WHILE many telly shows have fans hooked, a handful falter at the first episode.
As programmes such as gain a mass following – with a demand that’s so strong it’s – others have viewers reaching for the remote to switch series’ within seconds.
Here we take a look at the programmes that ended up on television’s scrap heap – and which left fans boycotting them in their droves.
GENIUS GAME
David Tennant’s new programme, Genius Game, has been
, hosted by the formerstar, received subparviewing figures on its launch.
Recently the show, which cost more than £2.5million to make, plunged to measly average of 739,000 in ratings.
It was thrashed byRace Across the World last Wednesday and beaten onby The Sun’s documentary,
A television insider said: “The Genius Game was a reflection of ITV’s rush to create the next big challenge show following the huge success of.
“They choseas he’s such a household name, although his not-insubstantial fee also inflated the cost of making the programme. Yet despite pumping so much money into the show, it hasn’t delivered ratings wise.”;;
DISTRACTION
Distraction was a short-lived game show, fronted by Jimmy Carr.
It aired on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2004 and kicked off with four contestants, who tackled a series of challenges.
The UK version was the flagship, but it was cancelled after two series.
One game show hopeful even claimed they were in a scene which never made it to screen.
NAKED JUNGLE
This was a one-off show, which was never recommissioned.
It was even voted “one of the worst British television programmes ever”;; by a Radio Times poll in 2006.
Back in 2000, Keith Chegwin hosted the only series of the assault course game show based on children’s show Jungle Run.
All the and even Keith dropped his drawers for the occasion.
SHAFTED
Althoughtelevision career lasted across decades, the ill-judged 2001 quiz show Shafted did not.
The programme asked contenders to either share their winnings with their competitors or shaft them to take it all.
If both contestants chose to shaft each other, both left with nothing.
The 2001 series was given the boot after just four episodes on ITV in the November of that year.
24HR QUIZ
This failed quiz show was hosted by, otherwise actor Shaun Wallace.
ITV’s first ever reality meets quiz show had three broadcasts throughout weekdays.
The show’s creator – Pointless’sRichard Osman– admitted: “It didn’t really work.”;;
It was broadcast between February and April 2004.
DON’T SCARE THE HARE
Narrated byand hosted by Jason Bradbury, Don’t Scare The Hare was a trippy game show on BBC One in 2011.
Players had to complete forest-themed games without rousing a giant animatronic rabbit for £15,000.
After ratings remained low, BBC’s entertainment controller Mark Linsey said: “Obviously Hare is not going well.
“It was a huge risk we took – it’s co-hosted by an animatronic hare – and while it’s proved successful with children, we were hoping there would be enough knowingness within the show to draw in the adults.
“There wasn’t enough of that, which is where it fell down.”;;
