Join Travis Kelce in a fresh twist on game shows with Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? on Prime Video.
In a fresh take on the beloved game show format, Prime Video has greenlit “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?”, featuring Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce as the host. The show, a reinterpretation of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?”, is being produced by MGM Alternative, part of Amazon MGM Studios. Set for a global release, the show will be available in over 240 countries and territories on Prime Video.
“Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” will entertain audiences with a novel approach, inviting an adult contestant each episode to team up with a group of celebrities from various fields including sports, cinema, and theatre. The celebrities will assist the contestant in answering 11 questions derived from an elementary school curriculum to win up to $100,000. Unlike its predecessor, the participants will not compete against the stars but will collaborate with them. Notably, for the final $100,000 question, the contestant will choose a celebrity to confer with before finalizing their answer.
Recently crowned Super Bowl LVIII champion, Travis Kelce, is taking on his debut major television role through this game show. With a decorated career including eight Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro recognitions, Kelce is also known for his co-hosting duties on the popular sports podcast, New Heights. His venture into television hosting marks a significant step in diversifying his career, which spans various sectors including sports, entertainment, and fashion.
“I grew up loving game shows, and I’m excited to be following in the footsteps of so many TV icons by hosting my very first one with Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?. The original show is a great success, so to be bringing a new format with everyone’s favorite celebrities to the screen, will definitely be entertaining. I’m just happy to be on the hosting side of the equation here and excited to see how these famous faces keep up,” said Travis Kelce.
Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD originals unscripted and targeted programming at Amazon MGM Studios, expressed enthusiasm about the revamped format and Kelce’s hosting debut.
“For years, fans around the world have tested their smarts with this fun, nostalgic game show, and we look forward to bringing this reimagined format to Prime Video. Travis has proven to be an incredible talent on and off the field, and we appreciate the trust he has placed in us with his first foray into television.”
Barry Poznick, general manager of MGM Alternative and co-creator of the series, highlighted the creative twist of incorporating celebrities in place of children.
“After producing more than 3,000 episodes of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? globally, we wanted to come up with a new, loud twist on the format. Replacing the kids with celebrities gives us more laughs and surprises, like a roast, as contestants cheat off their famous classmates. And now, with the ultimate class clown, Travis Kelce, hosting, viewers should expect the unexpected!”
The show’s executive team will include Wes Kauble as showrunner, along with Mark Burnett, while Sean Kelly and Steve Hughes will serve as co-executive producers. The series format is distributed by Amazon MGM Studios Distribution.
