Fort Boyard is a French game show developed by Jacques Antoine, that was first broadcast on 7 July 1990 (originally as Les Clés de Fort Boyard, then shortened to Fort Boyard from the second series in 1991). Many foreign versions of the show, totalling over 2,000 episodes, have aired around the world since 1990.
Set and filmed on the real fortress of the same name on the west coast of France, the programme appears similar to the British game show The Crystal Maze (February 1990 onwards) which was created as an alternative format by Antoine for Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, after the fortress was unavailable to film in because of its then ongoing refurbishment (during 1989). In both programmes the contestants have to complete challenges to win prize-money.
However, while The Crystal Maze varies the type of games quite considerably, Fort Boyard tends to focus mainly on physical and endurance challenges. Although Fort Boyard was something of a pioneer in the area of game show fear and adventure, later programmes such as Fear Factor have pushed things even further, requiring Fort Boyard to react and adapt with new twists and games, including a couple of seasons in which the contestants spent the night in the Fort (this proved particularly popular in the French and Russian versions).
Broadcast for over thirty years, it is one of the longest-running French game shows and one of the flagship programs of the summer in France. Fort Boyard is the most-exported French TV format and the fourth-most exported adventure-style game show format in the world after Wipeout, Fear Factor and Survivor. In 2019, the France 2 channel launched a spin-off called although this proved to be less popular and was cancelled after two seasons.
Background and history Creation In 1980, , a co-presenter of Antenne 2's (the original, French version of Treasure Hunt), came close to drowning while trying to reach Fort Boyard in rough seas. He remained stuck for three hours before being rescued by helicopter. This episode inspired Jacques Antoine (creator of La Chasse aux Trésors) in the creation of the TV game show Fort Boyard.
The concept of Fort Boyard was imagined and outlined in 1986, at a meeting in the company of Antoine to find a game show to succeed Treasure Hunt. The idea of a team game show, adapted from role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, taking place in a mysterious tower populated by extraordinary characters, whose goal is to find a treasure, takes shape in the following years.
Whilst looking for a set, a production team visited Fort Boyard in April 1987 and this fortification, located between the Île-d'Aix and the île d'Oléron in the Pertuis d'Antioche strait, was bought in November 1988 for one and a half million francs. The fortress had been put up for sale in October 1961 by the Ministry of Armed Forces and was purchased by Eric Aerts, a Belgian dental surgeon from Avoriaz, for 28,000 francs at an auction in May 1962. The production company resold the fort to the department of Charente-Maritime for a symbolic franc, resulting in the local authority then having to take charge of all the refurbishment works, which took place from July 1989, and ensured the exclusive use of the site to Antoine's production company. The department continues to invest in the maintenance and restoration of the fort.
Preparations
While still privately owned by the production company in 1988, the fort underwent a partial cleanup: stones, rubble, cannonballs, and wild vegetation were removed from the courtyard, and gaping storage bays were sealed off to prepare for visits by television producers from various countries interested in the game show concept. In 1989, a self-elevating platform and an access gangway were installed twenty-five meters from the fort's southwest façade; this allows access from a chartered speedboat via a crane-mounted crew basket, as entry had become difficult or sometimes impossible following the destruction of the eastern docking harbor beneath the watchtower. The platform also supported the fort's logistics, housing a generator and supplies of drinking water and equipment essential for filming the show. The metal gangway is also stored here when not in use.
The fort was thoroughly cleaned, with guano and miscellaneous debris removed to the mainland. The fort's openings were cleaned and fitted with windows, doors, and shutters. In the autumn, a wooden walkway was built along both sides of the courtyard at the first-floor level to provide access to the cells on that floor. The courtyard itself was split into two distinct areas. Set construction was halted in October 1989 due to the onset of winter storms. The final sets, such as the treasure room and the renovated watchtower, were not built until the spring of 1990; they were completed only shortly before the first day of filming took place on 30 June 1990. The original French version, under the name Les Clés de Fort Boyard (English: The Keys of Fort Boyard), began airing on 7 July 1990 hosted by Patrice Laffont and originally Marie Talon, later Sophie Davant, on Antenne 2.
1988–1990: Sale of concept in UK The first country to buy the game show Fort Boyard (then known as Les Clés de Fort Boyard) was the United Kingdom and broadcaster Channel 4. It was reported by newspaper Sud Ouest that talks with the English broadcaster, who showed specific interest and the most enthusiasm about the project, had begun by December 1988. Dutch, Italian and German broadcasters had also been approached, while French channels remained cautiously reserved. Due to difficulties accessing the fort, the game show concept was to be tested at a different site in January 1989. After discussions with the French producers, production company Chatsworth Television (at the time producers of Channel 4's Treasure Hunt and ITV's Interceptor, both also game shows created by Antoine) decided to devise a British version and began work on making a concept.
Filming of pilot show in London A non-televised pilot of the show funded by Channel 4 was filmed in a London studio with O'Brien as presenter, as the fort was not available at the time due to its ongoing renovations. Footage of O'Brien's pilot, showing the initial idea for the "Treasure Room" segment of the format, later appears in a casting call advert for the French version, broadcast in May 1990. More footage of the pilot, including the basic set design and some key games (most of which would go on to appear in the series), is featured in Fort Boyard : toujours plus fort! following the first episode of the 30th French season on 22 June 2019. According to co-creator Mitercey in 2009, the pilot was filmed in February 1989 at Elstree Studios. Six English contestants took part. To be as close as possible to reality, a quarter of the Fortress had been built in the studio using metal structures with 18 cells installed for playing games, which were all tested for the first time. Tigers were also present in the recording, as well as a large statue of Sphinx which posed puzzles (this idea was slightly revised later, with the creation of the Father Fouras character in the watchtower) and some characters like the wrestler. According to O'Brien, the recording of the pilot cost 2 million francs (around €304,900), a record at the time. In June 2022, an out of sync twenty-minute edit of the pilot was uploaded on social media by Pierre Launay.
It is said that the considerable changes that Channel 4 wanted to make to the format could not be possible on the Fort, as each broadcaster producing their own version at the time had to strictly follow the French format. Chatsworth were also required by the French producers, but declined, to film their version first in November 1989. As Channel 4 had commissioned the show for a full series, producer Malcolm Heyworth contacted Fort Boyards creator Jacques Antoine about developing an alternative format, with a proposal that it used thematic zones as a means of keeping the show visually fresh. The concept of The Crystal Maze was developed in just "two days", creating a game that, although similar to Fort Boyard, is substantially different in terms of presentation and style. According to host Richard O'Brien, the original outlined concept was "kind of like Dungeons and Dragons", with the presenter acting as "Dungeon Master". Channel 4's The Crystal Maze first aired on 15 February 1990, five months before the French series.
Later UK versions
Channel 5 later bought the rights to Fort Boyard and made their own British version, using the now refurbished set, which aired from 16 October 1998 to 29 December 2001 for four series.
Cast
There is a resident Fort Boyard cast, who first appeared in the French version, and were subsequently featured in most of the other international formats, including the original UK versions, however these were all excluded for Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge:Jacques (1990–) and Jules (1990–2009) (André Bouchet and Alain Prévost respectively) are two dwarves who lead the team through the Fort to the next challenge. Denis (Anthony Laborde) later in the show replaces Jules, who retired in 2010. Denis has appeared in the foreign versions since 2000 (replacing Jules) and from 2004 in the French series. The three are called Passe-Partout, Passe-Temps, and Passe-Muraille respectively in the French version. Jacques (Passe-Partout) is also responsible for locking the contestants in the cells of the Fort if they fail to get out within the time limit; whilst Jules (Passe-Temps), in later series, Deni (Passe-Muraille) takes contestants to the Watch Tower. In duel versions, Deni plays the same role of Jacques. This is because two teams are playing at the same time.Monique (1991–1997, 1999–2005, 2007–) (Monique Angeon) turns a statue shaped as a tiger's head to release the gold or close the gate in the 'Treasure Room'. She is called Felindra in the French & Lebanese versions and was absent in 1998 and in 2006. In 1998, the unnamed Tiger Master (Thierry Le Portier) performs this role. He is called Major in the French version. While in 2006, Thierry Le Portier's daughter, Kareen Le Portier, took on the role, also under the name of Felindra in the French version. In February 2022, it was announced that the tigers would retire from the Fort, meaning the role would no longer be required from that year onwards.La Boule (1994–2013, 2023) (Yves Marchesseau, 1952–2014; Emmanuel Dorand, 2023) sounds the "gong" to indicate the start and end of time and locks the contestants in cages when they fail to get out of challenge rooms in time. La Boule is a whaler, who has possibly found refuge in the Fort. He left the show in May 2014 for health reasons. Marchesseau died of oesophageal cancer and diabetes in September 2014 at the age of 62. Since leaving, Felindra, the tiger tamer, handles the sound of the gong (now inside the Treasure Room) with her whip until this role was taken over by a new character, Big Boo, starting in 2020. The character will return in 2023, this time played by Emmanuel Dorand.Mr Boo (2013–2019) and Lady Boo (2011–) the two wrestlers. Mr Boo has replaced La Boule since 2014 by taking prisoners to the dungeon, the role was later taken over by Big Boo in 2020.
As of 2014, there have been 41 characters in the French version. Most appeared in various games on the fort.
Famous contestants There was a special "TV presenter" episode in 1991, followed by two episodes in 1992 featuring celebrities playing for charities. Between 1993 and 2009, all teams now played for charities, and at least one member was a celebrity. The proportion of celebrities among the contestants increased until, from 1998 onwards, they comprised the entire team, with a few exceptions.