BBCS expands Nation’s Dumbest in Europe

BBC Studios’ Norwegian comedy format Nation’s Dumbest has continued its expansion with local versions ordered in Hungary and Denmark.

The commissions for the Montreux Film and Fjernsyn’s gameshow have been struck by RTL Hungary and TV2 Denmark, with BBCS adding that more deals are in the works.

In Denmark, TV2 has ordered an eight-part series, produced by BBC Studios Denmark Productions. The show has already been recorded and is set to air later this year.

In Hungary, RTL is preparing its own local version, with filming scheduled for late summer 2026.

The format was originally produced for TV2 in Norway in August 2024, becoming its most-watched show and securing a second season.

It has already landed adaptations in the US (Fox), Sweden (TV4), France (TF1), Germany (ProSieben) and Finland (MTV3), with BBC Studios producing all adaptations except for the Finnish version, which hails from Fremantle Media Finland. 

It is understood BBC Studios has also shot a non-TX pilot of the gameshow for the BBC in the UK, as revealed by Broadcast.

The format, which is owned by BBCS, follows a group of celebrities as they compete in a series of physical and mental rounds. Their aim is to get themselves eliminated and avoid being crowned the ‘nation’s dumbest’.

Sumi Connock, exec vice president of Global Creative Network and Formats at BBC Studios, said the format “delivers big, playful entertainment but also has real warmth, giving viewers a chance to see celebrities at their most human. That balance is proving key to its growing international appeal.”