Many Americans might be surprised to learn that their favorite game shows aren’t actually filmed on home soil. With the skyrocketing costs of Hollywood production, this assumption is far from reality.

Instead of shelling out for the pricey Los Angeles studios post-Covid, popular prime-time game shows like Fox’s “The Floor,” “99 to Beat,” “Beat Shazam,” and “Celebrity Name That Tune” have opted to film exclusively overseas.

Even NBC’s eagerly awaited show inspired by The New York Times’ popular puzzle game Wordle is following this trend, with its pilot episode being shot in the United Kingdom.

This show, which is slated to join the network’s lineup in the upcoming year, was filmed at dock10 in Manchester, England. According to the Los Angeles Times, future episodes might continue production there or move to Ireland.

Universal Television Alternative Studio and NBC ensured a team of producers, executives, and writers were present for the initial filming to oversee the process.

Meanwhile, contestants were flown in from the United States to participate in the engaging puzzle competition.

While a chunk of hit game shows have been shipped overseas for production, two of its prized series, Fox’s The Masked Singer and Celebrity Weakest Link are made at Fox’s Century City lot in Los Angeles because the programs received a California Film Commission tax credit. 

The incentive, also known as Program 4.0, offers 35 to 45 percent tax credit for qualifying productions, making it a little more affordable to film in the US.

While many might think American game shows are filmed in the US, many of them, including Beat Shazam, are not. (Pictured: Beat Shazam host Jamie Foxx with contestants) 

he Masked Singer (pictured) and Celebrity Weakest Link are made at Fox’s Century City lot in Los Angeles because the programs received a California Film Commission tax credit

But for the shows that don’t qualify for the program, which is determined by a long list of criteria, they have had no choice but to look elsewhere to get game shows on television screens. 

For instance, ABC’s Match Game, hosted by Martin Short, was produced in Montreal, Canada where you can save 20 to 30 percent more in production than in America.

The show, which is under Fremantle North America, also chose to stick with Canadians as contestants for it. 

According to the LA Times, producers made sure accents and references didn’t get in the way to make it too obvious Americans weren’t there. 

Rob Lowe, host of Fox’s The Floor, has candidly commented on the difference it’s made filming outside of the country the show is airing in. 

During an episode of his podcast Literally! with Rob Lowe, the actor spoke of his experience shooting the game show at Ardmore Studios in Bray, Ireland. 

‘It’s cheaper to bring 100 Americans to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox,’ Lowe told his guest and former Parks & Rec co-star Adam Scott. 

Scott then questioned: ‘Do you think if we shot Parks right now it would be in Budapest?’ 

Rob Lowe, host of Fox’s The Floor, has candidly commented on the difference it’s made filming outside of the country the show is airing in

Shows have fled the US to try and save on taxes that are taking a toll on filming across Hollywood. (Pictured: Celebrity cast of the Masked Singer) 

Lowe replied: ‘100 percent we would be. We’d be in Budapest.’ 

‘It’s so weird how nothing shoots in Los Angeles,’ Scott replied. 

In the US, an hour-long game show can cost anywhere from $1.5 million to $2 million per episode and depends on the cost of a celebrity host, network executives who are familiar with budgets told LA Times. 

But with the tax credits offered in the UK, that total can be brought down to under $1 million. 

While networks struggle with the surge in cost just to film a game show, they are also haunted by the drop in viewership due to streaming taking over network cable television. 

A total of 45.7 percent of viewers are tuning into streaming channels while 45.1 percent turn to broadcast and cable networks to watch TV, according to recent data from Nielsen. 

For game shows specifically, that trend has actually helped improve its visibility as the programs cost less than scripted programs and have been able to snatch up prime time slots over the years.

But still, the industry as a whole has been looking at cutting costs while still maintaining high quality entertainment, including a less expensive game show option, according to Kim Kleid, executive vice president of current programming for Fremantle North America. 

‘There is a pressure in this time that everyone – studios, production companies and network – is feeling to produce hours of television for lower price points,’ Kleid said in a recent interview. 

Contestants pose during the season premiere episode of Beat Shazam 

She added: ‘The word on the street is do more with less. We all have to look for different efficiencies.’ 

The trend of taking a game show overseas reached a fever pitch in 2020 when the world was under lockdown due to the pandemic. 

While America took a longer time to get back up and running, other countries were faster to loosen their health restrictions, which in turn allowed studios out there to bring in new business. 

And according to Kleid, crews outside of the US were able to adjust to an altered work experience after working remotely for some time, social distancing and managing with a smaller staff. 

‘Everyone was in different locations, even in the studio because you couldn’t be together. 

‘It created a certain realization that not only can we do a show with a different set of circumstances, but we could do more with less,’ she said. 

Many still have hope that filming will one day take place solely in Los Angeles, but that will only happen if prices drop. (Pictured: Nick Cannon on the Masked Singer) 

As for the future of NBC’s Worldle game show, Toby Gorman, president of Universal Television Alternative Studio, is currently weighing if the rest of the series should be shot in Manchester. 

‘They gave us a great pilot deal so we could see everything their studio and team had to offer,’ he said, adding that he is still highly considering filming the show in Ireland. 

Recently Ireland added a tax credit for unscripted programming that would allow for a 40 percent savings, compared to 30 percent in England. 

At the end of the day, Kleid said she still hopes that all American game shows can return home to its iconic Los Angeles studios. 

‘We pray on a daily basis that California will include game shows in their tax incentive programs,’ she said. 

‘California is where Hollywood is and that’s what a lot of us came here for. But California has to make it advantageous for us.’