CBS Brings Back Undercover Boss With Drew Carey, Orders Two New Games
CBS is bringing back Undercover Boss with Drew Carey as host, alongside two new unscripted shows.
The network has ordered a 12th season of Undercover Boss with a refreshed take built around Carey, Variety reported on 30 September. The series first launched on CBS in 2010 and has been off air since 2022. It is now in pre-production, meaning cameras have not yet started rolling.
The revival keeps the original premise. A senior boss works in disguise alongside frontline staff. Studio Lambert, the company behind the earlier run, is producing again. The programme won Emmys for outstanding reality program in 2012 and 2013.
Carey is a familiar face for CBS daytime. He recently marked his 20th season hosting The Price Is Right for the network. That long run makes him one of the most established game hosts on American television.
The second order is Stacks of Cash, a game show hosted by Mike O'Malley. Six contestants answer questions to earn oddly shaped blocks. They then stack the blocks toward a gold line. It is based on a format, meaning the underlying game idea, developed by Eureka Studios Group Pty Ltd and Seven Network Limited. Of the three shows, it is the furthest along. Its episodes have already been filmed.
The third order is 24 Hour Millionaire. Contestants face a mix of social strategy and physical contests compressed into 24 hours. One player ends the day with $1 million. The show spent a year in development at CBS, meaning the network was shaping the idea before ordering it, and is now in pre-production.
Fly on the Wall Entertainment is behind the series. Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan serve as executive producers, meaning the senior managers in charge of the production. Grodner and Meehan are best known for their work on Big Brother.
What makes this stand out is the spread. One is a known title returning after four years away. Two are fresh formats at different stages. For viewers, this means more stacking, scheming and disguises on the way, with exact broadcast slots still to be organised.
