MTV is bringing back two classic shows, Punk’d and Singled Out for reboots on a new streaming service.
MTV has partnered with a digital platform called Quibi to put a fresh face on some nostalgic programming. The network is giving the streaming service the right to produce revivals of Punk’d and Singled Out, according to a report by PEOPLE.
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The new versions of the beloved classics will follow a brand new format optimized for the streaming age. Each episode will be 10 minutes or less in length, making them somewhere between a streaming series and a YouTube-style video.
“This deal builds on MTV‘s strategy of reinventing our iconic shows to reach new audiences on pioneering new platforms like Quibi,” said MTV president Chris McCarthy. “We are excited to be working with Jeffrey, Doug and the Quibi team to reinvent Punk’d and Singled Out for a new generation of fans.”
“For the generation who grew up watching Punk’d and Singled Out on MTV, this represents a long overdue reboot of two well-loved shows,” added Quibi’s Doug Herzog. “It’s also an opportunity to bring these enduring and classic MTV franchises to a brand new audience on our exciting new platform.”
There will be 20 new episodes of each show, all of them available only on Quibi. The app promises to fuse “Hollywood and Silicon Valley” to offer “quick bites of captivating entertainment, created for mobile by the best talent, designed to fit perfectly into any moment of your day.”
By all accounts, this should be perfect for Punk’d and Singled Out. Punk’d is a hidden camera prank show that originally aired on MTV from 2003 to 2007. Starring host Ashton Kutcher, it featured memorable pranks on both civilians and celebrities, helping Kutcher to make a name for himself.
More than a decade later, new technology is expected to feature heavily in the Punk’d reboot. The show will reportedly include augmented reality, Internet antics and other wild jokes on today’s biggest stars.
Meanwhile, Singled Out goes back even further in MTV lore. The show originally aired from 1995 to 1998, and was hosted by Jenny McCarthy, Carmen Electra and Chris Hardwick. The dating show helped young people find love, and in the reboot there will reportedly be an emphasis on diversity of sexual preference and gender identity.
Quibi has still not officially launched, and no release date for the MTV reboots is in place just yet.