24th August 2023
- Jimmy Carr confirmed as host of brand new show
- Exciting new format from Korea's Something Special will see pairs of comedians and celebrities go into battle
UKTV today announces Battle in The Box (8x60'), a ground-breaking new comedy reality gameshow for award-winning entertainment channel Dave and free streaming service UKTV Play. Produced by Interstellar, the new series is based on a hit Korean format from Seoul based format agency Something Special, and will be hosted by Jimmy Carr.
Battle in the Box will see pairs of comics and some of the nation's favourite celebrities battle it out for pride, prizes and most importantly floorspace, in this comedy entertainment and reality hybrid. The eight-episode series will comprise of four tense double bills which will see eight pairs spend 24 hours in the box.
When the clock starts two celebrity teams will move into a completely empty box divided by a moveable wall with nothing but a toothbrush. Once inside, they will only have cameras and each other for company - no beds, tables, chairs or home comforts. Over the course of the day and night, they will need to earn everything by winning a series of physical and mental challenges all set by the orchestrator of this chaos, Jimmy Carr. Winning a game means more space and luxuries for the lucky duo. But there's a catch: more room for one team means less for the losers, as the Box's sliding wall forces them into an ever-smaller space. And, with games set around the clock, the tide - and the wall - can turn at any time.
Overseeing the proceedings will be host Jimmy Carr who said:
We all know comedians are at their best when they're tired, hungry and lacking the most basic of human comforts. So, I can't wait to see how they'll fare in the box, with space at a premium and cameras watching their every move. What could possibly go right?
Living in a pressure cooker like no other, Battle in the Box will test the endurance and ingenuity of some of the UK's biggest names from comedy, TV and entertainment.
Battle in the Box is commissioned for Dave and UKTV by Mark Iddon, senior commissioning editor and Jason Dawson, commissioning executive and ordered for Dave by Cherie Hall, channel director and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. Battle in the Box is produced by Interstellar. Executive producers are Jamie Ormerod and David Williams and the series producer is Tom Corrigan. Filming starts next month and contestants will be announced nearer to transmission on Dave and UKTV Play.
Mark Iddon said:
Finally, we get to answer the classic age-old question of what would happen if Jimmy Carr locked two pairs of comedians in a giant box for 24 hrs to battle to the death (ok, not death) whilst a moving wall threatens to make them live in a space the size of a photo booth? Because, you know, there is nothing like a wall inching in on your personal space to bring out the best in comedy!
Cherie Hall said:
This format balances the perfect mix of challenge in the gameplay, jeopardy via the moving and claustrophobic wall, and a tonne of fun and comedy from the trials and tribulations of our celebs being locked together in a box. An exciting launch for Dave in 2024.
Ormerod and Williams of Interstellar said:
Battle in the Box combines our two favourite genres comedy and reality, in one stand out format that challenges comics and celebs to think outside the box while living inside one. We're delighted to be partnering with Jimmy Carr and the team at Dave to bring it to UK screens.
Jin Woo Hwang and Praise ChanMi Shin of Something Special said:
Something Special is thrilled to collaborate with UKTV and Interstellar on Battle in the Box and see our exciting format come to life on the screen. Audiences love watching celebrities go through tough challenges and it will be fascinating to watch how they strategize to secure their space.
Battle in the Box comes to Dave and UKTV Play next year and joins an array of returning UKTV Originals for the channel including upcoming series Big Zuu's Big Eats, David Mitchell's Outsiders and Meet the Richardsons.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
For more information, please contact:
Gem Pinkney Head of Consumer Comms, UKTV
Ben Duncan - Consumer Comms Manager, UKTV
About Dave
Sky 111/811, Virgin 127/194, Freesat 157, Freeview 19, Freesat 157
Dave is the award-winning entertainment channel home to a veritable feast of UKTV Original comedy hits from some of the biggest stars in the UK. Comedy entertainment shows like BAFTA-winning Big Zuu's Big Eats, Outsiders, Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, Hypothetical, Comedians Giving Lectures, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, sit alongside scripted comedies such as Meet the Richardsons, We Are Not Alone and Sneakerhead.
But Dave isn't just restricted to television screens. There's exclusive online content, with YouTube's Outsiders: Gone Wild with David Mitchell and Get Off My Phone! featuring Grace Campbell, Thanyia Moore, Ania Magliano, Travis Jay and more, as well as Facebook series The Comedy Guide To Life, Bad Advice with Olga Koch and BackChat. Dave's partnership with CALM has led to exclusive commissions and innovative online and marketing campaigns such as #BeTheMateYoudWant. Dave also crowns its winner of Dave's Joke of the Fringe at Edinburgh each year.
About UKTV Play
UKTV Play is an on demand TV service providing instant access to shows from UKTV's free-to-air channels - Dave, W, Yesterday and Drama.
With the easy-to-use UKTV Play app you can browse and stream hundreds of shows for free via your computer, tablet or smart phone. You can also watch on the telly thanks to Freeview Play, Amazon Fire TV, YouView, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Freesat, NOW and Roku. If you're a Sky or Virgin Media customer, shows from other great UKTV channels - Gold, Alibi, and Eden - are also on the menu. uktvplay.co.uk
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
corporate.uktv.co.uk | press.uktv.co.uk | @uktvpress
About Interstellar
Founded by Managing Director David Williams and Creative Director Jamie Ormerod, Interstellar specialises in creating and producing brand new comedy entertainment, popular factual and reality formats for the UK and international markets. Interstellar's shows include two series of the comedy entertainment format Richard Ayoade's Question Team for Dave, reality dating series Singletown for ITV, immersive gameshow Razor Sharp for 4Studio and Lucozade, Show Me the Honey! for CBBC. www.interstellar-tv.com
About Something Special
Founded in 2019 in Seoul, Something Special is Korea's first-ever TV Format agency focused on creative talents, specializing in global content development, production, and distribution. The company acts as a bridge to facilitate global formats both from Korea outbound to sourcing and bringing premium formats into Korea, pairing them with the right partners. Something Special represents the international business of a variety of Korea's top-tier independent production companies and creative talents, including titles from major Korean broadcasters. Working in both the scripted and unscripted fields, Something Special combines the company's core competency of development, production, distribution, and commerce, to become the leading Korean Wave content powerhouse. Something Special embraces their company motto: We Connect & Create. http://www.sspecial.co.kr AWARD: In 2018 Jin Woo Hwang was awarded the Prime Minister's citation for his service as an industry pioneer of Korean content. BOARD: In 2022, Jin Woo Hwang was elected as the Chairman of the Korean Format Association in 2022.