Channel 4 orders linear version of digital prank series

Channel 4.0 digital series Tapped Out is making the move to linear with a “supersized” celebrity edition. 

Tapped Out Prank Stars is an hour single fronted by Nella Rose, who also stars in the digital series, and YouTuber Harry Pinero. It follows the format of its digital parent series from Wall of Entertainment, where a group of pranksters take on increasingly cringey challenges from their co-pranksters, who are watching their efforts remotely.  

Rose and Pinero will throw rapper ArrDee, comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri and JLS singer Aston Merrygold increasingly chaotic twists into their challenges. The longer each of the celebs can last before ‘tapping out’ of the mayhem, the better they will do. Ultimately, whoever endures the most time in the embarrassing tasks will be crowned champion while the loser will face one final forfeit.  

Tapped Out first appeared on youth-skewing C4.0’s YouTube and social platforms in May 2023 with an all-female cast, featuring Rose, Chloe Burrows, Mariam Musa and Adeola Patronne, and has run for three series so far.  

This commission marks the first C4.0 series to make the move to linear and the first main channel commission for producer Wall of Entertainment, which makes the digital series and will co-produce the linear single with GroupM Motion Entertainment. It follows Banijay’s acquisition of the rights to fellow C4.0 digital series The Infiltrators for a long-form edition. 

The programme was funded through C4 and GroupM’s Diverse Indies Fund, which is overseen by senior commissioning editor Vivienne Molokwu and GroupM’s Deep Sehgal.  

Tapped Out Prank Stars was commissioned by Cimran Shah, commissioning editor for reality and entertainment, and Evie Buckley, digital commissioning editor and C4.0 lead. Tafara Makopa, Percelle Ascott, Joivan Wade, and Christopher Barbour exec produce alongside Martin Oxley, head of formats and entertainment (UK) for GroupM, while Ben Hardy will direct the show.  

Shah and Buckley said: “Tapped Out has been one of the most boisterous and brave shows on Channel 4.0 with millions viewing across our YouTube and social platforms. It’s so exciting to take all the wildest ingredients of this series to create an unpredictable all-star edition for Channel 4.” 

Makopa, managing director of Wall of Entertainment, added: “Tapped Out is one of our strongest formats, and seeing it evolve from digital to television underscores how the digital landscape is transforming TV itself.”