Netflix announces real-life Squid Game reality show with £3.7m prize

15 June 2022, 08:24 | Updated: 15 June 2022, 10:44

Squid Game: The Challenge formally announced

By Polly Foreman

Fans of Netflix series Squid Game can apply to take part in a real-life (non-deadly...) version of the show.

In possibly the most exciting news of the year, Netflix have announced a Squid Game reality TV show with a £3.7m prize.

If you're familiar with the show and have just spat out your coffee in shock, don't be alarmed - the 456 real-life players won't meet the same grizzly end as those in the fictional series.

Contestants will play a series of games inspired by the show, but eliminated players will just be sent home, not killed off.

"The stakes are high, but in this game the worst fate is going home empty-handed," Netflix said in a statement.

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The 10-episode competition series will offer the biggest ever cash prize in reality TV history, and is being made in collaboration by the teams behind The Circle and 24 Hours in A&E.

Brandon Riegg, vice president of Netflix Unscripted and Documentary Series, said: "Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang's captivating story and iconic imagery.

"We're grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment.

"Fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real-world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end."

Squid Game became Netflix's biggest ever show after its release last August.

The Korean-language thriller tells the story of a group of cash-strapped and debt-ridden strangers who agree to take part in a series of deadly children's games in the hopes of winning 45.6 billion won (£28 million).