CBS ANNOUNCES SERIES ORDER FOR THE NEW REALITY COMPETITION SHOW "BUDDY GAMES," HOSTED AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY JOSH DUHAMEL

Inspired by Duhamel's Real-Life Tradition with His Childhood Friends, the New Series Will Premiere Later This Year

CBS announced today the new series order for BUDDY GAMES, a reality competition inspired by executive producer Josh Duhamel's real-life annual tradition with his lifelong friends. For the past 20 years, one weekend a summer, Duhamel reunites with his childhood friends to compete in a variety of competition-style games. BUDDY GAMES, based on Duhamel's own experience, will bring together best friends from different backgrounds and offer them the same opportunity to live together, compete in wild challenges and prove their bonds run deep.

"Being able to bring BUDDY GAMES to CBS is truly a dream come true for me," said Duhamel, host and executive producer and founder of Dakota Kid Productions. "This is something my buddies and I have wanted to share with the world for a long time as we knew there was a relatability to it with other people doing similar things to strengthen their friendships. For me, getting to executive produce and host BUDDY GAMES while observing these groups of friends let loose and become part of this big family has been an honor and will be a lot of fun for viewers to watch."

BUDDY GAMES unites six teams of four deep-rooted friends, who met at various stages of their lives, at a stunning lakeside location for a nostalgic adult summer camp adventure. "Ride or dies" get the chance to play "buddy games" where they will relive their glory days and compete in an assortment of absurd physical and mental challenges in the outdoors while bunking together in the same lake house. Friendships will be rekindled, and rivalries reignited when these friends are challenged to prove which bonds are strong enough to withstand the competition. The last buddy team standing will be crowned champion and take home a cash prize plus the coveted Buddy Games trophy, and of course bragging rights.

BUDDY GAMES is produced by Bunim/Murray Productions and CBS Studios. Josh Duhamel, Michael J. Luisi, Julie Pizzi, Rupert Dobson, Jacob Lane and Emer Harkin are executive producers. Duhamel also previously wrote and produced the Paramount feature film BUDDY GAMES and the forthcoming BUDDY GAMES 2.