‘Squid Game’ Reality Show Sees Medics Called for Frozen Players Affected by U.K. Cold Snap - Variety

A tiny fig of contestants connected world amusement “Squid Game: The Challenge” needed aesculapian attraction connected Monday aft a sprawling crippled of “Red Light Green Light” played during Britain’s ongoing acold drawback proved to beryllium a daze to the system.

Fewer than 5 players are understood to person required medics connected the acceptable of the caller Netflix show. While 1 contestant is believed to person injured their enarthrosis aft accidentally moving into a wall, others were treated for mild ailments.

The players were among 456 contestants taking portion successful “Red Light Green Light,” which is besides known arsenic “Statues” depending connected wherever you grew up. In the game, you person to marque it crossed a decorativeness enactment portion remaining wholly inactive erstwhile a idiosyncratic who’s “it” turns astir to survey the players. If you’re recovered to beryllium moving, you’re out. The crippled was a centrepiece successful “Squid Game,” wherever a giant, slayer doll swivelled her caput astir and fired gunshots to destruct players who were moving. It was the archetypal crippled connected the drama, and peculiarly effectual arsenic unsuspecting players had nary thought they’d beryllium killed disconnected if they mislaid the game.

The unscripted crippled show, which was archetypal announced by Bela Bajaria successful June 2022, is based connected the streamer’s deed 2021 Korean drama. Filmed crossed 2 studios successful the U.K., producers Studio Lambert and The Garden person formed 456 contestants from astir the satellite to vie successful assorted challenges based connected the Korean children’s games featured connected the show, arsenic good arsenic caller games. The victor receives a $4.56 cardinal (£3.7 million) currency prize.

Netflix had the misfortune, however, of opening accumulation during a uncommon acold drawback successful the U.K.

On Monday, which was the show’s archetypal time of accumulation astatine Bedford’s Cardington Studios, northbound of London, temperatures reached a debased of zero degrees Celsius. Although the crippled was filmed successful the erstwhile airplane hangar, which is enclosed, the gigantic abstraction was apt to beryllium highly chilly fixed the extracurricular temperatures. While the players — galore of whom aren’t utilized to British weather, nor the realities of TV accumulation — are believed to person received manus warmers and thermal underwear for their time of filming, there’s nary uncertainty the acold would person made it adjacent much challenging.

British tabloid The Sun, which archetypal reported the news, spoke to players who had been eliminated from the show. “Some radical couldn’t determination their feet due to the fact that it was truthful cold,” the root told The Sun. “You could perceive idiosyncratic outcry ‘medic’ and the unit would unreserved on. We ended up lasting determination for 30 minutes betwixt takes.”

In a connection shared with Variety, a spokesperson for Netflix said: “We attraction profoundly astir the wellness and information of our formed and crew, and invested successful each the due information procedures. While it was precise acold connected acceptable — and participants were prepared for that — immoderate claims of superior wounded are untrue.”

It’s improbable that producers would person been capable to alteration the show’s accumulation schedule, particularly fixed the immense fig of contestants involved. “Red Light Green Light” is besides an indispensable crippled successful the docket successful bid to streamline the contestants: Variety understands that lone 228 contestants marque it past the archetypal hurdle and proceed done to the remainder of the game, meaning that Monday’s stunt would person been a cardinal time for production.