-more" as Eddie Doyle describes her). Doing what the title suggests, pop stars search for their next hit by picking from songs that a group of unknown songwriters have created. From hundreds of songs submitted eight are selected for the two stars to pick from – and then go on to develop it and perform in front of an audience at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre in Dublin.
The three remaining pilots include what could be a massive populist hit, in that it should appeal to anyone who's ever gone out (so that's pretty much everyone, right?). Six in the City sees three wildly different and socially incompatible couples compete to show each other the ultimate ‘Big Night Out’ in an Irish city – in order to win their own dream ‘Big Night Out’ abroad.
This format obviously has the kind of ingredients for extreme cultural and taste clashes, when one man’s night on the town with a skinful in the pub followed by a kebab supper is definite poison to the pair who prefer an early bird bite followed by tee-total karaoke.
Not just a snappy title, Baptism of Hire has a wicked heart. From the makers of Anonymous, this is a new workplace-based comedy show that blends improv with scripted performances as a team of actors and comics create a host of bizarre characters and situations.
Finally, let's end on a positive note. The Love Clinic promises to be a feel-good dating show as it takes hopeless singletons and with the advice of a team of credible experts in the areas of psychology, health and fashion, offers them a body and mind makeover with a view to helping them find love.
Format Farm starts with The Takeover on Thursday August 30 at 9.30pm on RTÉ Two
