Image: TG4
Have you ever sat watching X Factor and thought to yourself, 'This show would be way more interesting if the contestants had to reverse a tractor around an obstacle course'?
Now I have no interest in some person coming on with some sob story and then making Louis Walsh cry when they sing a mediocre cover of Lady Gaga. On the other hand, when I stumbled upon 12 people on TG4's Feirm Factor, in a time trial trying to herd sheep into a pen, I knew this was a show for me.
So too were TV companies all around the world as it turns out, with Good Company Productions announcing that the show's format has been optioned by six territories across Europe.
The show sees 12 farmers compete to be crowned Feirm Factor champion by the end of the series. 'Feirm' is the Irish for 'farm' and the 'factor' bears resemblance to the 'X Factor.' The competitors have to complete various agricultural tasks each week, with judges casting a eye over their efforts, and eliminating a contestant every episode:
From: RaicProductions
Its success has resulted in the format now being picked up in France, Germany, Sweden, Norway Denmark, and Finland. When speaking to IFTN, Good Company Production's founder, Evan Chamberlain believed the success of the show was down to its basis in reality, 'It's real, it's not contrived reality.'
Feirm Factor's format has already proved success internationally, with Welsh-language station S4C broadcasting their own version since 2009. Chamberlain feels that Irish production house companies can be confident in creating shows that appeal globally:
I think something that we tend to forget is that as a small island of very fine film and TV makers is that format creation is a very, very simple process ...
We’ve tried to create formats over the years because we feel that we are no different to other countries in creating formats. I feel that, just like anyone else, we can create formats that will sell internationally.
The show is also attracting interest from producers in the US, Australia and New Zealand.
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