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- guardian.co.uk, Wednesday April 25 2001 08.33 BST
The latest UK gameshow format to make the move across the Atlantic is Close Encounters, in which the contestants are secretly filmed and must then remember what they have been up to win a cash prize.
Close Encounters, which was created by UK format specialist The Chatterbox Partnership, has been bought by US cable channel USA Network.
In the show two contestants are secretly filmed for a week going about their everyday lives, which includes getting involved in situations set up by the Close Encounters production team.
The secret filming is then revealed to the participants, who can win cash prizes by correctly recalling what they have been doing in the previous week.
The Close Encounters format sale to USA Network is Chatterbox's first US format deal.
Chatterbox, which was set up by Ben Hall and Tom Ellemann, has created formats including It's a Small World, Pass the Buck and Whose House.
The Close Encounters deal was signed with Chris Sloan, the senior vice-president, reality programming and specials at USA Network.
USA Network is in discussion with potential production partners about making the show.
The format sale was brokered by the William Morris Agency.
