The format was conceived in Belgium in 1998 with the original title of De Mol and features a group of contestant who engage in a series of challenges throughtout every episode to win the big prize, but there is a participant whose mission is to undermine the group.
The format initially launched in Belgium, has been adapted in numerous countries, becoming a hallmark of intelligent, strategy-driven reality TV. In the United States, the show premiered in 2001 and was highly regarded for its cerebral challenges and the tension of identifying the "Mole" among contestants. Similarly, the Australian and Dutch adaptations achieved critical and commercial success, becoming cultural phenomena in their respective markets.
In Italy, the show was previously broadcast by Rai 2 in 2004 and later by Mediaset in 2005, 2008. in The debut episode garnered 2.25 million viewers, securing a 14.04% share , however, subsequent episodes saw a marked decline in viewership. The second episode, aired on November 11, attracted 1.91 million viewers with a 12.5% share, while the third episode on November 18 dropped further to 1.57 million viewers and a 10.57% share.The final episode, condensed with the last three planned episodes, aired on November 25 and managed only 1.60 million viewers with a 12.76% share.
Despite The Mole's storied history, the Italian fourth edition faced significant challenges. The fragmented viewership landscape of modern television, paired with high expectations for a legacy format, may have contributed to its underperformance. Additionally, La Talpa competed against well-established scripted series such as L’Amica Geniale, which commands a dedicated fanbase.
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