Channel 4 axes biggest show after eight series – leaving spin-off series in its place
CHANNEL 4 is to axe hit reality programme SAS: Who Dares Wins after a run of eight series.
It comes amid rumours that the broadcaster — home to The Great British Bake Off, Gogglebox and Grand Designs — is reviewing many of its long-running shows.
Last night bosses were forced to deny that claim — but confirmed they were binning the treasured military training show, which launched in 2015.
A TV insider said: “Losing such a big-name show is a disturbing sign for C4 as it faces an uncertain future in a market which will be difficult for even the biggest broadcasters and streaming services.
“Although the show’s celebrity spin-off will continue, losing the civilian version will be worrying given that it’s one of the channel’s best-known brands. The fear now is that it may be a sign of things to come.”
The show’s axing comes two years after its famous chief instructor, Ant Middleton, 42, was dismissed for what was described as his “personal conduct.”
He was replaced by actor and former US Marine, Rudy Reyes, 51.
Channel 4 managed to dodge the threat of privatisation earlier this year — but fears have now turned to advertising revenue.
It is forecast to fall as much as 20 per cent for stations, and insiders believe C4 will find it harder to weather than others.
Concerns grew further last week when a reboot of C4 show Four Weddings was called off at the very last minute.
A spokesman for C4 said: “Due to the huge success of Celebrity SAS we have shifted our focus to prioritise this strand. A longer, eight-part series is to commence filming in the summer.
“It is categorically untrue to suggest that we are reviewing all of our long standing shows with a view to discontinuing them.”
Bad sign of more to come
IF Channel 4 viewers weren’t already worried, they should be now.
Losing SAS Who Dares Wins is a bad omen and I doubt it will be their last big brand to go.
The problem isn’t just the falling ad revenues or commissioning splurge following the lull of the Covid pandemic.
It’s also the expensive new programmes, like reality competition Rise & Fall, which flopped.
C4 bosses also pay huge sums to host shows including The Great British Bake Off, which don’t always get top ratings.
Last year’s final scored 5.9million viewers compared with 10million two years ago.
It’s a perfect storm which requires changen.
Binning old shows isn’t beyond the pale so long as they deliver new hits.