When the VGTV series Vegard X Funkygine first aired in 2018, Norway’s top fitness coach Jørgine “Funkygine” Vasstrand helped self-proclaimed couch potato Vegard Harm transform his life. For three seasons, their genuine chemistry and unexpected friendship drew millions of viewers on VGTV and YouTube.

After the series wrapped, we let it rest — until five years later, when we decided to bring it back. And this time, we truly raised the stakes.

The comeback began when Vasstrand boldly challenged Harm to conquer Norseman, one of the world’s toughest triathlons.

The Norseman gauntlet

Norseman demands a 3.8km swim through icy fjords; 180km of cycling on steep, rugged mountain roads; and a full 42km uphill marathon.

When Harm embarked on this journey in January 2024, he was in notoriously poor shape. From that first coached session to the starting line in August, he restructured every part of his life around training. Under Vasstrand’s leadership, he was backed by an expert team whose guidance pushed him to embrace every physical and mental challenge.

Real-time production

We documented every moment as it happened. But unlike a locked-down production, neither the team, Harm, Vasstrand, nor the audience knew if he’d even make it to the starting line, let alone the finish.

To preserve that real-time tension, we released the series in four sequential blocks, each as soon as Harm hit a key training milestone. Simultaneously, Vasstrand and Harm shared updates on their social channels, which allowed fans to cheer and speculate in real time.

This approach made the series feel genuine and created real suspense.

Secrecy and suspense

Because Norseman is a live public event, keeping Harm’s entry under wraps was critical. We omitted his name from official start lists and tightly guarded his bib number, fuelling wild rumours: Would he even show up? Could he last the course?

That suspense magnified engagement across all channels; social feeds and traditional media buzzed with speculation right up to the finale.

The grand reveal and lasting impact

A few weeks after Harm crossed the finish line — completing Norseman in just over 18 hours — we premiered the final episodes and revealed his triumphant finish.

This authentic, profile-driven storytelling didn’t just showcase raw human perseverance; it delivered powerful results: The series amassed 3.1 million views and captured a 79% female audience share, driving record-high subscription sales in that key demographic.

Moreover, our phased release model helped reduce churn and stabilize VGTV’s subscriber base, proving how strategic digital publishing can boost both engagement and retention.

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