Banijay confirms The Write Offs has landed its first international deals, having been picked up for Australian and Danish audiences. Metronome Productions will produce the local Danish version for DR1, while SBS has also ordered its own version, which will be called Lost for Words from Endemol Shine Australia.
Originally created by Shine TV for Channel 4, the series gives a group of adults the amazing opportunity to change their own lives. Around the world ordinary people struggle with the basic skills necessary for everyday situations, whether it be reading a signpost, writing a shopping list or sending a text message to a loved one.
Like the UK version, the Australian and Danish productions offer a group of adults the chance to change their lives forever. New doors are opened as they receive one-to-one tuition and face entertaining tasks to take them out of their comfort zones to improve their reading and writing. It’s an eye-opening and emotional journey, culminating in a moving and dramatic performance surrounded by their friends and family.
Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay, commented: ‘The Write Offs is a heart-warming format which uses personal stories to address a critical issue relevant to every country around the globe. Whilst the subjects’ journeys are poignant and challenging, this uplifting show is full of heart, humour and triumph as viewers see the participants grow in confidence like never before, to share their newfound abilities in front of an audience of stunned and proud loved ones’.
Lana Salah, Executive Producer at Shine TV, added: ‘We aim to create thought-provoking formats which entertain, and we are incredibly proud to add another travelling format to our roster. The Write Offs is an empowering series, tackling a sensitive topic with sense of warmth and fun, it’s going to be exciting to see how the lives of learners from Australia and Denmark will be changed forever’.
