EXCLUSIVE: Banijay Entertainment has acquired global rights to Norwegian comedy format The Comedy League (Ligaen).

The show, which has already been recommissioned locally for a second season on TV2, sees entertainers go head-to-head in a series of sporting challenges. Its creators, Håkon Herresthal and Steffan Ludvigsen at Happy Sheriff, say it delivers a “fresh twist on the sportainment genre” by “putting personality and performance at its core.”

Featuring the likes of Norway‘s Dancing with the Stars host Helene Olafsen and comedians Truls Svendsen and Morten Ramm, The Comedy League had a strong launch, becoming its second-most watched show during the spring season on TV2, where it competes with hits like The Box and fellow Banijay title Bloody Game.

Banijay format acquisitions chief Helen Greatorex said The Comedy League “flips sport on its head, reimagining athletic competition through a bold comedy lens to deliver high-energy, feel-good moments.” “We’re continuing to see strong global demand for formats that combine humour, competition and broad family appeal, and this truly hits the sweet spot,” she added. “As Norwegian creativity continues to set the pace, The Comedy League stands out with its distinctive tone and strong talent-led structure, making it highly adaptable for international markets.”

We wrote last year about Norwegian formats being in the ascendancy, with shows like The Box and Nation’s Dumbest dominating chatter at TV markets. The former is being remade in the UK with Gary Lineker and Jack Whitehall is hosting an American version of the latter for Fox.

Comedy entertainment feels in rude health at the moment, with the likes of LOL: Last One Laughing, a local version of which airs in Norway, pulling in the punters.