Jay Pharoah, known for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Blackening,” will host “The Quiz with Balls,” a new Fox game show.
Each episode will feature two families competing for $100,000 in a “battle of the balls,” combining a high-stakes quiz show with a large-scale physical competition.
“When I got hit up about hosting an epic face-off between big brains and even bigger balls, I was like … ’I got this,’” Pharoah said in a statement. “Then I found out it was a game show series on Fox and thought … even better!”
The contestants stand on a high platform over a pool, where they must work together during a multiple choice quiz. Each answer is allocated to a spot with a giant ball positioned behind it. If the answer is chosen correctly, the ball will roll down and stop just before hitting the player. However, if the answer is wrong, the ball will fall and whack the player into the pool below. The questions get harder the more players each team loses. The longer they last, the more money they bank until one “dry” family member plays the final round for the $100,000 grand prize.
“Playful, quick-witted and high-energy, Jay’s going to make a huge splash as our host of ‘The Quiz with Balls,’” Allison Wallach, Fox Entertainment’s president of unscripted programming, said in a statement. “No matter the stage or show, Jay’s singular brand of humor and comedic timing elevates everything he does. With him at the helm of ‘The Quiz with Balls,’ viewers of all ages are assured an exciting and hilarious hour of fun playing along with Jay and our family contestants.”
Executive produced by Talpa Studios and Eureka Productions, the new series is set to premiere this summer of Fox. “The Quiz with Balls” premiered on SBS6 in The Netherlands, where it became an instant summer hit, receiving an order for a four-episode winter special. A second season of the show will air on SBS6 later this year. Talpa Studios will soon announce other markets where the format will travel to, following the U.S. launch.
Showrunner Anthony Carbone, John de Mol, Maarten Meijs, Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Wes Dening and John Leahy executive produce.