LOS ANGELES, April 28 (UPI) -- A new version of the classic game show "Queen for a Day" is set to return to U.S. television, representatives for the series said.
The original "Queen" debuted in 1956 on NBC and ended its run in 1964 on ABC.
A new version recently was taped in San Juan and aired on Univision Puerto Rico. It debuted Feb. 6 and has since completed its first run of weekly one-hour shows, broadcast live over 10 weeks in prime time.
The owner of the show's rights said the revival's success paved the way for a return to U.S. television.
"I wanted to make sure we had a hit. It was decided to open 'Queen for a Day,' 'out of town,' so we could work out all the bugs before bringing it to the United States," said Michael Wortsman, the show's sole rights and trademark owner, said in a statement Wednesday. "We took a page out of the Broadway playbook and made our mistakes out of town while fine-tuning 'Queen for a Day' for its U.S. debut. From Day 1, our changes made it progressively better. It's ready now."
The Puerto Rican version of the show started off with 21 women competing for the opportunity to be crowned "Queen For a Day" in the Week 10 finale.
"As a brand, 'Queen for a Day' has worldwide recognition, stature and historical significance and is ideal for advertisers who desire to strongly connect with consumers," Wortsman said. "'Queen for a Day' is a relevant and seamless way to integrate appropriate lifestyle products into the show in support of ad campaigns and product launches. Consumers who see others becoming excited about a product or service can stimulate a desire to want it too. And in some cases, the gifts contestants receive can be life changing. And that's powerful."
