The upcoming British version of Jimmy Fallon’s show That’s My Jam will shoot entirely in LA after a successful pilot, Universal Television Alternative Studio chiefs confirmed today here at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
The show, which will see emerging British presenting talent Mo Gilligan in the Fallon role, filmed its pilot in the U.S. and success of the shoot emboldened the producers to take the entire BBC series to Hollywood. The format includes celebrity guests, trivia-based games and musical performances.
Hosted by Fallon, the NBC original gameshow draws inspiration from musical segments on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with signature games including Launch the Mic, Air Guitar, Don’t Drop the Beat and Slay It, Don’t Spray It.
“Jimmy has big shoes to step into and Mo completely owned it,” said Universal Television Alternative Studio President Toby Gorman, adding that despite the U.S. pilot record: “The series feels completely bespoke to a UK audience.”
The triple-BAFTA-winning Gilligan is fronting the UK version for BBC One, with Universal International Studios-owned label Monkey producing along with Universal Television Alternative Studio. He recalled Universal execs urged him during the pilot to “be myself and not be a UK version of Jimmy.”
A French version of the show, Stereo Club, is also in the works.
Gilligan was appearing at the Edinburgh TV Festival alongside Universal execs Gorman, Ed Havard and Monica Rodman, interviewed by British presenter Rick Edwards.
He entertained the audience by recalling several experiences on the Universal lot, noting language differences and other cultural clashes. On a more serious note, he added how watching Fallon in action filming showed him how “smallest adjustments [could] make the biggest impact.”
Gilligan appears on The Masked Singer UK on ITV, leads his own Channel 4 Friday evening talkshow and is now hosting a rebooted version of classic British morning show The Big Breakfast and has had several Netflix specials.
