If you thought that Deal or No Deal couldn’t get more exciting, you might need to think again as there is an all-new spin-off on the way, with a major twist.
The game show aired for around four years in the and , containing cash amounts ranging from a penny to $1million – they were then given the choice of gambling to secure more money, or accepting an offer from the show’s mysterious Banker.
However, this time around, and are transporting players to paradise for the chance of winning $200million, with different sums hidden around the island.
It is down to contestants to complete challenges to secure boxes – which are then used in nightly Deal or No Deal games, with the person who finds the highest value briefcase being awarded ‘immunity’, as well as the chance to choose who takes on a high stakes game.
Deal or No Deal Island is premiering on NBC on February 26 and will be available to stream on Peacock in the US the following day, but a UK release date has not yet been confirmed.
However, fans struggled to get their heads around the concept, with many questioning whether it was a real show.
Unpacking the premise on Reddit, the aptly named Fantastic Name penned: ‘This sounds like a fake 30 Rock show.
Cotothed agreed: ‘This show sounds like something chat GPT would create.’
LocalFella9 replied: ‘Yeahhh I have no coherent thoughts on this, feels like someone threw darts at a word cloud but sure why not, I’m down [sic].’
As The_Nintendo_Cop added: ‘Lmao what lol. I mean, Deal or No Deal and Survivor are two of the best reality shows ever so it might be good but this idea is so insane and stupid it might actually be genius.’
Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait before we find out, as Deal or No Deal Island is premiering later this month, before landing on Peacock.
A string of contestants are set to make the island their home, including reality TV icons ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano from Survivor and the Amazing Race, and Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Claudia Jordan.
Joe Manganiello is serving as host, while models Ben Crofchick and Kamari Love will be taking on the task of being the Banker’s Assistants.
‘In Deal or No Deal Island, the iconic briefcases are hidden around the island and worth over $200million in prize money split between them,’ the official synopsis reads. ‘In each episode, players compete in daring challenges to secure the briefcases that will be used in that night’s game of Deal or No Deal.
‘The player who snags the highest-value case gains immunity and gets to choose a fellow player to enter The Temple. The chosen competitor must then play a high-stakes game of Deal or No Deal.
‘If the player makes a “bad deal” and accepts an offer that is a lesser value than what is in their chosen case, they are immediately eliminated. If the player makes a “good deal” and accepts an offer that is a higher value than what is in their case, the power is in their hands and they get to select who to eliminate.’
The winnings from each game are added to a group pot, with the last player left facing the Banker – and potentially heading home with ‘the biggest prize in Deal or No Deal history’.
The original game show first aired in the US in 2005, with Howie Mandel overseeing events as contestants picked a briefcase holding cash amounts ranging from a penny to $1million.
It went on hiatus in 2009 before returning as a ‘holiday special’ in 2018 – the final instalment was broadcast the following year.
Deal or No Deal Island premieres on February 26 at 9.30pm ET on NBC.
