CBS Orders Mark Burnett Summer Competition Series ‘TKO’

CBS has ordered the obstacle course series TKO from Mark Burnett, aiming to premiere the show in summer 2018. CBS is on board for 10 episodes.

A working title, TKO features one player racing through obstacles while the other contestants man battle stations along the course, firing projectiles in an attempt to knock them off and slow them down.

“Mark Burnett is a master at creating exciting competitions that make for entertaining television,” said Sharon Vuong, senior VP, alternative programming, CBS. “We are thrilled to partner with him and his team on this wild and fun summer series.” 

TKO will be produced by MGM Television and distributed internationally by MGM. It is an original format created by Steve Hughes and Sean Kelly of Shaggy Entertainment, Inc.

Burnett and Barry Poznick, president, unscripted television, MGM, are executive producers.

CBS has worked with Burnett, who is president, television group & digital, MGM, on long-running reality show Survivor. Earlier this month, CBS announced it had teamed with Burnett on new competition series The World’s Best.

TKO is unlike any other competition show on television. It’s an obstacle course meets dodgeball. It will create amazing viral moments,” said Burnett. “I’ve got a great history with CBS, and I’m excited to be premiering this summer.”

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.