NBC Announces Return of Hit Game Shows “The Wall” and “Weakest Link”
Chris Hardwick-Hosted “The Wall” Returns Tuesday, April 11 followed by Jane Lynch-Hosted “Weakest Link” in April
NBC is revving up the excitement with the return of two of its most popular game shows, “The Wall” on Tuesday, April 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and “Weakest Link” on Monday, April 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes will be available for streaming on Peacock the following day.
The Wall
The heart-stopping games return with exciting new gameplay, a slew of special guests and a fresh crop of deserving contestants who are eager to put their skills to the test in a battle for life-changing cash prizes.
Weakest Link
Across all platforms (NBC, digital and streaming), season four of “The Wall” four averaged 3.4 million viewers, growing +27% from its same-day telecasts. Overall, “The Weakest Link” has reached more than 25.1 million people.
About “The Wall”
Executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, “The Wall” returns for its fifth season, hosted by Emmy Award winner Chris Hardwick. “Bel-Air” star Jabari Banks also makes a special guest appearance.
“The Wall” continues to change lives through its cash prizes, giving away over $25 million to date. This season features a game-changing twist that offers contestants the option to play for more money than ever before with “Wall to Wall,” where seven golden balls drop simultaneously to build toward their bank. This high-stake move has the potential to add over $1 million to their winnings, but also comes with the risk of wiping out their bank if they answer the question incorrectly. The upcoming season breaks records when two lucky players accumulate the highest bank in series history and play for $2.8 million.
“The Wall” is an action-packed game with more than $12 million on the line each night and up to $3 million on a single heart-stopping drop, as teammates work together to answer questions to build a huge cash prize. The rules are simple: Get a question correct and a green ball will fall down the four-story wall and add the value of the slot to the players’ winning total. Miss a question and an ominous red ball will fall and deduct the value from the team’s total. Contestants compete in pairs and must blindly trust their loved ones to make the right decisions during the game to accumulate their earnings. This season, the remarkable people competing for a lifechanging prize include a retired Army Staff Sergeant who lost part of all four limbs during his third tour abroad, a Capitol Police officer who saved a congressman’s life, a retired public transportation supervisor who saved a man from an oncoming train and a young couple who has cleaned up over 100,000 pounds of trash from their community.
“The Wall” is a collaboration between the SpringHill Company and Glassman Media with LeBron James, Chris Hardwick, Maverick Carter, Aaron Long, Jessica Otazua, Quintin Strack, Andrew Glassman and Tim Sullivan serving as executive producers. “The Wall” was developed by Glassman Media in conjunction with CORE Media and produced in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.
About “Weakest Link”
“Weakest Link,” hosted by Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch, is back for a third season of the iconic British import and international game show phenomenon, based on the global format distributed by BBC Studios. The lightning fast, quick-witted series returns with special themed episodes throughout the season, kicking off with the premiere episode that features teams of twins competing for a chance at the cash prize. Additional special guest contestants include a group of competing drag queens in celebration of Pride Month and some of the biggest superstars from WWE.
In each episode, eight contestants enter the studio as total strangers but must work together to bank the maximum amount of prize money available in each round. The contestants take turns answering general knowledge questions to build chains of correct answers. Consecutive correct answers greatly increase the value of the chain, while incorrect answers break the chain and force the contestants to start over from the bottom of the money ladder. The top prize increases with each round but contestants must first vote to eliminate the fellow competitor they consider to be the “Weakest Link” in the chain. The contestant who receives the highest number of votes leaves the game as the host declares the iconic phrase, “You are the Weakest Link. Goodbye.”
“Weakest Link” is produced by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group. Ryan O’Dowd serves as executive producer for BBC Studios. Stuart Krasnow, who executive produced the original NBC run, serves in the same role and is also showrunner. Jane Lynch also executive produces with Aaron Solomon.
