TV Asahi and youngest Media have announced the international launch of primetime physical gameshow ‘Test of Friends’, based on ‘Challengers on Fire’, the hit show on TV Asahi in the 1990s which ran for 5 years and over 190 episodes. Youngest Media have reinvented the format for a whole new audience.

The average person has at least 150 friends on social media - and now it’s time for two contestants to put their friends to the test. Fifty friends – from best mate to boss, old school friend to former love - will try to help each contestant win big by taking on a series of physical challenges.

The challenges are all based on the vast catalogue already played in the hit show ‘Challengers on Fire’ – from ‘Bungee Kiss’ where a couple try to kiss each other while held apart by bungee cords, to ‘Quick Change Ping Pong’ where a pair of friends must play a table tennis rally while changing into fancy dress and ‘Swing When You’re Winning’ where your bravest friend must swing from a crane to jump and catch a falling parachute before falling into the water below.  For each challenge our contestants must nominate which of their friends should take it on. Win and they’re through to the final - lose and they’re eliminated.

The contestant who wins the final challenge now faces our big money end game. With every friend who made it through turned into cash, can they win big for themselves and their friends?

‘Test of Friends’ will be launched at the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market and MIP TV in April.

Motoko Nakai, Director of International Business Development at TV Asahi, said “We are very excited to launch this new format with youngest Media.  ‘Challengers on Fire” was a very popular program at TV Asahi and with the creative input and development spearheaded by youngest Media, it now has a fresh and universal feel that promises to be widely appreciated by the global audience.”

David Flynn, co founder of youngest Media said “The moment we saw ‘Challengers on Fire’ we loved the inventiveness and wit of the challenges in the show. With ‘Test of Friends’ these challenges are reinvented with a modern twist that will work for any territory looking for entertainment that appeals across the generations. “

TEST OF FRIENDS program page: https://www.tv-asahicontents.com/en/program/testoffriends