VIRAL DATING SERIES "POP THE BALLOON" IS COMING LIVE TO NETFLIX

YVONNE ORJI TO HOST, WITH SHARP ENTERTAINMENT AND CREATORS BOLIA MATUNDU (BM) & ARLETTE AMULI AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

· Love is in the air - until it's not. Today, Netflix announced that it's taking the viral dating series, Pop the Balloon, to the next level by streaming a reimagined version LIVE every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET beginning April 10, 2025 only on Netflix.

· Pop the Balloon LIVE will be the same Pop the Balloon fans know and love, but now with even higher stakes, fresh twists and celebrity surprises. In this electrifying dating experiment, singles test their chemistry while trying to keep their balloon intact. As connections form and tensions rise, one thing is certain: when your balloon pops, so does your shot at love. Now, for the first time ever, Pop the Balloon is going live on Netflix, bringing real-time eliminations, unpredictable dilemmas, and unfiltered romance straight to viewers as it happens.

· Alongside everyday contestants, some of your favorite reality stars and personalities including Johnny Bananas (The Challenge), Chase DeMoor (Too Hot To Handle), Farrah Abraham (Teen Mom), and Zaina Sesay (The Ultimatum) will join the show stepping into a whole new dating experience- raw, real and unlike anything they've faced before.

· Host: Yvonne Orji

· Production Company: Sharp Entertainment (part of Sony Pictures Television)

· Executive Producers: Matt Sharp, Dan Adler and Bonnie Biggs (for Sharp Entertainment); Ellen Rocamora; Bolia Matundu (BM) and Arlette Amuli

· Quote from Matt Sharp, executive producer: "We couldn't be more excited to expand and reimagine Pop the Balloon on Netflix. This new iteration builds on the original's core concept while pushing the boundaries of connection, chemistry and unpredictability. Partnering with BM, Arlette and Netflix has been an incredible experience, and we can't wait for audiences to see how the show evolves."

· Quote from Bolia Matundu (BM) and Arlette Amuli, executive producers: "We're thrilled to see Pop the Balloon take on a new life on Netflix. From day one, we've kept love and fun at the heart of the show, and watching it evolve and soar beyond our wildest dreams has been truly exciting. As executive producers, we're proud to support this next chapter and can't wait for both new and longtime fans to experience it. Yvonne is engaging, witty and authentic - and we are looking forward to her serving as the host for the reimagined version at Netflix!"

· Quote from Yvonne Orji, Host: "It's really great to see BM and Arlette's vision expand to this version, due to their creativity, consistency and desire for more connection. After playing the 'unlucky in love' Molly Carter for 5 seasons on Insecure, I know a thing or two about looking for love in a hopeless place. Hopefully the singles on Pop The Balloon Live will have much more success. As host, I'm looking forward to striking that delicate balance of heart and humor for our daters and the Netflix audience at home."

· Pop the Balloon LIVE joins Netflix's roster of ongoing and past live programming including WWE Raw, Everybody's Live with John Mulaney, Live from the Other Side with Tyler Henry, Paul-Tyson, Dinner Time Live with David Chang, NFL Christmas Day on Netflix and much more; and dating social experiments including Love is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, Perfect Match, The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, The Ultimatum: Queer Love, Later Daters and many others.

About Sharp Entertainment: Sharp Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television, is one of the biggest creative powerhouses in unscripted television production today. Led by producer Matt Sharp since 2003, Sharp is one of the industry's leading production enterprises worldwide delivering thousands of hours of programming and unparalleled ratings success across multiple networks and platforms. Sharp's mega-hit franchise, TLC's "90 Day Fiancé," is a top-performer on all of cable along with spinoffs including "90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After," "90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days," and "90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way." Sharp is also behind WE TV's buzzy docu-series "Love After Lockup," as well as top-rated "Man v. Food" for the Cooking Channel. Other notable Sharp series include "Extreme Couponing" for TLC, "Doomsday Preppers" for National Geographic, and the long-running hit "The Fabulous Life" for VH1, among many others.

About Bolia Matundu (BM) and Arlette Amuli: Phoenix-based married couple Bolia Matundu (BM) and Arlette Amuli are the creative masterminds behind the viral unscripted series Pop the Balloon. The show has taken the internet by storm, racking up over 100 million YouTube views. What began as a creative experiment has blossomed into a cultural sensation, offering a fresh perspective on modern dating and its future. In addition to their foray into television with streamer Netflix, their growing digital empire includes two popular podcasts Catch Up and BM Talks to Them and a thriving presence across multiple platforms.