ITV’s ‘most expensive flop in years’ poised to be axed after reaching new low by having less viewers than nature doc
ITV is poised to axe expensive flop The Genius Game after its finale had the same viewing figures as a BBC2 show about pangolins.
The reality game show hosted by David Tennant is believed to have cost £2.5million to make but drew an average audience of 661,000 by the end.
That was matched by Pangolins: The World’s Most Wanted Animal which looked at why the scaly creatures are so endangered.
A TV insider said: “Publicly ITV maintains that no firm decision has been taken, but most execs and commissioners view it as a disaster.
“Not only did it occupy a primetime 9pm slot, it had a big-name host and was seen as a potential rival for BBC’s The Traitors.
“But of the five main channels on June 11, it was beaten by two and equalled by BBC2, thanks to those pangolins.”
That night 4.2 million watched BBC1’s Race Across the World.
Channel 5’s Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts had 718,000 viewers.
The Genius Game, in which contestants take on mental challenges, drew 1.2 million at the start, slumping to 846,000 by episode two.
ITV said: “No decision has yet been made.”
Pangolins live in Africa and Asia and are hunted for their keratin scales and meat, which are said to have medicinal qualities in China.
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