Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge

Amazing news, I wouldn't be surprised if this is for Nickelodeon as the same company seem to be doing UK and US shows.

Thanks to Brig Bother of Bothers Bar fame, for alerting folks to this.

http://ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Contestant_Calls


I wonder who will host? Leslie Grantham wasn't available when Challenge brought it back as he'd returned to EastEnders by this time but I don't think press attention he's received since that last time he was on the Fort would make a realistic choice. Melinda Messenger would be available and I'm sure she'd do it but they're probably going to go for a new team. They might not even go for the nasty 'Boyard' character and they might just have a host like The Crystal Maze, Jason Bradbury would be good choice as he's good on Don't Scare the Hare even if the show is not.

Can't wait for this to come back. Could be for CBBC as this company have made a few shows for them (Escape from Scorpion Island & Dani's House).

Jason would be a great host, he is great on The Gadget Show and Don't Scare The Hare (which I don't mind...).

I know he would never agree to do it even though his career as an illusionist is pretty much dead in the water, but I've always thought Derren Brown would make a great Crystal Maze / Fort Boyard presenter.

Why not an adult show??? That'd be way better!! Stick it on Channel 4 at 8.30pm on a weeknight and it'll get awesome ratings!!! Stick it on Nickelodean or CBBC Channel and viewers would be minimal.

Foundation TV specialise in children's programming and they're people bringing this back. Wasn't it said that nearly half the audience of the Crystal Maze were kids hence why the Christmas specials were made every year?

Well Channel 4 obviously don't want it and I don't think this would fit in there adult programming.

The trouble is although it's a great format, there would always be a perception among viewers and the press that it's resurrecting a tacky 1990's Channel 5 game show.

I think a Crystal Maze remake would be greeted much more positively although people would always compare it to the original once it goes on air. I know no-one really thinks this will ever happen due to cost, but could we hire out the maze in the same way the Fort is to international broadcasters, who owns the format rights to The Crystal Maze the people who own that brand now or the french Fort Boyard people?

I like Derren Brown, but I just don't think he's quirky enough for the job*, if you think about it presentation wise he's always played it quite straight.

*I'm talking more about The Crystal Maze here.

What makes you think that? I thought he regularly got high ratings for his shows...

Couple of interesting Ed Tudor-Pole videos from recent times.

In the below one he's (seemingly) drunk and it gives you an idea of what he thought of The Crystal Maze.

Although perhaps he's getting Crystal Maze and Crystal Meth mixed up?

In this interview from only a few months back, he's questioned on the show by one of the presenters from Leicester based community radio station Demon FM.

In this interview he says he 'wasn't sent to this world to present game shows' a similar view to what O'Brien seems to have, also say's when quizzed his favourite zone was the 'sunken ship one' and says it was just five weeks of his life and he's only seen one and a half episodes. So doesn't seem to have much affection for it.


In not very many interviews is Crystal Maze mentioned with O'Brien. His reasons for leaving are touched upon in this interview with broadcaster Alex Belfield.

http://celebrityradio.co.uk/?p=3592

Tudor-Pole appeared on an episode of The Gadget Show a couple of years ago as "former Crystal Maze host". I get the impression he'd do it again if the money was there for it.

I'd forgotten all about that.

Crystal Maze never existed as such, it was just a set in a studio. Unlike the fort that's used for the French TV original show, which is used for most if not all of the international variations of Fort Boyard.

Crystal was an adaption of Fort Boyard, so I suppose one can argue it's a format owned by Chatsworth TV, because it's only based on Fort Boyard. However Chatsworth TV doesn't exist as a company any longer, and hasn't done since 2006. Somebody somewhere will be in control of the intellectual rights and the programme archive, though who that is seems uncertain.

Yes, but look at The Cube most versions are filmed on the UK set, at least until a second a series is commissioned. So if other countries did pick up rights it's safe to say they wouldn't go to expense of building there own set.