EXCLUSIVE: The following program will contain graphic stupidity, as four friends compete to embarrass one another – only this time in Lithuania.
Impractical Jokers is being remade for Lithuania’s TV3 as a 24-episode, half-hour series – a deal we can reveal as Eastern European content event NEM kicks off today in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Production will begin later this year after TV3 closed a deal with format seller Warner Bros International Television Production. Reema Patel, Director of Formats at WBITVP, brokered the agreement.
The hidden-camera prank shows sees four friends seek to embarrass one another through a series of outrageous dares, which could be anything from eating food from someone’s plate to deliberately making a bad impression at a speed-dating event. The least successful team members in each episode endures a final punishment.
The original TruTV series, created by comedy troupe The Tenderloins, has run to 11 seasons and more than 300 episodes, even surviving the exit of cast member Joe Gatto in 2021. Several international adaptations have been produced, including in the UK, Greece, Mexico, Sweden and Australia, where The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers, produced locally by WBITVP Australia, returns for a third season on Paramount+ today.
The Lithuania cast will comprise Antanas Sadauskas, a comedian and cultural innovator who also runs a successful comedy club; Markas Žukauskas, a fast-thinking stand-up comedian who thrives in unpredictable situations; Simanas Žurauskas, a stand-up comedian and high-profile content creator known for his takes on everyday life; and Viktoras Balykovas, who is known for his sharp humour, relatable storytelling and strong presence on social media.
“Impractical Jokers is the ‘gold standard’ of hidden camera prank shows, so we are delighted to have struck this deal with WBITVP,” said Arvydas Rimas, Creative Director at TV3 Group. “Lithuania It is exciting to have four such high-profile, popular and witty comedians already on board, so we look forward to moving into production and getting the first pranks underway.”
TV3 previously adapted WBITVP’s diving format Celebrity Splash. It has also produced local versions of X Factor and Got Talent among others.
“TV3 Group Lithuania has consistently set a standard for the country by presenting the most relevant and up-to-date global formats, so we have high hopes and every confidence that Impractical Jokers will quickly become an important ‘must-watch’ title for a wide audience,” added Rimas.
“We’re delighted to see Impractical Jokers heading to Lithuania and welcome TV3 into the global pranking family. The format is evergreen, highly adaptable, and a lot of fun to produce,” said André Renaud, Global VP of Format & Finished Sales at WBITVP.
“We’ve seen titles like The Bachelor and Cash or Trash perform consistently well across Central and Eastern Europe, and we believe Impractical Jokers offers something equally compelling in primetime: a strong sense of friendship and playfulness that resonates with audiences everywhere. I’m looking forward to seeing our Lithuanian pranksters bring this format to life.”
Renaud has been overseeing global format sales for WBITVP since November, following his switch from BBC Studios, which we revealed in September. The Warner Bros Discovery-owned WBITVP also hired James Collins as Head of Format Sales for Australia in February.
