
In 2019, a spin-off called Boyard Land was launched.īackground and history Creation įort Boyard, pictured in 1989, during refurbishment work with its original access platform already installed. Although Fort Boyard was something of a pioneer in the area of game show fear and adventure, later programmes such as Fear Factor have pushed things even further, requiring Fort Boyard to react and adapt with new twists and games, including a couple of seasons in which the contestants spent the night in the Fort (this was particularly popular in the French and Russian versions).įort Boyard is the most exported French TV format and the fourth most exported adventure-style game show format in the world after Wipeout, Fear Factor and Survivor. However, while The Crystal Maze varies the type of games quite considerably, Fort Boyard tends to focus mainly on physical and endurance challenges.


In both programmes the contestants have to complete challenges to win prize money. Set and filmed on the real fortress of the same name on the west coast of France, the programme appears similar to British game show The Crystal Maze which was created as an alternative format by Antoine for Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, after the fortress was unavailable to film in because of its then ongoing refurbishment (during 1989). Foreign versions of the show, with varying success, have aired around the world since 1990. Jean-Pierre Castaldi (French version, 2000–2002)ġ,856 (overall total, all countries to date)ģ38 (French version, at the end of 2019 season)įrance: 60–120 mins (1990–2010), 100 mins (2011–13), 110 mins (2014)įort Boyard is a French game show created by Jacques Antoine that was first broadcast on 7 July 1990 (originally as Les Clés de Fort Boyard, however shortened to Fort Boyard from the second series in 1991).

Patrice Laffont (French version, 1990–1999)

French logo of Fort Boyard from 2015 to 2018
