WBD and ZDF Studios celebrate ten years of “Cash or Trash” on air

Warner Bros. International Television Production and ZDF Studios have come together to commemorate a landmark ten years of “Cash or Trash” on air. Since launching on ZDF in Germany in 2013, the collectibles series has been adapted in ten territories, with over 100 series and 6,500 episodes produced worldwide.

The series was an instant runaway hit in Germany, airing first weekly and soon daily. In 2017 it became the most watched unscripted daytime series on German TV, an accolade it has retained each year since. 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 – launching in 2017 in France, it has ranked as the country’s number one unscripted daytime series in consecutive years from the launch year to date. The format has been so popular with French audiences that a primetime and three spin-off series have followed, with the total number of French episodes produced reaching over 2,900, putting it on par with the original long-running German series. In the UK, five series have been produced for BBC One since 2020, and over in Italy viewers nearly doubled between series 1 and series 2, with Discovery Italy commissioning a third upcoming season for 2023.

A confirmed success across Europe, the series made its North African debut this year with a local version broadcast on 2M in Morocco. 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.

Sylvia Brucker, Director Entertainment at 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.”

Andrew Zein, SVP Creative of Format Development and Sales at Warner Bros. International Television Production, said: “We are 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.”