HAS DEAL OR NO DEAL RUN ITS COURSE?

Recently Noel Edmonds and all the ‘Deal or No Deal’ production team were celebrating the fact that the show had been on the air for 10 years. To mark the occasion the special 10th-anniversary show on Channel 4 was hijacked by comedian Sarah Millican who joined host Edmonds and surprised him with the news that he himself would be the contestant that day playing for a charitable cause and taking on the infamous banker.

However after 10 long years, and with more than 3,000 shows under his belt, could it be time for Noel to begin looking for other work in entertainment? In spite of the fact that the teatime quiz show is still a popular staple of many people’s late afternoon TV viewing, it seems that Channel 4 may be looking to mix things up a little.

‘Deal of No Deal’ still manages to pull in around 2 million viewers and is still often one of the most watched programs on the channel on a regular basis. However, it appears that Channel 4 are holding off on extending Noel’s contract and many sources claim that producers are considering ditching the show entirely in favor of a total scheduling shake-up.

Edmonds himself has already clearly stated that he would love to stay on; the bearded maverick has hosted Deal or No Deal since its first appearance on our screens way back in 2005. But whether his enthusiasm to carry on will sway producers remains to be seen and bosses could even replace him in an attempt to refresh the format. Sources have also claimed that bosses at Channel 4 believe the game show is too dull and repetitive and is failing to compete with ITV’s The Chase or even BBC’s Pointless.

Any move to scrap the show would come as a shock to die-hard fans who would point to Channel 4 mainstay countdown in arguing that repetition can endure. After 33 years the maths-based staple is still going strong and shows no signs of wavering. The success of Deal or No Deal away from our screens will also be a factor for executives to consider. The format has inspired a number of pub games across the country as well as Bust the Bank online slot and it’s been reported that Channel 4 have made millions over the years from licensing rights and flogging merchandise.

In its decade-long history, more than £40 million in prize money has been dished out, a record-breaking figure for a British daytime show. Even though the original concept hailed from the Netherlands the UK version has become a bit of a British institution and the daytime TV schedule will not be the same without it for some. The question Channel 4 now has to ask is will the show continue? Deal or no deal?