Buzzfeed has sold the studio behind the hit YouTube series Hot Ones to host Sean Evans and a score of investors for an astronomical sum, Variety reported.
On Thursday, Buzzfeed announced that it was selling the massively popular and surprisingly influential hot-chicken interview show to longtime host Evans as well as Chris Shonberger, founder of production company First We Feast. But the media company didn’t part with Hot Ones for any paltry sum—it reportedly made $82.5 million by selling the property.
Other investors to whom Hot Ones was sold include Soros Fund Management, the investment company founded by George Soros; Rhett and Link’s Mythical Entertainment; and podcast company Crooked Media. Shonberger said in a statement that other investors would be announced in the near future.
Hot Ones launched in 2015 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon with its clever spin on the age-old celebrity interview format. The show has featured (some might say tortured) a number of famous faces over the years—including Matt Damon; Pete Davidson; Margot Robbie; and, famously, Gordon Ramsay—who are pelted with deep-dive questions from the deadpan host while asked to eat increasingly spicy wings.
Buzzfeed’s sale means that First We Feast is now its own company, with Shonberger assuming the role of CEO and Evans taking on the role of chief creative officer.
“Today’s announcement marks an exciting new chapter in First We Feast’s history,” Schonberger said in a statement. “Being part of this incredible journey has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” he continued. “Our proven expertise in developing compelling formats, iconic IP, and best-in-class interviews makes us uniquely positioned to build on the brand’s momentum and supercharge our growth.”
