Game show attempts to convert atheists

In what sounds like the setup to a bad joke, a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, a Jew and 10 atheists will walk into a TV studio to tape a new Turkish game show.

Penitents Compete, the new program from the Kanal T network, will enlist spiritual guides to attempt to convert non-believers.

Winners will get a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion. Losers, apparently, will burn in eternal hellfire.

"We are giving the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God," Kanal T CEO Seyhan Soylu said. "We don't approve of anyone being an atheist. God is great, and it doesn't matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe." Brilliant. Does that extent to the Spaghetti Monster?

The game show is slated to launch in September and so far over 200 people have applied to be contestants. Now all they need to find is a Turkish Jimmy Carr to host. Failing that we're pretty sure the actual Jimmy Carr will do it.