Format

RTL TVI in French speaking Belgium is the sixth broadcaster to commission the retrotainment format Greetings From 19XX. The latest adaptation is scheduled to air this fall.

The format first launched in 2017 on Belgian channel VTM (Dutch speaking Belgium), which recently commissioned its sixth local series of the format. Each series has outperformed the channel average and has become one of VTM’s key brands.

Internationally, successful local adaptations have been produced in the Netherlands (RTL4 - 2 series), Sweden (TV4 - 2 series), Germany (ZDF - 1 series) and TV2 in Denmark, which will air their third series later this year.

The uplifting retrotainment format, developed by Belgian production company Lecter Media, sees one celebrity family per episode experiencing a throwback family weekend as if it were taking place in the year the celeb was 12 years old. With hairstyles and clothes in keeping with the latest 19XX trends, the house they will be staying in will be decorated accordingly. Without any cell phones or other modern-day devices, they live, eat and party like it’s 19XX, all the while sharing childhood memories with each other and the viewers. It’s family entertainment at its best at a time that we can use it more than ever!

Says Ben Pays, executive producer at Lecter Media: "This is such a strong format. It’s really a fill-in-the-blanks template and it's a thrill to see how successfully it works in every country where it's being produced. Nostalgia is a universal language that touches the same chord in every culture and provides a kind of certainty in these uncertain times. But, above all, Greetings from 19XX is the ultimate family experience, enjoyed by both viewers and the celebrity cast. It brings children, parents and grandparents together, exchanging experiences and enjoying a fun show - in real life as well as in front of the telly. In short: it's every TV producer's dream."