The Traitors is transformed into a QUIZ show by ITV bosses following huge success of BBC show
AFTER the success of The Traitors, ITV2 is developing a quiz named Trivial Deceit, which has distinct echoes of the BBC One hit.
Like the show hosted by Claudia Winkleman, contestants have to deceive their way to a pot of money.
They’re asked trivia questions and, if they don’t know the answer, they have to lie.
The only way they can progress to the next question is if convince everyone that they have answered correctly.
A TV insider said: “Treachery is now a buzzword among TV execs, thanks to The Traitors.
“They’re looking for almost any way to incorporate it into a format — and it was only a matter of time before a quiz took it on.
“Trivial Deceit is only at the pilot stage, but if it progresses it could be on screens next year.”
ITV was already looking at a similar quiz concept called The Imposter, hosted by Rob Rinder and Danny Dyer has unveiled quiz show Cheat on Netflix.
Plus I exclusively revealed in July C4 were also making a cookery show involving a big helping of treachery, called Cutthroat Kitchen.
But I think we’re giving too much credit to The Traitors for inspiring telly skullduggery — as anyone who’s viewed a bottom three boardroom knifing on The Apprentice will know.
ZARA GIVES ’EM THE SLIP
ZARA McDERMOTT swapped her dancing shoes for slippers as she headed to film Strictly’s couples reveal show at London’s Elstree Studios yesterday.
The ex-Love Islander was joined by former Corrie star Ellie Leach as she stepped out of a hotel into the late summer heatwave.
The pair were joined outside the television studios by Bad Education’s Layton Williams and Family Fortunes legend Les Dennis.
This series’ 15 partnerships will be revealed as part of the launch show next week.
It comes after I previously told that the first episode will also include a tribute to late head judge Len Goodman, with judges and pros recalling their fond memories of the show veteran who died in April.
Strictly launches at 6.35pm on September 16 on BBC One.
WILLIAM FACING REALITY
LIFE hasn’t been easy for William Ellis since joining EastEnders in April.
The actor – who plays teacher Theo Hawthorne in the soap – revealed he has been verbally abused by fans over his character’s creepy behaviour towards Stacey Slater, played by Lacey Turner.
He said: “People think it’s real and EastEnders is in some people’s living rooms for two hours a week, so you do get strange looks.
“I was on a flight the other week and I got called a nonce by a group of people who had obviously been watching. It was friendly . . .
“I chat to fans and they say ‘Have you been teaching today?’
“People really live for this imagined reality and it becomes their own reality.
“It’s been a bit of a shock to the system that people see that character in you as you’re walking down the street.”
Catch the next episode of EastEnders on Monday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
SLICE OF ICE LIFE
WE’RE used to the cutting remarks on Dancing On Ice, but they’re the least of the worries for the show’s competitors, according to Jayne Torvill.
The ITV1 show judge revealed she has had to warn the next round of celebrity hopefuls that their fingers could be sliced off by stray blades if they don’t follow her health and safety rules.
To cut the risk of injury, she has encouraged contestants currently auditioning for the competition to wear gloves, as well as to fall backwards on to their bums, until they’re confident on the ice.
Jayne said: “We are auditioning for this year’s Dancing On Ice at the moment. We’ve had some challenges, it’s quite challenging for the coaches, but we get there.
“We do tell our new celebrities to wear gloves when they first start, particularly if you are in a public session, as if you fall over, you put your hand out.
“Ice is unforgiving, it’s very slippy.”
PRIME TAPS UP NICOLE
NICOLE KIDMAN takes a bath in a first look at her new Amazon Prime Video series Expats, set in Hong Kong.
The Hollywood actress, who plays character Margaret with a jaw-length bob, enjoys the moment of relaxation during an otherwise tense scene.
Set in 2014, the six-part series tells housewife Margaret’s story, alongside fellow American expats Hilary and Mercy, played by Sarayu Blue and Ji-Young Yoo, after their paths cross following a tragedy.
The three women are joined by Brian Tee as Margaret’s husband Clarke, as well as Boardwalk Empire’s Jack Huston as Hilary’s husband David.
The series, written by Lulu Wang, is based on the novel The Expatriates, by Janice YK Lee, and comes to Prime Video in 2024 after today’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
MARRIED At First Sight’s Whitney Hughes, ex-Love Islander Rebecca Gormley and Model Farmers’ Natty Zach are to film new reality show Off The Hook for OnlyFans’ streaming platform.
In the series, they party by night in Mallorca and learn to be fisherwomen by day.
PADDY’S HITTING BIG TIME
HOUSE Of Dragons star Paddy Considine has swapped the red carpets of Hollywood for the Emerald Isle to film a new Sky drama.
He will be joined by Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks for the series titled Small Town Big Story.
The six-part comedy drama, created by The IT Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd, is set in the fictional rural town of Drumban, which boasts more of its fair share of misfits.
But the residents struggle to keep their secrets under wraps when a movie production company rolls in to film their sleepy town.
Small Town Big Story is currently filming in the UK and Ireland.
It will premiere on Sky in 2024.