E4 LINES UP TRUMAN SHOW-STYLE REALITY FORMAT
Primal Media’s Alan Must Win to task reality show celebs with controlling contestants using TV producers’ tricks
A group of celebrities will conspire to try to ensure an underdog emerges victorious from a reality competition in a Truman Show-style E4 format from Primal Media.
Alan Must Win is an 8 x 60-minute series in which a group of reality show celebs will draw on the tricks typically employed by TV producers to manipulate a popularity contest, featuring an underdog codenamed ‘Alan’.
Alan and his ‘larger-than-life’ rival contestants will live in a house next door to the celebs, who, unbeknownst to them, will set tasks, introduce format twists and use their experience of appearing in their own shows to attempt to ensure Alan triumphs.
E4 commissioning editor Mel Bezalel ordered the show from STV-backed Primal and Motion Content Group, alongside head of youth and digital Karl Warner.
Bezalel said that the Alan Must win takes the reality genre in a sneaky new direction.
“This is a show that engages celebrities in an entirely different way, using their unique skillset and experiences to manipulate gameplay – with entertaining and surprising results,” she said.
Primal’s Adam Wood and Mat Steiner will executive produce alongside Motion’s Martin Oxley. Ben Riley is head of development for Primal.
Steiner said: “Pulling the curtain back on the reality genre is such an exciting prospect for us – and equally exciting is the knowledge that ‘The Chosen One’ is out there somewhere but they don’t even know it yet.”
Alan Must Win will TX in 2023.