Fox is looking to beat ABC in the celebrity diving competition ratings with Stars in Danger: High Diving. The network has ordered a two-hour special that will pit celebrities against each other in an attempt to quickly learn the skill of Olympic diving, and will air prior to ABC’s Celebrity Splash which was ordered straight to series not long ago. Did we really need one celebrity diving competition, never mind two?
As much amusement potential as there might be in seeing celebrities don Speedos, I am pretty much at a loss as to how not one, but two networks could jump on board the high diving bandwagon. It appears the answer lies in Europe, where both series find their source material. Deadline says Germany has been airing such specials since 2004 under the name TV Total Turmspringen, and I personally think Fox should have continued with that name for the special--it’s so fun to say. ABC takes its version of the show from a format that just started airing this summer in the Netherlands, Sterren Springen.
Fox could carry the special on into a series if it’s well received, but with ABC already going ahead with its version, the network really needs to ask itself if there’s room in the reality waters for another one. Perhaps if the show does go to series, Fox will try out some of the many other Olympic events we could be watching stars make fools of themselves at. I vote for gymnastics, or perhaps downhill skiing, which would actually carry more of an element of danger to the celebrities. It seems there's a European precedent for that as well, so you never know.
