‘Married At First Sight’ Shocker: Peacock Nabs Wedding Format Away From Lifetime With Huge Deal For Kinetic Content
EXCLUSIVE: Married at First Sight, which has run for over 200 episodes on the A+E Networks channels, has a new home after a surprise move.
Deadline understands that Peacock has nabbed the rights to the show, which comes from Kinetic Content, in a major new deal that has surprised many in the unscripted industry.
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We’re hearing that Kinetic, which is run by Chris Coelen, was looking for a multi-season deal – potentially a three-season guarantee – but NBCU says it hasn’t committed to three seasons up front. The deal is big, though, with sources suggesting that it was worth north of $50M.
There was a bidding war with multiple companies interested in the format, which is one of the most popular reality series around the world. The move puts Peacock front and center in the dating space with MAFS joining Love Island and a slew of other romantic formats.
It’s a blow for A+E Networks, which has shepherded the show in the U.S. for the last ten years. The show, in which couples meet for the first time at the alter, launched on FYI in July 2014. The show started being simulcast on A&E from season two and with season five it moved to Lifetime, where it has aired ever since.
In fact, Lifetime handed the show a six-season order – one of its largest ever orders – in 2020 as well as another spinoff and a blind commitment for another Kinetic project.
Married at First Sight is based on Danish series Gift Ved F?rste Blik from Snowman Productions that originally aired on public broadcaster DR3. The show is particularly huge in the UK and Australia and has many celebrity fans. Saoirse Ronan recently said that Married at First Sight Australia was her favorite reality show. “If I met someone from Married at First Sight, I would die,” she said. “They’re hectic.”
In the U.S., the show has also had eight spinoffs; Married at First Sight: The First Year, Married Life, Married at First Sight: Second Chances, Jamie and Doug Plus One, Married at First Sight: Honeymoon Island, Married at First Sight: Happily Ever After, Married at First Sight: Couples’ Cam and Married at First Sight: Unmatchables.
The show started out with three couples each season, increased to four in season eight and five for season 10, paired up by relationship experts, who agree to marry when they first meet. The couples spend their wedding night in a hotel before leaving for a honeymoon. Upon returning home, they live together as a couple for eight weeks. Thereafter, they must choose to divorce or stay married. Relationship experts include Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Pia Holec.
Season 18, which features couples from Chicago, premiered on Lifetime in October. Season 19 will stream on Peacock later this year.
Married at First Sight is produced by Kinetic Content, which is backed by Peter Chernin’s The North Road Company. It is exec produced by Chris Coelen, Cat Rodriguez, Eric Detwiler, Erica Kessler, Kenda Greenwood Moran and Montre Burton.
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