Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge is a children's game show, based on the French show Fort Boyard, which aired on both CITV and Disney XD. The show is a challenge game where six different "fearless" teams of teenagers battle-to-the-finish to win the "Ultimate Challenge" and become the "Ultimate Conquerors Of The Fort". The show is a revived and updated version of the original format, broadcast in the UK from 1998 to 2003.
While being a commission from CITV in the UK, the first two series were produced as a British-American co-production with Disney XD, who held worldwide pay rights to the series outside France and Nordic territories,[1] and was co-presented by Geno Segers and Laura Hamilton. The series initially started its run in the United States in series 1 / 2 on 17 October 2011[2] to 27 January 2012 in the United States. In the United Kingdom, it premiered on New Year's Day 2012 In the United Kingdom. After the series was renewed for a third series in June 2012,[3] the series became solely a British production, with Geno Segers being replaced with Andy Akinwolere as co-presenter.[4] The third series began on 8 December 2012 and was simulcast on the ITV network. The fourth series began airing on 20 October 2013 and the fifth series began airing on 15 October 2014. The series ended after all 5 series / seasons on 17 December 2014.
Six teams compete against each other in a tournament. In every episode, two teams face each other in a battle to see who is the strongest and toughest team. The challenges are based on toughness, fear and speed. In each season, the teams play three times each; with the two teams which have the most gold coins returning for the final round of the tournament at the series' finale.
In every level, the teams fight to get a key which helps them in the final level of the game in the Treasure Chamber. If they get three (five in series 3, 4 and 5) keys or more at the end of the game, they get the maximum amount of time in the Treasure Chamber (three minutes); but if they get two (four from series 3) keys or less, a time penalty will be dealt out (see below). If a team wins a 4th key (6th or more from series 3), they receive an extra 150 bonus coins per key which are added to their final total.
Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge uses exactly the same games like in the original show; but with different names, no lock-ins and may also be slightly adapted to suit the show. For example, in Boiler Room the contestant is not handcuffed to the pipe; instead must move a chain with the key on through the maze and out to the exit within the time limit, and The Searching Head, where the two contestants sit in a seat and there is no conveyor belt; instead, there is a plastic glass on the sides.
Each solo team challenge is against the water timer (known as a clepsdyre) usually set at either 1:30, 2:00 or 2:30 minutes. Some games (such as Tightrope and nearly all duels) require a code to open the box containing the key, which is outside the room or nearby the other team members. Games involving members of both teams are not against the water clock and are known as "duels".
In order of first appearance:
Before the teams go to the Treasure Chamber, the last challenge in every episode is a non-timed duel in the Council "hallway" (an open area on the second floor close to where "Cold Room" is located) between both teams.
Tests usually involve a level of skill and speed; such as building a tower with shaped blocks, using chopsticks to write the word "Boyard" on a pole or hammering nails into a piece of wood. The whole team(s) take part in the duel and the winners receive the final key of the day. Games played so far include:
In order of first appearance:
The Treasure Chamber is the climax to every episode of Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge. The gold is stored here, which is guarded by the fort's tigers (only in series 4 and 5).
Before they enter the treasure chamber, every team is handed a scroll with a plan of the board (a giant alphabet chessboard), which is composed of Georgian letters and the word "Fort Boyard" is also written out on it. On this chessboard, they must place four circular plates of colour, as shown in the plan. These plates are hidden in the decorative elements of the chamber (a treasure chest, barrel or underneath ropes). They must therefore find where they are hidden. Boxes are suspended in the fountain and the key for the coins is on top of a vertical rod above and on either side of the Fountain.
Once a team has found and placed their four plates in the right place, the captain returns his/her hand to a tiger's head located nearby the entrance. If correct, the key is released to open their chest containing the coins. Once the chest is opened, coins fall into the fountain below. The team members must collect as many of these coins as possible and put them into a Plexiglas box near the entrance.
At 0:20 seconds from the end of the 3 minutes, the bell (rung by Laura Hamilton) sounds and the gate of the Treasure Chamber begins to descend, meaning that the eight candidates must get out before it closes.
Then it is time to weigh the coins; two candidates from each team take turns placing their container on the scales to set the number of points scored by the team. At the end of the show, the ranking of teams is updated compared to previous results.
Keys for the Treasure Chamber
Several changes were made to the Treasure Chamber in this series, including a new time structure and layout. For example, the crests are not hidden and the floor plan being outside and having to memorise it.
Keys for the Treasure Chamber
Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge is set and filmed on the Fort Boyard fortress, on the west coast of France.
From a broadcasting perspective, Fort Boyard itself was refurbished during 1988–89 to become, essentially, a large outdoor television studio. The Fort has its own doctor, catering facilities, as well as production gallery and veterinary centre. The Fort is equipped with 10 portable television cameras, one camera crane for overhead shots, one under-water camera as well as a number of smaller cameras which specifically cover individual games and challenges around the Fort.
Filming took place between 9–15 July 2011; consisting of two seasons of 10 episodes each. A third season was filmed from 7–14 July 2012, with a further 10 episodes made. The fourth was filmed from 18–25 June 2013 and the fifth from 22–27 June 2014.
Each season of the show features over 24 participants divided up into six teams, each featuring a colour and symbol of an animal. For the first four seasons, the team names were the Yellow Scorpions, Red Vipers, Silver Dragons, Green Jaguars, Blue Sharks and White Falcons. In the fifth season, the team names were the Silver Rhinos, the Orange Tigers, the Green Crocodiles, the Black Tarantulas, the Golden Eagles and Venetian Cobras. The participants wear coloured T-shirts with their colour and symbol (and in Season 3 onwards, their first names as well) to showcase what team they are on. Each team also has a captain.
In series 1, the participants were of 13 to 17 years of age and in series 2 the participants were aged 12-18. Each team consisting of two British and American contestants each, with three boys and one girl in each team.
In Series 3-5, all contestants were British. And consisted. Of 13-17 year olds in Season 3. And 12-18 year olds in Season 4 to 5. This time, there were equal two boys and girls in each equal team.
Note: episodes 7–10 were not simulcast on both UK channels as usual; the airdates are for ITV1 only. CITV aired these at a later date, due to schedule changes and to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary.[5]