Casino777.nl research: The Voice, Big Brother – The Dutch TV shows that became an international success

Why you love Dutch TV and you don’t even know it!

Casino777.nl has researched the Dutch TV programs that became an international success. Do The Voice, Big Brother or Deal or No Deal ring any bells? These TV shows and many more have all originated from the same place: The Netherlands. Even though the US and the UK tend to steal the headlines when it comes to popular TV content, the Netherlands has long been a hotbed of creative talent.

Table 1: The most successful Dutch TV exports

Figure 1: Countries where Dutch TV Exports have been aired

The Voice – First shown in The Netherlands in 2010, the singing show is now available in 64 countries. In fact it has been running for 22 seasons in the US, 12 in Ukraine, and 11 in France.

Big Brother – Since 1999, the show has been watched by more than 600 million viewers across 57 countries, including the US, the UK, India, Australia and Brazil. In the UK alone, Big Brother accounted for 23% of Channel 4’s £664 million revenue in 2007.

Deal or No Deal – From its original name Miljoenenjacht (Hunt/Chase for Millions), the UK version has become the most popular worldwide in 2022 with 13 seasons on Channel 4. The US, Australia and Bulgaria have also aired the show for over a decade (11 years).

Fear Factor – Joe Rogan’s version of the TV show may be seen as the most popular one yet, however, more seasons have aired in India: nine compared to seven in the US . The fear-inducing game show has been exported to 26 countries since its launch in 2001.

The Bus – One of the less talked about shows in the list, yet the luxury bus show has been spinned off in several European countries (Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Estonia) and South America (Brazil).

Dating in the Dark – This rather atypical concept that features contestants trying to find love in a pitch black environment has had international exposure across four continents, namely Europe (UK), North America (US), South America (Brazil) and Oceania (Australia).

What are the longest running shows?

German participants of Big Brother 5 and 6 were getting pretty cosy and enjoyed a stay in TV’s most famous house for one year. Audiences and cast alike were also captivated in the Philippines with three of their seasons being almost a year long.

But this trend is not consistent across all countries where some seasons were abruptly cut short, like Spain’s Big Brother spin-off’s Sálvame Okupa which lasted precisely one working week.

Fun facts you never knew about Dutch TV exports

It is well known that reality TV shows don’t come without their controversies. Entertaining millions of viewers around the world often requires a lot of on screen drama, yet there is also a lot going on behind the scenes that the producers cannot necessarily control. Here are some unbelievable facts about Endemol’s biggest shows:

1. A French group called Activists Against Trash TV protested Big Brother by clashing with security guards and throwing eggs and tomatoes at the house.
2. Contestants who took part in the US version of Fear Factor had to sign a contract that, among other things, prevented them from running for public office for 12 months after the show.
3. Contestant Lucas Koka Penteado exited the Big Brother house following a kiss between him and openly gay contestant Gilberto Nogueira. When Penteado was confronted by his housemates, he told them he was bisexual, but few seemed to believe him and instead accused him of strategic play that harmed the plight of the LGBTQIA+ community.
4. In January 2005, a paralegal from Ohio sued NBC for $2.5 million because of the effect watching an episode of Fear Factor had on him. He stated that he watched the episode where contestants had to puree rats in a blender and then eat them and he was so disgusted by it that his blood pressure rose to the point that he became dizzy and vomited. He was then so disoriented that he ran into a doorway and injured himself.
5. According to leaked docs, producers on the Voice can allegedly ignore contestants completely. They can also reportedly switch up the rules whenever they want, or eliminate contestants on a whim — even if those contestants happen to be “winning” in the eyes of the public.