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Stephen Lambert
By Mansha Daswani

Gogglebox has been on a global tear since its Channel 4 premiere in the U.K. in 2013. One of the few breakout format hits of the last few years, the show—which chronicles people watching and talking about television—has been adapted in the U.S., Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, the Middle East and Mongolia, among other territories. The format hails from Studio Lambert, the prolific trans-Atlantic production outfit founded by Stephen Lambert with all3media. Lambert, whose long list of credits also includes Faking It, Wife Swap and Undercover Boss, tells TV Formats Weekly about the keys to Gogglebox’s success and his approach to casting, and reveals details about some of Studio Lambert’s new creations.

TV FORMATS: Tell us about how the concept for Gogglebox originated. Why do you think it translates so well around the world?
LAMBERT: Our team came up with it, in particular producer Tania Alexander and Tim Harcourt, our creative director. It’s a great way to show the best of television that week. There’s so much TV out there and people miss things, so if you watch Gogglebox, you’ll get to see what everybody’s talking about. Everyone can join in on the national conversation, and what people talk about is what’s on television. It’s not just a clip show; it’s also a way of getting to know a cast of very likable people that reflect social diversity in terms of class, age, geography. In that sense, once people start watching Gogglebox, they identify with and feel good about their nation.

The real challenge of that show is its comedic element, and that you’ve got to make it very quickly. You only have a week to produce the show to keep it timely. The teams that make it all over the world do a brilliant job. You are filming all over the country. It’s very important that people are filmed in their own homes. One of the things we quite appreciate is how intimate it is to film people in their sitting rooms with the people they feel closest to and most relaxed with, talking and watching television. It feels like you’re at the heart of a very intimate moment in people’s families. They speak with authenticity and honesty. Obviously, as they get more well known, there’s a danger they start playing to the camera, but we cut all that out.

This interview continues here.

Distributor Spotlight: Acun Medya Global

ADDRESS: Levent Mahallesi, Hayat Sokak, No: 4 Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey
TELEPHONE: (90-212) 304-8888
WEBSITE: www.acunmedyaglobal.com
CHAIRMAN: Acun Ilıcalı
PROGRAM: Exathlon: reality/sports, Acun Medya Global, Turkey.
TRAILER: Please visit Acun Medya Global’s Screening Room to view a clip of Exathlon.

“Acun Medya, founded in 2004 in Turkey, is an independent international production company, with each of its productions reaching millions of viewers from every age group and achieving maximum ratings.

By means of its high-quality content, productions and first-rate know-how in broadcasting strategies, Acun Medya [has turned] into a global brand by expanding its business all around Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Acun Medya Global strengthens its success with the productions in the countries where it operates.

Acun Medya Global aims to continuously deliver inspirational, motivating, satisfying and different entertainment formats, which have made a tremendous impression for every audience.”

—Corporate Communications

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