What new projects do you have on your slate for London Screenings?
We’re excited to launch three brand-new Belgian formats to the market ahead of London Screenings.
Launching this spring on VRT1, One Magical Day is a heartwarming entertainment format where three mentalists use a touch of magic to transform someone’s ordinary day into an unforgettable surprise.
Wildlife follows eight young adults navigating mental health challenges as they embark on an overseas adventure. Volunteering at a wildlife reserve, they not only help protect endangered species but also gain confidence, support, and a fresh outlook on life.
First Choice gives young first-time voters the chance to challenge top politicians with their toughest questions. With heated debates and compelling moments, it makes politics engaging and accessible. Following a successful first season on VRT1, it was named Belgium’s number one TV programme of 2024 by De Standaard.
What’s working in formats at the moment? What’s gone stale?
Entertainment will always be a popular genre, whether it’s a fresh twist on a tried-and-true format or something completely new. People are still all about real, authentic entertainment, and 99 To Beat is doing really well internationally. We’re excited for the upcoming launches in Italy, France, and the UK later this year.
We also introduced The Ultimate Celebrity Car Park Showdown at Mipcom, which got a lot of attention. Season two is now in the works for Belgium, and the first season will be coming to the Netherlands later this year as well.
Binge-worthy formats are still a huge hit, and our daily dating show Love on the Road in the Netherlands proves that. It’s been a massive success on NPO’s platform NPO Start, with 6.5 million streams. After a strong first season, a second season was confirmed right after the finale last December.
Belgium has become a hot spot for format creation with plenty of awards of late. Why is that?
Belgium has always been a hub of creativity, with broadcasters not being shy to take on fresh new ideas and concepts. Compared to other countries, there seems to be more time and budget dedicated to properly developing a format before it’s launched. You can really see the attention to detail in the productions, which is why clients are always excited to find out about the latest formats coming from this small but incredibly creative country!
Risk averse commissioning and diminishing budgets are often cited as hinderances – is it the same in Belgium?
This is less of an issue when compared to other countries. While this trend can be seen globally with a knock-on effect, broadcasters ultimately focus on their audience and what resonates with them. In our experience, budgets for non-scripted content in Belgium have remained stable over time, which has helped maintain the production value of programs. Broadcasters are willing to invest in the formats they truly believe in.
What other challenges face your company?
As we see broadcasters are commissioning “fewer bigger better”, and with many reboots happening at the moment, it’s not easy to launch new formats that can become international brands at the moment.
What difference has the success of The Traitors made to the format business?
I think it’s fantastic that new global hits are emerging, and naturally, that’s led to a growing demand for reality game shows. However, I’m really curious to see which formats in this genre will stand the test of time. I have a feeling only a few will truly make it long-term.
If you had to bet, what’s the next big trend in formats?
We’d love to have a magic eight ball that actually worked. Travel with a purpose seems to be high on the wish list, and we’ve seen great success with the Danish format Zero Stars, which is now licensed in four territories, with more deals to be announced later this year. We’re also hoping to see a rise in factual entertainment formats again, especially those that tackle sensitive topics or offer exciting adventures.
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