Ellen Degeneres Game App 'Heads Up!' Comes To HLN In 2016

If you've watched THE ELLEN DeGENERES SHOW anytime in the past year, you've probably seen her playing the game app "Heads Up!" with one of her celebrity guests. It quickly became one of the most downloaded game apps and part of its success is the simplicity of the idea. One person holds their cellphone to their forehead and it displays a word. Their teammate then has to use non-verbal movements to try and get their partner to guess the word. Think of it as a higher-tech mashup of "Charades."

After watching a few of the segments, it was apparent that it would only be a matter of time until the app became a game show. That's now the case, with HLN greenlighting a 65-episode season that is set to begin in the first quarter of 2016. Hosted by Loni Love and produced by Telepictures, the gameshow will air Monday-Friday in an unspecified timeslot.

Based on the initial description of the game, the rules look to be pretty similar to the app. Other than the facts that the show will be displaying the words on cards instead of contestant's cellphones.

"I’m so excited that Heads Up! is going to be a game show. It’s so fun and addictive. I play it on my show all the time," said Ellen DeGeneres in a statement announcing the deal. "I play it at home. I played it last night at Jennifer Aniston’s house. She wasn’t home, so please don’t print that part."
 
"We’re excited to translate this innovative game app into a TV show on HLN, and create another all-screens experience for our social media audience," said Albie Hecht, Executive Vice President and General Manager, HLN in a statement. "And to be in business with a break-the-Internet star like Ellen is incredible."

HEADS UP! will be HLN's second gameshow that is based on a popular app. In March, the gameshow KEYWORDS premiered on HLN. That show is based on the app of the same name.