NBC has renewed “American Ninja Warrior” for an eighth season.
Production on the popular obstacle course competition series will begin this spring with the new season airing in the summer. Hosted by Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, the season series will shoot in six cities this season: Los Angeles, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Tacoma. The show’s national finals will once again take place in Las Vegas.
Top competitors in each of the city finals rounds move onto the national finals, where they compete on a four-stage course that includes multiple obstacles on each stage. The winner, who must complete all four stages, including the final 75-foot rope climb, will take home a grand prize of $1 million. In addition, the competitor who goes the farthest on the national finals course wins $100,000 as the “last ninja standing.”
Based on the global hit “Sasuke,” from Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, the original series is now in its 36th season in Japan.
The series remains a cornerstone of NBC’s summer lineup. Season 7 averaged a 1.3 rating in adults 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers in the Nielsen Live+7 viewing. Other NBC summer shows include hits like “America’s Got Talent,” “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” and “World of Dance.”