The deal
Banijay Entertainment has picked up global format rights and finished tape rights to Scrambled Up, the US daily word game produced by Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company with Keller/Noll and Crazy Legs Productions. Playing Field Entertainment handled distribution.
The show reached stations covering more than 80% of the US when it launched last autumn. Hosted by Michael Yo, four contestants use clues to solve jumbled words and phrases as tiles unscramble; the winner takes home US$10,000.
What the numbers show
Scrambled Up has already moved beyond a single test run. It was renewed for a second season across multiple partners, including CBS-owned stations. Production recently wrapped on 160 new episodes, doubling the show’s total episode count. A dedicated 24/7 channel on Samsung TV Plus in the US and Canada adds a FAST window to the syndication run.
Banijay places the title in its third-party format catalogue alongside Werewolves, Ninja Warrior, Stop the Train and Temptations Under the Sun.
Why it matters for buyers
Format deals like this bundle two different assets. Finished tape rights let platforms license ready-made episodes quickly; format rights let broadcasters and streamers commission local versions. At Mipcom, Banijay can pitch both.
- 80%+ US clearance at launch
- 160-episode renewal doubling the library
- 24/7 Samsung TV Plus channel as a FAST test
- Producing team behind Chopped and America Says
“Gameshows continue to have proven value across every platform,” said Helen Greatorex, head of format acquisitions at Banijay Entertainment. She added that the format has “all the right ingredients to travel internationally.”
What the format market should read
Daily gameshows are low-cost, high-volume and built for localisation, which makes them reliable Mipcom currency. For Banijay, Scrambled Up adds a proven US daily strip to a slate that is being positioned for international buyers. The finished tape component also fits the growing FAST ecosystem: it gives platforms a ready-made channel filler while they decide on a local commission.
What to watch
For media planners and format buyers, the signal isn’t the launch—it’s the renewal volume. A daily strip that gets another 160 episodes gives programmers a safe volume bet. The Samsung TV Plus channel is a useful early indicator; if it performs, expect local adaptations to follow. The producing team’s track record—Keller/Noll also makes Chopped, Flip Side and America Says—reduces execution risk.
Don’t assume a US clearance number alone translates globally; prize structure and scheduling will still need local adaptation.
Source: C21Media
