El 1%

‘The 1%’, created by Magnum Media, is an original format that has already become a worldwide phenomenon after airing its third season in the United Kingdom, where it even achieved record-breaking ratings. The show has already aired successfully in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, France, and Israel. It is also preparing to launch in the United States and Turkey.

‘The 1%’ does not simply test what people have learned through studying or memory skills, but rather measures real intelligence. The game show puts everyone on equal footing, meaning anyone can play along from home, making it perfect for viewers to enjoy and compete in front of the television.

The goal of the show is to belong to the 1% club: 100 contestants take part in the game and, to win, must correctly answer a question that only 1% of the country would get right. The questions are not based on general knowledge, but instead rely heavily on logic.

Each contestant starts with a fixed amount of money. The game begins with easier questions that 90% of the population would answer correctly. However, the difficulty increases with each round. Any contestant who answers incorrectly is eliminated. By the end of the show, only one player will face the question that only 1% of the population could answer correctly. If they succeed, they take home the jackpot.

How ‘The 1%’ Works

‘The 1%’ is a game show based on logic and common sense questions. Each episode features 100 contestants. Those who make it to the final question — one that only 1% of the population can answer — have the chance to win the jackpot, which can reach up to €100,000.

The contestants also include celebrity participants who are not competing for any prize, but who must demonstrate their abilities to see how they would rank in the competition. In the first episode of ‘The 1%’, the celebrity guests are Miguel Lago, Soraya Arnelas, and Nicolás Coronado. Future episodes will feature familiar faces such as Raquel Sánchez Silva, Eva González, Lolita Flores, Secun de la Rosa, Supremme de Luxe, and Alberto Chicote, among others.

Each episode consists of 15 questions. These questions have previously been answered by more than 1,000 people in a testing study conducted with a broad and representative sample of Spanish society. This process assigns a success percentage to each question based on the number of people who answered correctly.

While the first question would be answered correctly by 90% of the population, question 7 drops to 40%, question 10 to 25%, question 13 to 10%, and question 15 to just 1% of society. Each contestant begins with €1,000.

From the 90% to 60% questions (questions 1 to 4): when a contestant answers incorrectly, they are eliminated from the game and their €1,000 is added to the jackpot.

From the 50% to 5% questions (questions 5 to 14): players may use their €1,000 to buy a pass after seeing the question, avoiding elimination while adding that money to the jackpot.

Between the 35% and 30% questions (after question 8): contestants may choose to stop playing and keep their €1,000. If they do so, they leave the game.

The 1% Question: the finalists move to the center podiums to face the final question of the show. A final dilemma arises: give up the jackpot and take a guaranteed €10,000 prize (shared among those who decide to withdraw), or continue playing. If they choose to continue, they must answer a question that only 1% of the population would get right in order to win the final jackpot.

A Spectacular Success in the United Kingdom

Premiering on ITV in 2022, ‘The 1% Club’ has been a huge ratings success. The show debuted in the UK with a 24.8% audience share and more than 3.4 million viewers, and it has continued to grow ever since. Its third season, which premiered last February, achieved record ratings with over a 35% audience share and surpassed 4 million viewers.

Its success has spread rapidly across the other countries where it has premiered. In the Netherlands, it achieved an 18% audience share in its first season. In France, three seasons have already aired, reaching close to a 20% share. In Germany, two seasons have already been broadcast and ratings remain well above the channel average. In Australia, two editions have already aired and became the top-rated program in their timeslot.