Here’s the deal: ‘Deal or No Deal Island’ brings tropical twist to beloved game
You have never seen “Deal or No Deal” like this before. Making its way to screens with new twists, turns and tropical delights, the allnew “Deal or No Deal Island” premieres Monday, Feb. 26, on NBC.
From executive producer (and former “DOND” host) Howie Mandel (“America’s Got Talent”), this latest iteration of the game is hosted by Joe Manganiello (“True Blood”), who will lead players — and us viewers back home — through this inaugural season of “Survivor”-like gameplay, featuring 13 highly unsuspecting contestants, endless negotiations and more money than you can count.
“‘Deal or No Deal Island’ is set to bring back all we loved about the beloved OG series: high-stakes competition, millions of dollars in prize money, and, of course, the elusive Banker,” NBC explains. “But this time, it’s upping the stakes by bringing contestants to a mysterious tropical locale where they’ll compete against each other in a series of intense challenges.”
Iconic “DOND” features will be back, including the Banker and the iconic briefcases, which will be hidden around the island. Between them, the cases will hold over $200 million of prize money (in cash), that the contestants will be able to split amongst each other.
NBC’s news release says, “In each episode, players vie to get their hands on the highest-value briefcase for a chance to gain immunity and choose a fellow player to enter The Temple, where they must play a high-stakes game of Deal or No Deal. The devious Banker is always watching and will raise the stakes with tests of strategy and greed. At the end of the season, the last player standing will face the Banker to potentially win the biggest prize in ‘Deal or No Deal’ history.”
An Entertainment Weekly exclusive shared the 13 contestants who will be taking part in the inaugural season, one of whom is “Survivor” star “Boston” Rob Mariano (“Survivor: Marquesas,” “Survivor: Redemption Island,” which he won, and more).
Another familiar face is Claudia Jordan, who was featured in two seasons of “The Celebrity Apprentice,” and in “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” What fans may not know, however, is that Jordan also appeared as a briefcase model in “Deal or No Deal,” from 2005 to 2009. As for Boston Rob, he recently promised EW that he “[wants] to figure out a way to control the game,” and judging by his resume, he just may be able to do it. The all-new series, “Deal or No Deal Island,” premieres Monday, Feb. 26, on NBC.