British Game Show "The Con Test" Come to ABC  6/1/06

ABC GETS CONNED

British Game Show "The Con Test" Comes to America

The UK game show, "The Con Test," is coming to the U.S. in a production deal between FremantleMedia North America, the producers of "American Idol" and the ABC Television Network. Based on the series created by British television personalities Ant and Dec which joins Britain's ITV network schedule this summer, "The Con Test" is a game show where one person could walk away with over one million dollars without ever having to answer a single question right.

"The Con Test" is a game for those who have the wit, nerves and guile to bluff their way to an exorbitant amount of cash. Don't understand the questions? Fake it. Don't know the answers? Lie. All that matters is that your opponent thinks you do.

Each show is in question-and-answer format, with the contestants unaware of how they are faring against their opponents. This allows those who are trailing to advantageously bluff their way to victory.

"'The Con Test' is such a unique and fresh game show concept," said Andrea Wong, executive vice president, Alternative Programming, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment. "This series will be a fun outlet for viewers who want to sit back, be entertained and scream at the TV set as if the contestants can hear them."

"We've seen tremendous success with a variety of game shows that have come over from the UK to America," said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America. "We believe that 'The Con Test' has all the elements of a hit and are extremely enthusiastic about introducing it to the U.S. audience."

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is on the leading edge of global broadcast production, developing some of television's most innovative and watched new programming. Based in Santa Monica and with offices in New York, FMNA has produced such genre-bending shows as the musical/reality phenomenon "American Idol" (Fox), which received five Emmy nominations in 2003, and the hotly debated reality series "The Swan" (Fox). In 2005 FremantleMedia programs garnered 16 Emmy nominations, including six for "American Idol." Other credits include "The Price Is Right" (CBS), the longest-running game show in television history, the daily syndicated game show "Family Feud," and the breakout hit lifestyle show "How Clean Is Your House?" (Lifetime).

FMNA is a division of FremantleMedia, one of the largest international creators and producers of program brands in the world, with production operations in more than 25 countries. FremantleMedia is the production arm of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company. With interests in 31 television channels and 33 radio stations in 10 countries, RTL Group is a division of leading integrated media and entertainment company Bertelsmann AG. For further information, visit www.fremantlemedia.com.

"The Con Test" was created by Ant & Dec's Gallowgate Productions and is produced in the UK by FremantleMedia's UK production company, talkbackTHAMES in association with Gallowgate Productions.

Source: ABC Press Release