| The Mole |
| Genre |
Reality |
| Created by |
Michiel Devlieger
Bart de Pauw
Tom Lenaerts
Michel Vanhove |
| Developed by |
Woestijnvis |
| Presented by |
Various |
| Country of origin |
Belgium |
| Production |
| Location(s) |
Various |
| Running time |
30–60 minutes |
| Release |
| Original network |
Één (VRT) (1998–2000, 2003)
VIER (2016) |
| Original release |
1998 – present |
| External links |
| Production website |
The Mole is a reality television game show which was originally created in 1998 by Woestijnvis and broadcast on VRT in Belgium as De Mol. It was conceived by Michiel Devlieger, Bart de Pauw, Tom Lenaerts and Michel Vanhove, and won the famous Rose d'Or award in Montreux, Switzerland, in 2000. The format has been licensed in 40 countries from all around the world.
Players in The Mole must work together to complete various physical and mental challenges to build up a significant cash prize for the winner. One of them, however, is "the Mole", a double agent hired by the producers to sabotage the efforts of the group. The Mole must be careful to avoid drawing too much suspicion to himself or herself. Using journals, players must track vast amounts of data about the person(s) they suspect of being the Mole, such as seating positions, clothing colors, minor discussion topics, and so on. The quiz at the end of each episode tests players' knowledge of the Mole, and determines by lowest score (or slowest time, in the event of a tie) who is eliminated from the game.
Each installment of The Mole involves a number of contestants, averaging around twelve. During each episode, the contestants participate in a number of challenges, each assigned a monetary value. If the contestants, as a team, complete the challenge, that money is added to the final prize for the game. However, one of these contestants has been selected by production to be the Mole; it's his or her job is to try to prevent the other players from winning challenges without revealing himself or herself to others. The Mole may be told ahead of time of how to do this or what challenges to expect, while at other times the Mole must decide whether to intervene or not.
At the end of each episode, the contestants take a quiz regarding the identity of the Mole and his or her involvement in the previous activities. The player who scores the lowest on this quiz, or was slowest to answer in case of a tie, is eliminated from the game. The winner of the game is the one that answers the most questions correctly on the final quiz given when there are only three players remaining (including the Mole), and is awarded the total amount of money won over the course of the game.
