Talpa Studios, Kinetic Content, and Signal.Stream set to launch “Watch Your Back” on NPO Start

“Watch Your Back,” a new psychological reality competition co-created by Talpa Studios, Kinetic Content, and Signal.Stream, is now in production for NPO Start, the Dutch public broadcaster’s streaming platform. The series marks the first commission to emerge from the previously announced partnership between Talpa Studios and U.S. reality powerhouse Kinetic Content, the producers behind “Love Is Blind” and “Married at First Sight,” in collaboration with platform-native storytellers Signal.Stream.

Chris Coelen, CEO of Kinetic Content, said: “Seeing ‘Watch Your Back’ come to life as a full production in the Netherlands is a fantastic milestone – and just the beginning of what we believe will be a powerful international format.” Maarten Meijs, CEO at Talpa Studios, added: “‘Watch Your Back’ shows what happens when you combine the format development DNA of Talpa Studios with Kinetic’s worldbuilding and Signal.Stream’s platform-native storytelling. It’s creator-led, streaming-first, and designed to travel — a true result of global collaboration.” Wouter van der Pauw, founder of Signal.Stream, commented: “From day one, we knew this was a concept that would push the boundaries of reality television. With deception, trust, and instinct at the core, ‘Watch Your Back’ demands as much from the players as it does from the viewer. We can’t wait to share it with audiences on NPO Start.”

Scheduled to premiere in early 2026, “Watch Your Back” introduces a high-concept format built on trust, manipulation, and strategic gameplay. In each episode, twelve celebrities are stripped of their public identities and become known only by a number—visible to everyone except themselves. With no mirrors and no access to their own number, contestants must rely on alliances and instincts to determine their standing, though deception lurks at every turn. The only way to confirm the truth is by entering the “Mirror Garden,” a challenge-based reward that offers a fleeting glimpse at one’s own back—and a major advantage in the game.

“Watch Your Back” is co-developed by Kinetic Content and Talpa Studios in collaboration with Signal.Stream and will be distributed globally by Talpa Studios. The Dutch version, produced by Signal.Stream, will serve as the format’s global debut.