A company that owns the rights to dozens of classic game show formats is turning to digital influencers to launch revivals. FremantleMedia‘s production arm Talkback Thames recently put together a reboot of Supermarket Sweep hosted by the Sidemen, and the video’s success may lead to future YouTube spinoffs.
The Sidemen uploaded their version of Supermarket Sweep on their group YouTube channel, which reaches more than 22 million subscribers. The U.K. creator septet worked with Talkback Thames to incorporate official Supermarket Sweep assets into their version of the show, but the Sidemen also put an edgy twist on the proceedings.
If the resulting video aired alongside Supermarket Sweep reruns on daytime TV, it might not be appropriate, but on YouTube, it was a hit. It has pulled in more than 5.5 million views to date and received rave reviews from Sidemen fans.
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According to The Times, Talkback Thames is exploring the possibility of further YouTube adaptations that would turn influencers into game show contestants. With formats like The Price Is Right in its library, FremantleMedia is drawing inspiration from creator-led game shows that have drawn considerable viewership in recent years.
It’s not the first time FremantleMedia has plotted digital revivals of its classic shows. A hub called Buzzr has offered on-demand access to decades of game show episodes, but viewership on that channel pales in comparison to what the Sidemen receive on a typical upload.
FremantleMedia has also explored distribution on Netflix, where the last Supermarket Sweep revival took place, but that road leads to the Sidemen as well. The creator group has brought its reality show Inside to the streamer after previously debuting a documentary on the service.
“The Sidemen are like fish out of water when they take part in Supermarket Sweep and it’s as if they are entering the world of traditional TV,” said Jordan Schwarzenberger, the Co-Founder of Sidemen management firm Arcade Media, in an interview with The Times. “Blending well-known shows with content creators who people love and watch each and every day makes for really good content. YouTube is all about personalities and the connection audiences have with creators.”
Supermarket Sweep may not be typical Sidemen fare, but it’s indicative of the group’s current direction. KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, and Wroetoshaw are moving past the youthful collabs that once defined them to produce elevated content with TV-grade quality — hence the focus on Netflix.
Of course, the boyish fun isn’t all gone. The Sidemen are as irreverent as they’ve always been, and the chaos they brought to the Supermarket Sweep aisles proves it.
