China has no shortage of talent competition shows – and we’ve covered quite a few of them. From iQiyi’s The Rap of China to Tencent’s Produce 101 (not to be confused with Idol Producer, which propelled Cai Xukun’s career to commercial heights), reality shows have a strong grip on the country’s entertainment scene — and those are just the online originals.
But none of these programs have quite the same international spin as Hunan TV’s latest project. The satellite TV station announced Monday that it is partnering with global creative powerhouses Fremantle and Syco Entertainment to co-develop a 13-part Got Talent-style series.
“What Hunan TV is really after is co-developing original content with our partners by engaging global creative into local market at the very beginning of the development process,” Lester Hu, Head of Formats and International Business at Hunan TV, said. “We are excited about hosting this massive television event that promotes intercultural communication and appreciation.”
Premiering in April, China’s World’s Got Talent, or Dian Feng Zhi Lu, will feature fan-favorite acts from more than 30 of the Got Talent franchises. What’s in it for these former contestants besides bragging rights and air time? According to Fremantle, there’s also an “impressive winner’s grand prize,” whatever that means.
Fremantle China’s CEO Vivian Yin said the project is (somehow?) inspired by China’s One Belt One Road project. If you can believe it, this isn’t the first time the global trade and infrastructure project has sparked creative juices.
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“It will celebrate the cultural diversity and stories of ordinary people with extraordinary talents together on the world’s biggest stage in Changsha, China,” Yin said.
Created by Simon Cowell and co-owned by Syco Entertainment and Fremantle, the Got Talent format has 71 localized versions and an estimated 900 million viewers worldwide.
Fingers crossed for a Kris Wu guest judging appearance.
Cover image: Trae Patton/NBC
