Format

Lineup Industries has announced its latest format launch for 2026, The Defendant, a genre-bending celebrity reality show that combines elements of true crime, drama and social experiment.

The format debuted on NRK in Norway at the end of 2025, where it delivered a strong 35% audience share and achieved a 90% VOD completion rate, highlighting high viewer engagement and bingeability.

The Defendant places five celebrities at the center of a fictional murder trial, where they are tasked with serving as jurors over the course of five days. Isolated from the outside world in a controlled environment that replicates real jury conditions, the participants must examine evidence, hear testimonies and deliberate to reach a final verdict.
Each episode introduces new revelations and narrative twists, building tension in the style of premium crime drama, while maintaining the authenticity and unpredictability of a reality format. Designed with strong serial storytelling, every episode concludes with a cliffhanger to drive continued viewing.

For the production, a full-scale courtroom and deliberation room were reconstructed to mirror the conditions of an actual trial. The case itself is fictional but grounded in reality: it was written by acclaimed Nordic noir author and former police investigator Jørn Lier Horst, creator of the multi-season hit Wisting, and draws inspiration from six real murder cases.

The hybrid nature of the format is reinforced by its casting approach. The trial is presided over by a real judge, with real lawyers and expert witnesses presenting the case, while the remaining roles are performed by actors. This blend of factual procedure and scripted narrative creates a unique viewing experience that sits at the intersection of legal drama, true crime and unscripted entertainment.