The Spell Off Live sets August YouTube premiere
EightState Studios says DC Young Fly will host the spelling competition, with Funny Marco joining remotely and winners backing education charities.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
A spelling bee with celebrity nerves and YouTube speed is headed online this summer.
EightState Studios has set an Aug. 11 premiere for The Spell Off Live!, the company’s creator-driven competition series. The first season will debut at 10 p.m. ET on YouTube, according to the studio.
DC Young Fly is set to host the show and serve as an executive producer. Funny Marco will appear as remote host, bringing the format beyond the main stage through extra digital material, according to EightState Studios.
The series will put celebrities, comedians, athletes and digital creators through spelling challenges designed around live pressure. The studio said winners will steer charitable donations to education-focused nonprofits they choose.
DC Young Fly said the fun of the format comes from watching people who think spelling is easy face the pressure of competition. He described the show as a mix of competition, comedy and charity, with performers and athletes pushed outside their usual comfort zones.
Funny Marco takes the spelling test to Atlanta
Funny Marco’s role will not be limited to the remote host chair. EightState Studios said he will support the series with social content, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage tied to the competition.
The studio also said Funny Marco will head into Atlanta for surprise spelling challenges, fan interactions and celebrity encounters. Those segments are part of the wider digital rollout planned around the YouTube launch.
The Spell Off Live! is the first original series from EightState Studios, the entertainment company founded by entrepreneur Adam Wexler. The show is produced with Deviants Media, according to the studio.
Ivan Dudynsky and showrunner Jayson Belt are executive producers and directors on the series, EightState Studios said.
Who is behind the show
DC Young Fly is an actor, comedian, singer, host and social media personality. He has appeared on Wild ’N Out and Wild ’N On Tour, according to the show announcement.
Funny Marco is an actor, stand-up comedian and creator. He is known for Open Thoughts, his YouTube interview series featuring celebrity guests.
The show arrives as creator-led formats continue to stretch beyond short clips and into full series built for platform audiences. For EightState Studios, the Aug. 11 launch puts its first original series directly on YouTube, with a charity hook and a spelling format built around familiar faces under pressure.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.