Format

Sky Italia and Banijay Italia have inked an exclusive deal for future seasons of Pechino Express (Pekin Express), one of the most popular formats of recent years. Pechino Express Road Trips will land on Sky and NOW TV soon.

Pechino Express revolves around a series of VIP couples as they travel for thousands of kilometres in territories that are both geographically and culturally very distant from the place of origin. In the various stages, the contestants are equipped only with a backpack that contains basic necessities and 1 euro per person, per day, in local currency that they cannot use for transport. They therefore rely mainly on their physical resilience, adaptability, initiative and skills to get by with the few resources available. The journey, during which they face various types of trials and challenges, pushes them to appreciate local traditions and customs, and to discover cultures while learning new habits and gaining the support of the locals they meet on their way.

Pechino Express is a long journey based on initiative and discovery. The winning couple are awarded a prize to be donated to a charity of their choosing in one of the places they visited.

Nicola Maccanico, Executive Vice President Programming Sky Italia, comments: “We are glad to welcome one of the most popular formats to Sky and believe it will further enrich our entertainment slate. The success of Pechino Express - a high-quality show produced by Banijay Italia – is clear in interpreting and relaying the reality of the world and its dynamics, while entertaining families and uniting them in front of the TV. It emphasises the importance of discovery and travel. Pechino Express builds on a wide range of emotions which everyone can relate to: the emotions of the contest and the adrenaline for the competition, the amazement of discovery, the joy of solidarity - with the final prize allocated to support the areas explored during the show - and the strong personal interactions between those that have grown up with different cultures, habits and training. For all these reasons, Pechino Express is an extraordinary show and one which we have decided to invest in. We can't wait to start working on it, with the creativity and passion for which Sky stands out. There is still a whole world to explore.”

Fabrizio Ievolella, CEO Banijay Italia, added: "Pechino Express is a show we love very much and one that has had a very special relationship with its audience since its launch in 2012. Over the years, we have fully devoted our energy and resources to this programme, and we are proud to bring to this platform a format that is at the height of its success, having just had its highest-rating episode to-date. Thanks to this new partnership, we are confident that Pechino Express will continue to develop. Sky's assets and its engagement expertise will allow us to enter a new phase of growth while maintaining the values that have been associated with Pechino, making it the most relevant adventure show on Italian television. It is the start of a new journey for Pechino Express, and, at Banijay Italia, we are very happy to go back on the road with Sky.”

The show is the Italian edition of the Belgian-Dutch original format owned and licensed by 4MAT4. Since 2012, Magnolia/Banijay Italia has produced eight series of the show. The format has been sold and aired in 16 Countries since 2004.