Prime Video today announced that Emmy and Grammy-winning stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Patton Oswalt (The Goldbergs, A.P. Bio, Ratatouille) has been named the host of The 1% Club. The series based on the hit international format, produced by BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions and Magnum Media, will premiere on Prime Video in the U.S. and Canada. The 1% Club will also have an exclusive telecast on FOX, which will broadcast each episode after its debut on Prime Video.
The 1% Club, created by Dean Nabarro and Andy Auerbach at Magnum Media and distributed by BBC Studios, has had major ratings success in Europe. Following the original top UK series produced for ITV, The 1% Club has had a strong global rise, launching internationally in the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, France, Israel, Spain and Turkey, with Mexico and Greece set to come.
“Patton exudes all attributes of an iconic host, and we are thrilled he has joined us for the first ever game show on Prime Video,” says Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD Originals, unscripted and targeted programming, Amazon MGM Studios. “Patton’s distinct combination of warmth and wit made him the ideal person to bring this addictive format to life for North American Prime Video customers and Fox’s linear audience. In addition to our creative passion for the series, The 1% Club marks a strategic business growth opportunity, expanding our ad-friendly content portfolio and allowing us to explore unique dual premiere strategies. Thanks to FOX, BBC Studios, Patton, Andy, and Dean for being such great partners as we break new ground.”
“As a proud member of the 90%, it’s a privilege to host this show,” said Oswalt.
“FOX Entertainment is excited to partner with innovative companies and pedigree talent to deliver premium content like The 1% Club,” said Rob Wade, CEO of FOX Entertainment. “By teaming up with Amazon, we effectively showcase the complementary value of linear and streaming audiences through this differentiated launch strategy.”
“Patton is an absolute comedic force with an unrivaled ability to connect to audiences and contestants alike, and we are beyond thrilled to have him aboard hosting our U.S. series,” said Ryan O’Dowd, Executive Vice President, Entertainment & Music, BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions and The 1% Club Executive Producer for BBC Studios. “From the very beginning, the entire Amazon team has displayed a deep, unwavering passion for the creative heart of the show, a steadfast commitment, and a collaborative spirit that makes us incredibly excited about this new partnership. The opportunity to broadcast our series in an exclusive window on FOX makes this collective launch that much more undeniably powerful.”
The 1% Club is a unique, compelling and funny entertainment show that tests the nation’s intelligence, based on a scientific survey. It’s a chance to test how your brain works through a series of questions that all have a right answer but can also lead to a series of entertaining wrong answers along the way. Whether you’re a contestant vying for the cash prize or a viewer playing with your friends and family on the app, answer enough questions correctly, and you could earn yourself a place in the 1% Club: an elite group of people who can honestly say they’ve outwitted 99% of the population.
The 1% Club extends Prime Video and FOX Entertainment’s relationship, which began on the hit animated series Hazbin Hotel, produced by FOX’s Emmy-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment. Hazbin Hotel premiered as the biggest global debut of a new animated series on Prime Video.
The 1% Club for Prime Video is executive produced by Ryan O’Dowd and Krystal Whitney for BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions, which is led by General Manager Valerie Bruce; Dean Nabarro and Andy Auerbach for Magnum Media; and Amazon MGM Studios. Wes Kauble serves as the showrunner.
About Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt continues to leave his distinctive imprint across all areas of entertainment, from his award-winning comedy specials to his many guest roles on television. His most recent comedy special, We All Scream (which also marked his directorial debut), launched on Netflix in late 2022, and Oswalt was nominated for a Grammy for his comedy album. Last year, he also starred in the Magnolia Pictures comedy I Love My Dad, winner of the Grand Jury and Audience awards at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival.
Oswalt was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for his performance in Jason Reitman’s film Young Adult, starring opposite Charlize Theron. In 2009, he also received critical acclaim for his performance in Robert Siegel’s Big Fan; the film was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, and Oswalt earned a Gotham Award nomination for his performance.
Oswalt has appeared in many films, including The Circle, alongside Tom Hanks, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Zoolander, both directed by Ben Stiller, Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant with Matt Damon, and alongside Seth Rogen in Jody Hill’s Observe and Report, as well as Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia and Todd Phillips’ Starsky and Hutch.
Oswalt’s past television work includes memorable roles on Parks and Recreation, which brought him a TV Critics Choice Award, A.P. Bio, Veep, United States of Tara, Seinfeld (his TV acting debut), and many more. He is also very well known for playing ‘Spence’ on The King of Queens for nine seasons. Oswalt is also the narrator on ABC’s hit comedy The Goldbergs. He provided the voice for ‘Remy’ the rat in Pixar’s Oscar® winner Ratatouille, and his other voice credits include ‘Max’ in The Secret Life of Pets 2, Sorry To Bother You, the SYFY series Happy!, Rick and Morty, Archer, and BoJack Horseman.
In 2020, Oswalt’s Emmy-nominated Netflix special I Love Everything was widely applauded upon release, and he received a Grammy nomination for his comedy album of the same name. In 2017, he received Grammy and Emmy nominations for his album and Netflix special Annihilation, which addresses his own devastating loss and dealing with the unexplainable, while making it all painfully funny. In 2016, he won the Emmy for 'Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special’ for his sixth comedy special, Talking for Clapping, and a Grammy Award in 2017 for his comedy album. He has been nominated for a total of six Grammys and four Emmys. Oswalt has shot eight TV specials and released seven critically acclaimed albums -- in 2009, Patton received his first Grammy nomination for his album My Weakness Is Strong.
