Nintendo is branching out of its usual role in the video games industry by funding its own UK T.V. quiz show on Channel Five.

Britain’s Best Brain has cost the Japanese company approximately £2 million and will be used to promote its DS titles. Eight one-hour programmes will air from October challenging players to complete tasks involving memory, co-ordination, numeracy, recognition and risk.

Currently, commercial product placement is illegal on U.K.shows, so it's unclear how Nintendo will advertise its games on Britain's Best Brain. If successful though we can expect other developers to follow suit.

Head of programming at Mediaedge, who brokered the deal with Tiger Aspect Productions, Chantal Rutherford Browne said: “This television concept is a fantastic opportunity for Nintendo to bring their games heritage to life. I had been on the lookout for Nintendo for some months and already had preliminary negotiations with Five when the idea of Britain’s Best Brain came along via Tiger Aspect.

“The AFP [Advertiser-Funded Programming] allows Nintendo to align themselves with a particularly appropriate television series, forging a relationship between the TV channel and the brand that is truly symbiotic.”

Source :: MCV