Syco Entertainment and Lifted Entertainment announce original music gameshow format, Walk The Line

Syco Entertainment and Lifted Entertainment announce original music gameshow format, Walk The Line

Epic musical performance gameshow to broadcast later in 2021

Simon Cowell to lead panel of judges

Global roll-out for the project will be handled by ITV Studios

Simon Cowell is to return to ITV in Walk The Line, a brand new high octane musical game show format co-produced and co-developed by Syco Entertainment and Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios and the team behind ITV hits including I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! and Love Island.

In a departure from the traditional TV talent show, the six-part series will debut on ITV and ITV Hub later in the year, offering musical variety acts a chance to win a life changing prize pot. But to win the money, talent alone isn’t enough - the contestants will need nerves of steel as they determine whether to cash out or physically Walk The Line and risk it all to stay in the competition. 

The TV event format sees musical acts - be they soloists, duos, bands, or choirs - take to the stage to perform for the nation, as well as a panel of judges headed up by Simon Cowell. The top two performers of the evening then face a nail-biting decision in their bid to be crowned champion - to either ‘cash out’ with a tempting cash prize, or walk the line and play on. Should they stay in and top the leaderboard, they will then progress to the next show, facing a different cast of performers. 

The longer the performers can stay in the contest, the bigger the prize pot, with a high stake ‘stay or play’ moment at the end of each show. Each night, the reigning champion will be offered an even higher cash out prize - will they take the money and leave the competition, or Walk The Line and bet on themselves…?

Simon Cowell’s pedigree in music and music shows is unparalleled and legendary. This innovative, new music format has been a passion project of his for some years and has been in development within Syco Entertainment during that time.

Global roll-out for the project will be handled by ITV Studios. 

Simon Cowell said: “I am thrilled to be working with Lifted Entertainment and ITV on this new project. We wanted to develop a show which will give the contestants a life-changing cash prize if they win. Each show there will be a champion who must make a vital decision: either cash out then and there or stay in the contest to compete again the following night and have a chance to claim the huge prize. It’s the kind of decision that will have viewers on the edge of their seats – real event TV. I’m very excited at giving musical talent the opportunity to transform their lives like never before.”

Katie Rawcliffe, ITV Head of Entertainment said “The format Syco and Lifted Entertainment have created has all the makings of quintessential game show entertainment, but with a compelling twist thrown in each show. It’s great to be continuing our working relationship with Simon and I look forward to introducing this edge of your seat musical game show to viewers later in the year.” 

Angela Jain, Managing Director, Lifted Entertainment said "It's hugely exciting to be partnering with Syco on this terrific yet simple to understand and dramatic idea. We have spent some months developing the idea with them and have had a blast. We want to produce a show that looks and feels different and cannot wait for viewers to see it."

ABOUT SYCO ENTERTAINMENT:

Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, is an independent entertainment company which owns TV formats such as ‘Got Talent’ and ‘The X Factor’. Got Talent is officially the world’s most successful reality TV format; America’s Got Talent has remained the No1 summer series in the US for the past 16 years; The X Factor is the most successful music TV format in history delivering more global chart stars than any other show.  These two shows are currently on air in more than 180 countries and are watched by more than a billion people each year. 

Artists discovered on his TV formats have sold over 600 million records and Simon has launched more superstar careers than any other in history including One Direction, Camila Cabello, Leona Lewis, Fifth Harmony, CNCO, Little Mix, Louis Tomlinson, James Arthur, Paul Potts, Susan Boyle and Grace VanderWaal. During his partnership with Sony Music, he also launched Il Divo and Westlife.

About Lifted Entertainment

Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios, is home to some of the most-watched shows on television, producing a range of entertaining and returning series for a host of broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. From live shows such as Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, talent shows like The Voice, quizzes such as University Challenge, documentaries including Miscarriage: Our Story and reality formats such as Love Island, there isn't an unscripted genre it doesn't produce.