ITV’s newest game show has made a solid first impression, with viewers declaring it ’10 times better’ than The Neighbourhood, which had a pretty rough run.
Hosted by Graham Norton, the reality show followed real households competing for a £250,000 prize. Alas, it failed to secure a loyal audience and was pulled from its primetime slot following dwindling ratings each week.
Hoping to succeed where The Neighbourhood failed is Nobody’s Fool, fronted by Emily Atack and Danny Dyer.
Tipped with the potential to become the next Traitors, the quiz show plays on the success of saucy drama series Rivals, in which Emily plays Sarah Stratton and Danny plays Freddie Jones.
‘It’s not about how smart you are, but how smart your rivals think you are. Expect lying, scheming, and a whole lot of quizzing,’ teases Nobody’s Fool’s synopsis.
As for the format, 10 contestants stay in a ‘unique and mischievous Smart House,’ which tests intelligence.
In a game of strategy, players must eliminate the worst performer among them, or they will lose half the prize pot.
Nobody’s Fool was first broadcast last night after the final Britain’s Got Talent semi-final in the 9pm slot.
From there, it’ll air on Sunday and Monday evenings at 9pm on ITV1, and episodes can be streamed on ITVX.
It’s fair to say the game show market is saturated these days, meaning it takes a lot for one to stand out and keep viewers coming back.
However, Nobody’s Fool got off to a strong start.
Taking to X, viewers were admittedly shocked by how much they enjoyed its debut.
@roaringleo89 called it ‘addicting’, adding: ‘Great new reality competition show! I’m hooked!’
@JuFitJuJu also praised the ‘twists’, while @JulieMc14795436 predicted: ‘I’m going to really like this.’
@KingOfSunshine ‘will be watching again’, and @SocialMediaJon1 already ‘can’t wait’ for more.
‘Oh I am ENJOYING this… Much more than Neighborhood…’, wrote @TMSdrawings.
‘It’s a bit Traitors/Generation Game/The Chase…and I’m here for it!’, added @gillyn4.
Others need warming up a bit more, though, as @ryxtilley accused the format of ‘ripping off’ The Traitors, and @JeffDGraves said it was ‘not original’.
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Launching in the middle of a UK heatwave also likely didn’t help Nobody’s Fool’s campaign, as ratings were lacklustre.
Episode 1 garnered 875k viewers, half a million down on The Neighbourhood as well as Genius Game, which was hosted by David Tennant and landed on the chopping block after just one season.
Commenting on the figures, @KingOfSunshine tweeted: ‘Episode 1 Hottest day of the year combined with Saturday night launch doesn’t give the full picture I would say. Give it a chance to bed in and see. Certainly a much more enjoyable watch compared to other shows launched recently’.
Over the past couple of years, ITV has aired several new reality shows and quizzes.
Sadly, though, not all have triumphed like The 1% Club or been guaranteed a renewal like Love Island.
Instead, Stephen Mangan’s The Fortune Hotel has not yet been confirmed for a third season, Sir Stephen Fry-fronted Jeopardy! UK will not return, and Pictionary, presented by Mel Giedroyc, had its plug pulled after one outing.
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Reality-wise, viewers haven’t been sold by the likes of Celebrity Sabotage and Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters also tanked, with hopes for a second season dead in the water.
Whether Nobody’s Fool can restore audiences’ faith in the channel remains to be seen, but it should help having a link to the next season of Rivals, which launched last week.
With an ensemble cast comprising Alex Hassell, Katherine Parkinson, Aidan Turner, and more, series 1 was a huge win for Disney+, becoming the 10th most-streamed series in the US in October 2024.
A second season was subsequently given the green light to continue the adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel series.
Nobody’s Fool airs Sunday and Monday at 9pm on ITV1, and episodes can be streamed on ITVX.
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