Format

BBC Studios’ comedy entertainment format Nation’s Dumbest is expanding into Spain and Lithuania, taking the format to ten international territories. In Spain, Antena 3 has commissioned a local adaptation of the format, which will be produced by Brutal Media, part of BBC Studios. In Lithuania, TV3 Lithuania has commissioned its own version, to be produced by TV3 Studios, with transmission planned for September 2026.
The latest deals follow recent commissions in Hungary and Denmark and further strengthen Nation’s Dumbest as BBC Studios’ fastest-growing comedy entertainment format since its launch in Norway two years ago.

The format’s international momentum has also been boosted by the performance of its US adaptation, which launched on FOX in July. Since its premiere, Nation’s Dumbest US has reached 8.7 million viewers and generated more than 700 million minutes viewed across platforms, becoming FOX’s biggest summer entertainment debut in four years. The format has also performed strongly across Europe. In France, it became the highest-rated new format launch since 2020, while in Sweden it was the most successful new entertainment launch of the year. This autumn, seven local versions will be on air globally, with the Danish adaptation recently launching on TV2 as the #1 show of the day, alongside returning seasons in Sweden and France.

Sumi Connock, Executive Vice President, Global Creative Network and Formats, BBC Studios, said: “Reaching our tenth territory sale is a fantastic milestone for Nation’s Dumbest. It’s a brilliant example of how a bold, yet warm-hearted, local idea can travel and become a truly international success story. Nation’s Dumbest taps into something universal: audiences everywhere love seeing celebrities let their guard down, laugh at themselves and embrace the unexpected. It’s a simple, highly scalable format that continues to resonate with broadcasters around the world, and we’re delighted to see it building such strong international momentum.”

Originally created by Montreux Film and Fjernsyn, Nation’s Dumbest turns the traditional competition format on its head as the gameshow nobody wants to win. Combining outrageous comedy with a playful spirit, celebrities willingly laugh at themselves as they tackle a series of logical, mental and physical challenges, all attempting to avoid reaching the final and being crowned the nation’s dumbest.

The format’s tenth territory deal comes as BBC Studios prepares for MIPCOM with an entertainment and reality slate focused on internationally scalable IP. Alongside established brands such as The Weakest Link and The 1% Club, which has recently expanded into Saudi Arabia and India, the company is also developing formats including Secret Genius and The Celebrity Inner Circle, both returning for second seasons in the UK, and Wisdom of the Crowd, which will launch on BBC One this autumn, followed by its Spanish adaptation on Telecinco.