Format

Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) and ZDF Studios are commemorating the tenth anniversary of Cash or Trash on air. The show launched on ZDF in Germany in 2013 and, since then, the addictive collectibles series has been adapted in ten territories, with over 100 series and 6500 episodes worldwide.

The series was instantly declared a success in Germany, where it first started as a weekly appointment to soon become a daily one. In 2017, it became the most watched unscripted daytime series on German TV, a record it still holds today. The daily version also sparked off an equally successful primetime version, which achieves a consistently strong performance in the slot.

The format has found similar success internationally – since launching in 2017 in France, it has ranked as the country’s first unscripted daytime series consecutively to date. Also in France, the format has been so popular that a primetime and three spin-off series have followed: this way, the total number of French episodes produced has reached over 2900, thus catching up with the original long-running German series. In the UK, five series have been produced for BBC One since 2020, and over in Italy audience numbers nearly doubled between series 1 and 2, with Discovery Italy commissioning a third upcoming season for 2023.

Cash or Trash joins the powerful line-up of formats being presented by WBITVP at BAFTA on March 2nd, 2023. Notable attendees will take part to the WBITVP Formats Showcase to mark the milestone year, among which there are: host of the BBC One series The Bidding Room, celebrated English actor Nigel Havers, alongside journalist and television presenter Sophie Davant, host of the French adaptation Affaire Conclue (translation: Deal Done).

Given its huge success across Europe, the series made its way to North Africa, where a Moroccan version debuted this year on local channel 2M. Brand new episodes of the format will also air in 2023 in Austria (Servus TV), Greece (Star Channel), Germany (ZDF), France (France 2), Italy (Discovery), Poland (Polsat), and the UK (BBC One). Slovakian Markiza TV and Czech TV Nova have also secured the rights for their territories.

Andrew Zein, SVP Creative, Format Development and Sales, Warner Bros. International Television Production, said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating a decade of success for Cash or Trash. The longevity of this programme, its continued presence at the top of ratings list and its ability to generate international editions for daytime and prime time are testament to its enduring appeal. We also have the pleasure of being joined at the Formats Showcase by Nigel Havers and Sophie Davant and we are looking forward to hearing from them about how the promise of hidden treasures and the thrill of a bargain continue to entice viewers and participants alike.”

Sylvia Brucker, Director Entertainment, ZDF Studios said: “From the very start, we have been working very successfully with the experienced team from Warner Bros. In addition to the worldwide distribution of the finished episodes, VOD, licensing and merchandising rights, we are pleased to be able to offer a popular ‘antique show format’ from ZDF, which perfectly complements our format catalogue. The idea of Cash or Trash has a proven success record, is attractive and adaptable worldwide.”