Format

The Masked Singer distributor Fremantle and national broadcaster Ukraine have settled their format dispute with domestic rival 1+1 over an alleged copycatting of the hit entertainment show.

The disagreement began in October when the broadcaster accused 1+1 of ripping off The Masked Singer with its show Maskarad, a local remake of Romanian format Mysteries In The Spotlight, which is sold by Antena TV Group.

Ukraine, which is understood to have acquired rights to The Masked Singer after beating off competition from 1+1, claimed Maskarad included key elements from the hit Korean format that were not in the original Romanian show.

1+1 denied the accusations and said its show was a legitimate adaptation of Mysteries In The Spotlight.

Fremantle, Ukraine and The Masked Singer’s Korean owners MBC then referred the matter to the Format Recognition and Protection Association (FRAPA), whose report said there were “striking similarities” between Masquerade and the Russian version of The Masked Singer, which it used for comparison.

However, FRAPA ruled that the shows were only 73% similar – below the organisation’s own threshold of 80% that it says proves that a format is a copy.

1+1 subsequently told TBI that it was “not planning to make any changes” to Masquerade and as the dispute heated up, both sides publicly threatened legal action. TBI has learned this has now been averted, however, after lawyers for all parties struck a settlement deal.