The Circle | |
---|---|
Genre | Reality |
Creative director | Tim Harcourt |
Presented by |
|
Narrated by | Sophie Willan |
Theme music composer | Patrizio Knight |
Opening theme | "The Circle Theme" [1] [2] |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 3 |
No. of episodes | 61 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Camera setup | Fixed rig |
Running time | 60-95 minutes (inc. adverts) |
Production companies | Studio Lambert [3] Motion Content Group |
Original release | |
Network | Channel 4 |
Release | 18 September 2018 – 9 April 2021 |
Related | |
The Circle, sometimes called The Circle UK, [upper-alpha 1] is a British reality television game show and the original version of The Circle franchise. Produced by Studio Lambert and Motion Content Group and airing on Channel 4, the show bills itself as a game based around social media, with the concept that "anyone can be anyone in The Circle". Throughout the show, contestants live in the same apartment building but are never allowed to meet. The show is narrated by Sophie Willan, whilst the first and last episode of the first series were hosted by Maya Jama and Alice Levine (later replaced by Emma Willis from the second series onwards). The show has been compared to Big Brother and Catfish in format, [5] as well as Black Mirror episode "Nosedive" with the concept of having to rate other people. [6]
The first series was won by 26-year-old Internet comedian Alex Hobern, who had played the game claiming to be a 25-year-old woman called Kate, using photos of his real-life girlfriend Millie. Hobern also won the "viewers champion" for an additional £25,000, claiming £75,000 in total. The second series was won by Paddy Smyth, with Tim Wilson winning the "viewers champion" vote. In June 2020, The Circle was renewed for a third series. The Celebrity Circle was also announced. [7] The Circle was cancelled in May 2021. [8] However, Studio Lambert are reportedly in talks with Netflix to launch the British version of the show on the streaming service. [9]
The show's contestants ("players") all move into a refurbished block of flats in Salford, though series 1 was filmed in London. Contestants do not meet face-to-face during the competition, living in individual flats and communicating through messaging devices. Messaging profiles are created as a genuine or altered representation of the player, or as somebody else. Multiple players can play as one profile, sharing an apartment: One profile can be played by multiple players, with a slight differentiation so that messages can be sent to one or the other player . [10] [11] [12]
The players rate each other throughout the game. In series 1, the players rated each other from 1 to 5 stars. At the end of the rating, average scores were revealed. Players after series 1 rank the other players. Eliminations (or "blockings") occur commonly when selected players, commonly the highest rated in a rating, become "influencers". On occasion rules are amended, for example the lowest rating players could be instantly blocked, the influencers' identity has been withheld, or multiple players have been blocked. Blocked players are eliminated from the game and are given an opportunity to briefly meet one player still in the game. Normally, blocked players are replaced by a new player.
During the final, the contestants rate each other one final time, the highest rated player/s wins the series and receives a cash prize. The amount was £50,000 in series 1, £70,000 in series 2 and £100,000 in series 3. [12] [11]
Viewers also have been able to choose a "viewers' champion" from the finalists, who would receive £25,000 in series 1 and £30,000 in series 2. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the third series was pre-recorded, meaning the viewers' vote could not take place.
Each apartment that the players live in is plastered with screens in every room in order for the players to be able to hold conversations with other players as they go about their everyday lives. Each player starts out the game by creating a profile. This includes sharing their age, relationship status, a short bio, and one photo to use as their profile picture. Every day, the players are allowed to share a status update, explaining their thoughts for the day. Sometimes, either through rewards or passing a certain milestone, the players are allowed to upload another photo to their profile. [13] Throughout the competition the Circle app remains the only way players can communicate with each other. [13]
During a typical episode, the Circle prompts participation in a minigame. Tim Harcourt of Studio Lambert says that "some games were really good for bonding them, some were really good for them learning about each other, some were good for testing who's a catfish, some could have been more divisive." [13]
Most episodes also included a rating exercise. Each player would rank others in The Circle, then an average score would determine the overall placements of each player. Depending on how high or low their average placement was, the player's ranking would determine whether they became an influencer. Typically, the two players with the top rankings would be Influencers, with the advantage of determining the player being eliminated, or "blocked." [13] [14]
The first season of the show was produced in London.
From the second season of The Circle, production was moved to a new apartment building in Salford, England – this also became the location of production for other versions of the show. [15] The apartment building is always prepared with twelve furnished and ready-to-use apartments for the players to live in. [16] The building also has an exercise room and a rooftop lounge, which are also outfitted with cameras and television screens. [17] One room in the building, called "the testimonial room," is the room players go to after they are blocked to create their goodbye video to the remaining players. [18] On the outside of the building is a large, lit up circle made of a roughly 25-metre (82 ft) diameter aluminium track with LED lights strung through and around the circle. [16]
Opposite the apartment building was the control room, which was previously a college campus that became disused. [16] At any time in the control room, there were between twenty and thirty producers and camera operators working, recording, and sending all the messages from The Circle. [16]
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | Players | Winner | Runner-up | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | ||||||
1 | 18 | 18 September 2018 | 8 October 2018 | 15 | Alex Hobernas "Kate" | Freddie Bentley | |
2 | 22 | 24 September 2019 | 18 October 2019 | 15 | Paddy Smyth | Georgina Elliott | |
Celeb | 6 | 9 March 2021 | 15 March 2021 | 12 | Lady Leshurr as "Big Narstie" | Saffron Barker | |
3 | 21 | 16 March 2021 | 9 April 2021 | 15 | Natalya Platonovaas "Felix" | Manrika Khaira |
Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Innovation Award | Nominated | [19] |
2019 | Broadcast Tech Innovation Awards | Best Innovative Use of Technology in Storytelling | Won | [19] |
2019 | C21 International Format Awards | Best Competition Reality Format | Won | [19] |
2020 | National Television Awards | Challenge Show | Nominated | [20] |
2020 | Realscreen Awards | Reality Competition | Longlisted | [19] |
2020 | Realscreen Awards | Best New Format | Nominated | [19] |
2020 | RTS Programme Awards | Best Formatted Popular Factual Programme | Nominated | [19] |
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The Circle is an American reality competition television series, produced by Studio Lambert and Motion Content Group, that first aired on Netflix in January 2020. It is based on the original British TV series of the same name. Alongside the American version of The Circle, Netflix also launched different versions in France and Brazil, as part of a partnership between Netflix and All3Media. The series bills itself as a game based around social media, with the concept that "anyone can be anyone in The Circle." It has been compared to Big Brother and Catfish in format, as well as Black Mirror episode "Nosedive" with the concept of ratings.
The Circle Brazil is a Brazilian reality competition show, produced by Studio Lambert and Motion Content Group which will be launched on Netflix. It premiered on 11 March 2020 and ended on 25 March as part of a three-week event. Along with The Circle Brazil, Netflix also released separate versions of The Circle in the United States and France. The Circle Brazil will be the first Brazilian reality TV show on Netflix. The show bills itself as a game based around social media, with the concept that "anyone can be anyone in The Circle". It has been compared to Big Brother and Catfish in format.
The Circle France is a French reality competition show, produced by Studio Lambert and Motion Content Group which first aired on Netflix on 9 April 2020 that is based on a British TV series of the same name. Along with The Circle France, Netflix also released separate versions of The Circle in the United States and Brazil. The show bills itself as a game based around social media, with the concept that "anyone can be anyone in The Circle". It has been compared to Big Brother and Catfish in format, as well as Black Mirror episode "Nosedive" with the concept of ratings.
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The Circle is a reality competition television franchise, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 in 2018, and subsequently syndicated internationally by Netflix. Each version in the franchise features contestants who live in different apartments in a complex that is isolated from the outside world. The players are continuously monitored during their stay in the apartments by cameras as well as personal audio microphones. Throughout the course of the competition, they are eliminated, or "blocked", until only one remains and wins the cash prize.
The second season of the American reality competition streaming series The Circle began on April 14, 2021, on Netflix, and concluded on May 5, 2021. The season was announced in March 2020 when Netflix renewed The Circle for a second and third season. Michelle Buteau returned as host.
The third season of the American reality competition streaming series The Circle began on Netflix on September 8, 2021, and concluded on September 29, 2021. The season was announced in March 2020 when Netflix renewed The Circle for a second and third season. Michelle Buteau returned as host.
The third and final series of The Circle began airing on Channel 4 on 16 March 2021, hosted by Emma Willis, and concluded on 9 April 2021 following twenty-one episodes. The series premiered after the conclusion of The Celebrity Circle. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series was pre-recorded from 13 September 2020 to 6 October 2020.
The fourth season of the American reality competition streaming series The Circle premiered on Netflix on May 4, 2022. Michelle Buteau returned as host; the season consists of 13 episodes, initially released four episodes weekly. Players compete without ever actually meeting in person; they communicate through a simulated social media interface, portraying themselves in any way they choose.
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