Netflix to Adapt UK Unscripted Series THE CIRCLE

Netflix will bring UK unscripted sensation The Circle to its members worldwide, with three all-new local versions of the social media competition series featuring players from three different countries, including the United States.

The Circle is an innovative popularity CONTEST and social experiment inspired by the experience of using social media. The format was created by All3Media's Studio Lambert and recently co-produced by Studio Lambert and Motion Content Group for the UK's Channel 4. Since launching on Channel 4 in September, the UK version has fascinated audiences and sparked conversations around the country.

Contestants live in separate apartments in a single building and do not meet face-to-face during the competition. They communicate through a special voice-activated social media platform and rate each other frequently. Unpopular players are "blocked" and ultimately the most popular player wins a cash prize. Since they only know each other through their online dialogue and profiles, players can choose whether to present a true or fictional version of themselves. It's a game exploring questions of honesty and TRUST when people can't see each other in the flesh.

"The Circle has already proven to be a compelling, timely, and buzzworthy show," said Brandon Riegg, Netflix Vice President of Unscripted Content. "We think the show's combination of modern social media interaction and competition will captivate Netflix members around the world, in multiple languages, and we're delighted to partner with Studio Lambert and Motion to produce these three new local versions."

"Social media has radically changed the way we make friends, conduct relationships, argue and even fall in love," says Stephen Lambert, CEO of Studio Lambert, "but how truthful are our online identities? The Circle is a thought-provoking and entertaining way of exploring such questions and the chance to make different versions for Netflix's global audience was irresistible."

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