Future of ITV quiz show with huge A-list host thrown into chaos after schedule shake-up
AFTER dismal ratings forced ITV to slash David Tennant’s quiz show from the schedule, The Genius Game’s future is now up in the air.
Despite being set to air on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a month, the reality programme will now switch to a weekly rollout of one episode a week.
The 54-year-old host drew just 800,00 viewers in the 9pm slot last week – forcing TV bosses to rethink their options.
The show’s future with the Doctor Who star is now up in the air as insiders speculate on the possibility of it being axed.
However, it’s believed decisions regarding a second series being commissioned is “too premature”.
An ITV spokesman said: “Genius Game remains in the peak schedule on ITV1 at 9pm on Wednesdays and is available to view on ITVX.”
The Genius Game became one of ITV‘s lowest-performing shows in recent years.
Over on the BBC, Race Across The World, which airs in the same timeslot as Genius Game, thrashed the programme when it came to viewers – achieving a new series peak of 5.9million viewers.
The Genius Game series is adapted from a South Korean format as it brings together a few of the country’s most clever and sharp minds competing in never-before-seen games.
The games are “all designed to not only test their intellectual acumen but encourage them to carefully and creatively use the art of manipulation to outfox their opponents and win a cash prize”.
After a sudden schedule change, the show will now run over seven weeks rather than four.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? celebrity specials will replace the show’s timeslot on a Thursday, at least for this week and next.
Episodes of the programme also remain available to view on ITVX.