In a surprising shift for the entertainment industry, many of America's most beloved prime-time game shows are no longer filmed on home soil. Soaring production costs in Hollywood have prompted networks to move filming overseas, with the UK and Ireland becoming the new backdrops for these popular programmes.
The Transatlantic Production Shift
Major networks including Fox and NBC are now exclusively producing several hit shows abroad. Fox's The Floor, 99 to Beat, Beat Shazam and Celebrity Name That Tune have all joined the exodus. Even NBC's highly anticipated adaptation of the New York Times' puzzle phenomenon Wordle has begun filming its pilot episode at dock10 in Manchester, England.
The production company Universal Television Alternative Studio and NBC ensured American producers, executives and writers were present during the first filmed show, while contestants were flown in from the US to compete. The future of the Wordle series remains undecided, with producers considering completing production either in Manchester or Ireland.
The Financial Reality Behind the Move
Rob Lowe, host of Fox's The Floor, candidly discussed the economic rationale during his podcast Literally! with Rob Lowe. He revealed shooting at Ardmore Studios in Bray, Ireland, noting 'It’s cheaper to bring 100 Americans to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox.' His guest, Adam Scott, echoed the sentiment, observing how 'weird' it is that 'nothing shoots in Los Angeles' anymore.
Network executives familiar with budgets told the LA Times that an hour-long game show in the US can cost between $1.5 million to $2 million per episode. However, with the substantial tax credits offered in the UK, that total can be reduced to under $1 million, creating significant savings for production companies.
Tax Credits and Exceptions
Not all game shows have abandoned American studios. Fox's The Masked Singer and Celebrity Weakest Link continue production at Fox's Century City lot in Los Angeles because they qualified for the California Film Commission's tax credit scheme, known as Program 4.0. This incentive offers between 35 to 45 percent tax credit for qualifying productions.
For shows that don't meet the program's extensive criteria, moving production has become necessary. ABC's Match Game, hosted by Martin Short, was produced in Montreal, Canada, where production costs are 20 to 30 percent lower than in America. Producers took care to ensure accents and references didn't reveal the show wasn't filmed in the US.
The trend accelerated during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns when other countries reopened faster than the US. According to Kim Kleid, executive vice president of current programming for Fremantle North America, international crews adapted better to altered working conditions, including remote work and social distancing.
Despite the current situation, there remains hope within the industry that production might one day return to Los Angeles. Kleid expressed this sentiment, stating, 'We pray on a daily basis that California will include game shows in their tax incentive programs.' She emphasised that while California represents Hollywood's heart, it must become financially advantageous for producers to return.
