The most successful global entertainment format of 2007 is the American game show Are you smarter than a 5th Grader which entered 22 new territories in eight months, making it one of the fastest global roll outs ever. The most successful talent show format was Got Talent, which was sold to more territories this year than any other variety or talent format – it is also the UK’s highest rated entertainment show of the year. In the UK, four of the top five highest rated entertainment series of the year are talent shows: X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, Dancing On Ice, and Strictly Come Dancing.

Reflecting the renewed demand for game show formats, countries such as the USA and Netherlands grew their share as the originator of global formats, and now account for 21 per cent each of the share of global formats in total. The UK remains the main originator of global formats accounting for 33 per cent of the total in 2007. The roll out of global formats is getting faster, with broadcasters increasingly seeking tried and tested formats with a proven track record of success. Almost half of all new variety and talent titles launched across the five key TV markets have gone above expectations and exceeded the average share for each of their broadcasters.

FremantleMedia CEO, Tony Cohen, said: “The UK is still as strong as ever and the main originator of global formats, but it is interesting to see that the speed of global roll out is still accelerating. The US market had a growing demand for entertainment formats, something which we expect to see even more of in 2008 and a trend which the writers strike issues has the potential to exaggerate. Overall last year was a great one for talent shows.  We are looking forward to their continued success in 2008 – shows like X Factor and Got Talent, offer broadcasters something of enormous value – great TV brands and a bankable audience. 2007 was a great year for the UK, a year when it again proved itself as a great source for travelling brands. The UK’s audience figures for entertainment shows speak for themselves. Fourteen of the top 15 entertainment shows in the UK are global success stories.”