Turkey Takes The Plunge With 'Stars in Danger: The High Dive'

COLOGNE, Germany -- The critics might scoff but Banijay International's celebrity diving format, Stars in Danger: The High Dive continues to rack up global sales, most recently in Turkey, where local shingle Medyapim has acquired rights to adapt the format for broadcaster Show TV.

our editor recommends

Banijay International Requests Injunction Against Eyeworks Diving Format 'Celebrity Splash'

ABC Picks Up Diving Reality Series 'Celebrity Splash' (Video)

Medyapim will produce 10x90-minute episodes of Stars in Danger for Show TV with the first series set to launch later this month.

Stars in Danger has already sold across Europe and Asia with networks such as Italy's Mediaset, Telecinco in Spain, Sweden's TV3 and Jiangsu Satellite Television in China adapting the format for local audiences. French Canadian network V Canada recently bowed its own version, Le Grand Saut (The Big Jump) to stellar ratings: the first episode drew a 23 percent share of the target 18-49 demographic, more than double V's average primetime ratings.

This is in sharp contrast to the U.S. version of Stars in Danger, which has landed a belly flop for Fox, delivering just a 1.3 rating among 18-49 year olds on its debut in January.

Banijay's format is based on a hit German show, TV Total Turmspringen, which is now in its eighth season.

Dutch production group Eyeworks has a similar celebrity high-diving format, Celebrity Splash, which it has licensed to several broadcasters. The Splash format was a hit on Britain's ITV and has been renewed for a second season while ABC will debut its version of Splash, featuring the high-diving efforts of celebs such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Louie Anderson and Olympic gold medal winner diving Greg Louganis, later this month.

Banijay has taken legal action against Eyeworks, claiming the Celebrity Splash show is a rip-off of Stars in Danger.