[tellyblues]

£25k seems cheap for a whole series prize. Fair enough if it was per episode but across a full series of shows I’d expect at least £50k and really £100k. I can’t see where in that link it actually confirms that but will assume it’s correct.

Filming next month so in theory could be ready for the Autumn, but given ITV’s reluctance to launch new formats against Strictly I expect early next year is more likely. Possibly January but given some of the similarities to Gladiators they might wait until March time and launch alongside BGT auditions.

The info about the £25k prize for 99 To Beat can be found later on in the application form if you get to the part with the questions.

It could probably air pre-Strictly against Picture Slam and instead of Catchphrase. Next year doesn't seem likely because of Gladiators and ITV already have In For A Penny for that type of show if airing pre-BGT, unless that's been booted. Nothing about Wheel of Fortune yet if that's returning or Jeopardy either, but both Whisper North productions so maybe that's why.

Password could have been moved because Manganmania never took off.

[iloveTV1]

Don’t forget they’ll have a free slot because of no Saturday Night Takeaway, and presumably In For a Shout won’t be back given it’s been rating under 2m lately.

In For a Penny is so cheap that I suspect it will be back but there’s no point airing it at 6pm on Saturday nights as it’ll only fall further if they keep it in that slot.

[tellyblues]

The first half of BGT will fill the SNT slot as has been reported surely?

I expect In With A Shout will be axed but can't see 99 To Beat going in that slot with In For A Penny airing the same night. Perhaps that will start alongside BGT and then 99 comes along once it finishes, otherwise the shows are perhaps too similar.

[Brekkie]

I'd say it'll go out in the autumn as fodder against Strictly - something has too and although it hasn't got a chance of coming close to it it should be good decent programming - and can likely get 2m in peak advertising season which is all it would probably get in the Spring anyway. In many ways airing it against Strictly would take the pressure off as the expectations would be low.

Of course how long it remains sat on the shelf will depend on how the recordings go, but feels like the days of ITV burning off content in mid-summer are long gone. Indeed if the prize is only £25k across six episodes wonder if it might be destined for ITV2 instead.

[Score]

As others have said yes BGT fills the Takeaway slot. I also suspect In With a Shout will be axed. I was in favour of it getting a bit of leeway as it’s a new format rather than a revival but the numbers haven’t really been up to scratch. In For a Penny’s have been even worse and the only reasons it might survive are the low cost and keeping Ant & Dec sweet.

Really I think they should dump both and combine their budgets into launching just one show in the pre- BGT slot (presumably 6.30-7.30pm) with a bit more about it rather than spreading the money across two cheaper shows. There’s really no reason to be running new content at 6pm in May anyway.

99 To Beat could well be that show and I could see it taking the pre- BGT slot in March. Autumn is a lot riskier and it depends what they’ve got on the shelf to fill those slots. I’m assuming Saturdays will be a mix of The Voice, Password, Catchphrase, Celeb Chase and maybe Beat the Chasers. Possibly also the remaining episodes of 1% Club, and also I’m a Celeb. Really also needs something else, but I’m guessing Family Fortunes, Tipping Point: Lucky Stars and Millionaire will be for Sundays. It’s all a far cry from The X Factor days!

[eyeTV]

I think they should give Wheel of Fortune another run and maybe it would do better as a lead-in to BGT and away from Gladiators.

But there is a serious lack of money / investment now particularly in shiny floor entertainment shows, commissioning appears to have been scaled back massively.

[Score]

I think they should give Wheel of Fortune another run and maybe it would do better as a lead-in to BGT and away from Gladiators.

But there is a serious lack of money / investment now particularly in shiny floor entertainment shows, commissioning appears to have been scaled back massively.

Not a bad shout for Wheel of Fortune although I wonder if it might be more at home on Sundays at 7pm along with Family Fortunes.

There does seem to have been real cutbacks in entertainment. There’s general cutbacks across the board which I get given the advertising downturn and ITV do seem to be holding up better than C4 in that regard. But entertainment seems to have been hit a lot further in favour of the pivot towards weeknight reality. The money for Big Brother had to come from somewhere, then on top of that there’s the increase in stripped reality on the main channel, with CBB, Fortune Hotel and My Mum Your Dad all launched in the last year, plus Genius Game coming later in the year. I can only assume that’s all coming out of the entertainment pot as drama doesn’t seem to have been scaled back all that much.

I get that they want to find shows that can do well on ITVX and reality is arguably more likely to do that than shiny floor, but there’s a middle ground and they really could do with some new shows for Saturday nights where they’re really dwindling down. The BGT change is just covering cracks and of course means that Saturday Night Takeaway will probably be ‘replaced’ by another 9pm reality/ent format rather than a Saturday shiny floor show.

This Autumn looks particularly miserable for weekend entertainment. Despite having far more weeks to play with due to no Rugby World Cup they’ve not announced anything new (unless 99 To Beat is for Autumn). Even last year with fewer weeks they did the Mamma Mia show (which I know didn’t rate but was at least an attempt at a big weekend entertainment show). Yet another revamp of The Voice isn’t going to cut it, and with Cowell seemingly going to a streamer for his new talent search “documentary”, an X Factor reboot seems unlikely (not necessarily a terrible thing but they need something to fill that void).

[tellyblues]

It's a pity Cowell's other show Walk The Line turned out the way it did as it could have replaced The Voice and grew its audience. Probably ITV's best chance of beating Strictly again.

[Brekkie]

Is there a series of Catchphrase in the can considering it didn't air in January?

GSN have posted the first episode of the US version of Bridge of Lies online - pretty terrible but they get through as many rounds in 20 minutes as we do in 45.

youtu.be 

[Jon]

That is pretty terrible. In many ways it feels more like a pilot than fully fledged show, with its basic set and off the shelf gameshow host. The simplified game dynamic also makes it feel more like a bog standard quiz. Didn’t expect there to be a Eurovision question though.