Kevin Hart has made a name for himself by making other people laugh,
so it’s fitting that the actor and comedian is hosting a show full of laughter.
Hart, 39, takes on the role of emcee for the first time in his career with TKO: Total Knock Out, the new one-hour obstacle course competition series on CBS.
The 10 episodes will feature a contestant racing through difficult obstacles while four other competitors control battle stations along the course with the goal of knocking off the solo runner, who hopes to take home a cash prize.
“First and foremost the host of the show is amazing. So personable, likable, takes any situation and knows how to make the best of it,” Hart jokingly tells PEOPLE about what to expect from TKO.
“Outside of him, expect a lot of fun and funny. I really, really credit the producers for creating a platform where anybody was welcome. This is something where they wanted to give a person who may or may not consider themselves to be an athlete the opportunity at success,” he says.
“By doing an obstacle course and having fun and being able to compete with other people with the same goal and agenda at hand, it makes for great TV. There’s nothing like it on television, it separates itself from other things including the host that elevates it that much more.”
Though Hart explains how the “best thing” about the show is how people take on the obstacle course, ultimately the hilarious failed attempts are what make the series.
“I hate to say it, but watching people fall is funny,” he says. “Falling is funny. You can try not to laugh all you want. You can have a moment to be sincere, but you always turn around and in private you laugh. A fall equals funny, and there’s a lot of falling on this show, so I think we have a lot of funny coming for quite some time.”
Though the inaugural season of TKO features everyday people, Hart would love to see his celebrity friends as contestants, specifically Jumanji costar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“He would suck. He would suck and not be able to get through the first zone. That’s a 100 percent correct,” Hart says.
Win or lose, Hart emphasizes that TKO is all heart.
“It’s making the people feel like they did not waste their time, showing them that their effort was the most valuable thing that they can ever put on display. And to simply not quit, not give up,” he says. “[Contestants] leave inspired, they leave like they have a major accomplishment under their belt. Win or lose, they go home with something.”
TKO: Total Knock Out premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
