CBS is striking while the “Wordle” is hot. The Eye network and RuPaul are bringing back a new adaptation of the word puzzle game show “Lingo” to premiere sometime later this year.
Emmy winner RuPaul Charles is set to executive produce and host the show, which has already made a comeback in the U.K. to huge ratings.
“Lingo” follows teams of two as they face off in fast-paced puzzle rounds to guess letters that reveal seemingly simple words. At the end of each one-hour episode, the winning two teams face off in a final showdown, with one team winning an additional cash prize.
Casting is underway for the show, which comes from All3Media’s Objective Media Group. Objective Media group chief executive officer Layla Smith and Objective Media America’s Jilly Pearce Triple Brew Media’s Ed de Burgh will executive produce with Charles. The international TV format for “Lingo” is owned by All3Media / IDTV and Talpa TV, and distributed by All3Media International.
“We’re all ready to have fun again, and ‘Lingo’ is the answer,” Charles said in a brief statement.
Meanwhile, Mitch Graham, senior VP of alternative programming at CBS, alluded to the current Wordle (the online word puzzle recently acquired by the New York Times) phenomenon in his statement: “The word game craze is sweeping the nation, and ‘Lingo’ will deliver a fast-paced, fun and addictive show for the whole family,” he said. “RuPaul’s flair and sharp wit, coupled with the ability for viewers to play along at home, make this a timely show with wide appeal that we’re excited to join our network lineup.”
“Lingo” originally aired in syndication in the U.S. between 1987 and 1988, and then was revived as a show for the Game Show Network, running between 2002 and 2007. The format was briefly revived for GSN again in 2011.
In the U.K., a new edition of “Lingo” premiered on ITV in February 2021, and became the highest-rated game show launch in its time period in nearly two decades.
Charles, of course, is the executive producer and host of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” for which he has won 11 Emmys, the most awarded to any person of color.