ITV axes Saturday night prime time show after host jumps ship to BBC
ITV have axed another of its prime-time shows with a HUGE star set to make way for live sport.
The programme won’t make a return to screens this autumn, as the broadcaster opts to show the Rugby World Cup 2023.
ITV show Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow will be set aside to make room for the live sporting event in September and October.
The show, hosted by comedian Alan, 46, is being “rested” this year, and won’t return for a new series.
The family-friendly series featured a super-sized reboot of retro game shows, including darts game Bullseye and guessing game Name That Tune.
Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow, which debuted on ITV in 2020, has so far aired for three successful seasons.
However, despite its huge popularity, sources have confirmed it won’t be making a comeback in 2023.
Show insiders told The Sun that it’s being “rested” to make way for the Rugby World Cup 2023.
This week, it was revealed that the BBC have nabbed Alan Carr from ITV after he was snubbed for the Britain’s Got Talent judging job in favour of Bruno Tonioli.
He will become one of the big new faces of BBC1’s Saturday night line-up as host of new quiz show Picture Slam.
A TV insider said of the move: “Getting the big-money signing is payback for Alan, who was viewed as a shoo-in as replacement for the exiting David Walliams as BGT judge.
“It was a slight to be in the running for the position for months only to be knocked out of the race at the last minute – particularly as Bruno shot to fame on a BBC show.
“Alan could be an even bigger star of Saturday night telly that he might have been had he got the role on the BGT panel.”
It comes after it was revealed that ANOTHER ITV show was being skipped to make way for the sporting events.
The Masked Dancer is also set to miss a year because of the Rugby World Cup, after just two series.
Launching in 2021 after the success of The Masked Singer, the series sees 12 mystery celebrities battle it out.
While Ninja Warrior was also parked for a year as the broadcasting schedule is packed with rugby this autumn.
The programme, hosted by Ben Shephard, Chris Kamara and Rochelle Humes, first aired in 2015 and returned to screens last year after a three-year hiatus.