Netflix is developing a new celebrity guessing game show called Blockheads, designed to compete with ITV's The Masked Singer. The format involves celebrities wearing large blocks on their heads, which obscure their identities, while their voices are disguised. Contestants and audience members are challenged to identify the masked participants using clues provided during the show.

Unique to the program, cameras embedded inside the blocks will capture the participants’ facial reactions as they try to deduce the identities of their fellow contestants, offering viewers additional insight into the interactions.

A television insider described the move as part of Netflix’s broader strategy to enter the traditional terrestrial entertainment market by capitalizing on the growing popularity of interactive guessing games. They noted that Blockheads aims to tap into audience interest for formats like The Masked Singer and The Celebrity Traitors.

Netflix has been increasingly targeting markets typically dominated by UK terrestrial broadcasters by acquiring and reviving well-known shows. The streaming service has found success with series such as Peaky Blinders and Luther, originally from the BBC, and is reportedly working on a revival of Channel 4’s The Inbetweeners. However, the company’s original TV projects have faced pressure amid economic challenges linked to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, prompting adaptations in its content strategy.

Blockheads represents Netflix’s latest effort to extend its entertainment offerings beyond scripted series and films, seeking to attract viewers with a mix of mystery, humor, and celebrity engagement. The show’s development signals the platform’s continued focus on diversifying its catalogue while taking on established players in the UK television market.