BBC bosses are reportedly working on a new reality show based on the musical comedy blockbuster Pitch Perfect.
The 2012 film, which stars Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson as members of a university choir who compete in singing competitions, proved a surprise hit and has spawned a sequel and a third instalment still in production.
According to The Sun, it has inspired BBC executives to create a new show, provisionally titled Pitch Battle, which will be given a prime time slot next summer.
It will reportedly feature rival singing groups fighting it out in different musical styles in a bid to make it to a live final.
The British broadcaster has a history of success with choir based series, with choirmaster Gareth Malone fronting a series of reality shows featuring singing groups.
His most recent shows, last year’s The Naked Choir and The Choir: Best In Britain, which aired this autumn featured choirs competing to find Britain’s best singing groups.
However, according to The Sun, Pitch Battle will have a more informal and lighthearted tone and will borrow elements from the film such as “riff offs” where groups compete singing the same songs as well as solo and a cappella challenges.
“Pitch Perfect has been an incredible success in the last few years so it makes great sense,” a TV insider told the paper.
“Gareth Malone has tried a similar concept with his series The Naked Choir but this will be a lot more playful and fun. The BBC is convinced this idea has legs.”
In recent times BBC bosses have lost two of their best loved reality shows to rival channels, with singing contest The Voice moving to commercial channel ITV from next year and The Great British Bake Off, long a staple of the BBC’s summer schedule, airing on Channel 4 from 2017.
Executives are no doubt hoping the new show proves as popular with audiences as its cinematic inspiration.
Pitch Perfect is second only to Jack Black’s 2003 film School of Rock as the highest grossing musical comedy of all time.