Latest news with #TheGeniusGame
Metro
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I'm hooked on ITV's ‘most expensive flop' - even if I don't fully get it
Everything David Tennant touches usually turns to gold. Since becoming a household name as The Doctor in Doctor Who, he's been inescapable – from Broadchurch, to Rivals and even presenting the Baftas. Unless you're Kemi Badenoch, the 54-year-old Scottish actor cannot put a foot wrong. That is, until ITV's The Genius Game – a new game show that has been branded the channel's 'most expensive flop'. But for me, of all the highlights of Tennant's career, this is actually the time I've enjoyed him the most. No one else might be enthralled, but we're four episodes in and there hasn't been another show since The Traitors where I am counting down the days to get my fix. The premise is… well, it's actually quite complicated – and that's where much of the criticism lies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The reality series first launched in South Korea, running for four seasons between 2013 and 2015. Contestants were usually celebrities who would compete in various challenges to test their strategic and social skills. In its first British adaptation (which I fear will only last for one series on the basis of its grim critical response and abysmal viewing figures) a group of self-proclaimed geniuses are pitted against each other in Squid Game-esque challenges that could only be played by some of the brightest minds Britain has to offer. Contestants include a philosophical poker player, a crime writer, a forensic scientist, and a doctor. Each episode, they play a game footed equally in strategy and manipulation. At the end of each game, one player is declared the loser and enters the death match, where they select a rival of their choice to play another game, which will decide who gets eliminated. The winner of the challenge receives the Token of Life, which grants them immunity from said death match, as well as garnets (worth £1,000 each). Throughout the series, they want to acquire as many garnets as possible, with the eventual player with the most garnets taking home a prize of up to £50,000. Their intelligence is tested more than in any other show – there's no specialist subject and general knowledge will get you absolutely nowhere. But I must say, I've had to rewind Tennant explaining the rules each episode more times than I'm willing to admit. This is because there are games where, no matter how many times I watch the rules, I still don't understand them. And while I can see why that is off-putting for viewers who like to have some grasp of what they're watching, I'm into it. The rules come secondary to the gameplay, which – as a diehard fan of The Traitors and almost every series that has since been launched in its wake where manipulation and deceit is key – The Genius Game is one of the more interesting. My biggest gripe with The Traitors is actually remedied in The Genius Game. In The Traitors, the finalists are usually there because they have been fairly useless throughout the series, unable to spot the villains in their midst. In The Genius Game, it is the best players and master manipulators who come out on top. Granted, if you're too good at the game, you become a target – but everyone is essentially a traitor and they're all very good at it. They are essentially not just the best brains in Britain, they're the best game players too. As a reality TV fiend, it's a total revelation watching a series where every single contestant is an incredibly strong link with tactics and logic very few of us could understand. In Layman's terms, when I watch football I don't want a bunch of amateurs you'd find at any five-aside tournament. You want the top players, the best of the best. The Genius Game is essentially The Premier League of reality game show contestants. That said, there are clear problems that need fixing. Tennant is hardly present at all. We're four episodes in and he's yet to meet the contestants face-to-face, only communicating via pre-recorded videos. That means it lacks the type of enthusiasm a host like Claudia Winkleman brings to The Traitors, which played a much bigger part of its success than she gets credit for. I personally don't enjoy The Genius Game any less for not totally understanding the game, but I can see the cause for concern that other viewers share and I'm stunned ITV didn't think that would be an issue either. The challenges have been branded 'impossible' and, subsequently, The Genius Game's initial plan to air twice a week at 9pm on ITV was scrapped to just one night a week after the viewing figures tanked. More Trending But too hard doesn't have to mean unwatchable. University Challenge viewers can hardly answer a question, but it doesn't make it less enjoyable to watch – this is because the rules are still simple. Regardless, I'm totally addicted to 'ITV's most expensive flop'. View More » I can't imagine it will ever last longer than another series but I would urge everyone to give it a chance. And who knows, with a few tweaks, it could live up to its own title and be a true stroke of genius. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: Check your passport before travelling – I'd be £500 richer if I did MORE: Keir Starmer's words on Israel aren't enough – we need action MORE: Lorraine hours slashed in huge ITV daytime TV shake up
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How David Tennant's answer to The Traitors became a huge flop for ITV - as Genius Game contestant lifts the lid on new series
Pitched as ITV 's brainy answer to The Traitors, The Genius Game - hosted by actor David Tennant - promised high-stakes mental battles and compelling drama. Based on a cult South Korean format, eleven 'geniuses' compete in logic puzzles and mind games to avoid daily elimination. Think Big Brother meets Squid Game, but with poker faces and maths problems. Yet despite a hefty £2.5 million budget, it has been a disaster for ITV and become one of the network's biggest ratings flops in years. The prime-time reality show launched with 1.2 million viewers, but by episode two that had already dropped to 846,000. Then ratings sank even lower to a meagre 739,000, prompting ITV to quietly cut the show's schedule from airing twice a week to only once. The Mail spoke exclusively to 25-year-old PhD student and competitive gamer Charlotte Yeung, one of the show's contestants, who shared what really went on - from white noise isolation and late-night meals to a mysteriously absent host Despite sleek visuals, serious strategy and the big-name pull of David Tennant, The Genius Game failed to connect. Viewers found its sterile atmosphere, vague format and lack of real drama hard to follow - or care about. So what actually happened behind the scenes? The Mail spoke exclusively to 25-year-old PhD student and competitive gamer Charlotte Yeung, one of the show's contestants, who shared what really went on - from white noise isolation and late-night meals to a mysteriously absent host. 1. David Tennant? More like Doctor Who He's billed as 'the creator', appears godlike on screen and delivers booming instructions from a big TV - but unlike The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman, the Doctor Who star never came near the cast. 'We never actually met him,' Charlotte said. 'He filmed the week before us... he's the person that appears on screen to explain the games we're playing. He's just kind of the host.' 2. White noise and locked-in silence Contestants weren't just banned from chatting off camera - they were made to sit in silence with noise-cancelling headphones blasting white noise. 'Any time we weren't being filmed, we had to go "on ice",' Charlotte admitted. 'It was very physically draining... people had headaches. We weren't allowed any off-camera interactions - they wanted everything captured.' 3. Dinner? Only if they remembered The meals themselves weren't exactly gourmet. Charlotte recalled takeaway-style food being served, usually with one vegetarian and one meat option, plus dessert. Dinner was always served between the main match and the death match, but the timing wasn't always reliable. Food was basic and sometimes overlooked altogether. 'On a rest day, I placed my order for food but forgot about it, and by 10pm I realised they also forgot to give me food,' Charlotte said. While the delivery sometimes didn't arrive on time, contestants were looked after in other ways, like having their own dressing rooms and fridges stocked with snacks and drinks they'd pre-selected before arriving. 4. The 'Watchers' were always watching Filmed on a studio set in Maidstone, Kent, the mind games didn't end when the cameras stopped rolling. Each night, contestants were shuttled to the nearby Delta Hotel by Marriott Tudor Park Country Club - but even there, the game's strict rules of isolation were firmly in place. It meant that there was no late-night whispers and no secret pacts. 'There were two corridors the contestants were based on, and at the end of each one was a watcher to make sure nobody was knocking on other doors or having conversations,' said Charlotte. These silent guards were stationed day and night, there to keep players apart. 'On our rest days, watchers were there the whole day,' Charlotte explained. 'If we needed help, they'd help - but mainly they were making sure no one was knocking on doors or talking.' One evening, Charlotte opened her door to ask for help. 'They were super helpful and got one of the hotel staff for me. But it definitely reminded you - someone was always there.' 5. Gruelling days on set 'Our filming days were approximately... I would go in at around 9am and we'd finish around 10 or 11. It's 12 hours,' Charlotte said. Each contestant was transported separately to avoid off-camera bonding: 'We were in different cars... we weren't allowed to speak that much.' 6. Not all players were what they seemed While 11 contestants appeared on screen at the start of the series, Charlotte said not everyone was totally upfront about what they did. 'I didn't lie about my occupation or anything, and I only mentioned my role in games a few episodes in. But there were definitely some contestants who did hide what their actual occupations were, or, I guess you could say, someone had two jobs and they only said one of them, and it turns out that the other one was clearly more threatening. I only realised that very late down the line.' 7. Dressed to Impress While the show didn't provide a wardrobe, it did come with its own stylist. Contestants were told to pack clothes that reflected their personal style - but the order they appeared in was strictly curated. 'In the morning we had a stylist visit us,' said Charlotte. 'They chose what order our clothes would come in for the episodes. We also had makeup artists each morning.' 8. Getting cast was its own game The application process wasn't for the faint-hearted. Charlotte recalled: 'It was an application, then a phone interview, then a Zoom interview, then an in-person audition. Then you'd either be rejected, accepted, or waitlisted.' The process began with a questionnaire asking for basic information like your name, occupation, age, where you heard about the show, and any accolades you might have. Charlotte shared her achievements, including making the Dean's list at university. 'I'm an eSports player,' she said, noting that this was a key part of her pitch. 'I thought maybe I could take the eSports representative slot, like they had in the Korean version.' The producers were clearly casting for a variety of contestants. 'All the contestants are so different. I think they were trying to get everything - different game backgrounds, ages, genders. I wanted to be the token esports player, but I don't think they focused on that. 'In all the ads I'm just a PhD student, which is fine - because I am just a PhD student - but it would be better if they focused more on the game side of people. Charlotte added: 'I would want to get more people from different games backgrounds. I think that was slightly where they dropped the ball a little bit. I would love to see a grand master chess player. We did have poker players, so it's not it's not terrible.' 9. Yes, there was therapy Producers took contestant wellbeing seriously. 'Right after we were accepted, we were put in touch with someone to check we were fit to do the show - mentally fit, and they checked criminal records. After the show we had an exit interview, then another session with a psychologist to check we were okay.' Contestants were also given a 'social media pack'. 'They showed us what to do in cases of trolling. They recommend you block, or even go private. They were very supportive.' 10. They got paid a measly salary 'We had a salary for the days we were filming,' said Charlotte. 'Travel, food and hotel was paid. If you got cut on the first day, you got paid for that day and sent back. If you stayed, you got paid for all the days.' And the set itself? Surprisingly luxe. 'We had our own dressing rooms. The actual rooms you see in the episode were very well put together. They filled our fridge with snacks we said we liked before arriving.' From surveillance-style silence to white noise-induced headaches, The Genius Game may be a mental competition - but it also tested nerves, stamina and patience. Charlotte put it best: 'It's very fair... but very physically draining.' Still, she described the experience as 'the best weeks of my life,' saying she'd 'give anything to go back.' She loved the chance to use all the 'gears in [her] brain' and came away feeling proud and more confident. 'I would recommend it to the whole world,' she said. 'If I could get a job just playing games like that for the rest of my life, I would.'
The Irish Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Future of ITV quiz show with huge A-list host thrown into chaos after schedule shake-up
AFTER dismal ratings forced ITV to slash David Tennant's quiz show from the schedule, The Genius Game's future is now up in the air. Despite being set to air on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a month, the reality programme will now switch to a Advertisement 2 David Tennant's new show wasn't a hit with fans Credit: ITV The 54-year-old host drew just 800,00 viewers in the 9pm slot last week - forcing TV bosses to rethink their options. The show's future with the Doctor Who star is now up in the air as insiders speculate on the possibility of it being axed. However, it's believed decisions regarding a second series being commissioned is "too premature". An ITV spokesman said: "Genius Game remains in the peak schedule on ITV1 at 9pm on Wednesdays and is available to view on ITVX ." Advertisement READ MORE ON ITV The Genius Game became one of ITV 's lowest-performing shows in recent years. Over on the BBC , Race Across The World, which airs in the same timeslot as Genius Game, thrashed the programme when it came to viewers - achieving a new series peak of 5.9million viewers. The Genius Game series is adapted from a South Korean format as it brings together a few of the country's most clever and sharp minds competing in never-before-seen games. The games are "all designed to not only test their intellectual acumen but encourage them to carefully and creatively use the art of manipulation to outfox their opponents and win a cash prize". Advertisement Most read in News TV After a sudden schedule change, the show will now run over seven weeks rather than four. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? celebrity specials will replace the show's timeslot on a Thursday, at least for this week and next. Episodes of the programme also remain available to view on ITVX. 2 The players battle it out to test their intellectual acumen Credit: ITV Advertisement David Tennant Bafta blunder
Scottish Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Future of ITV quiz show with huge A-list host thrown into chaos after schedule shake-up
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AFTER dismal ratings forced ITV to slash David Tennant's quiz show from the schedule, The Genius Game's future is now up in the air. Despite being set to air on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a month, the reality programme will now switch to a weekly rollout of one episode a week. 2 David Tennant's new show wasn't a hit with fans Credit: ITV The 54-year-old host drew just 800,00 viewers in the 9pm slot last week - forcing TV bosses to rethink their options. The show's future with the Doctor Who star is now up in the air as insiders speculate on the possibility of it being axed. However, it's believed decisions regarding a second series being commissioned is "too premature". An ITV spokesman said: "Genius Game remains in the peak schedule on ITV1 at 9pm on Wednesdays and is available to view on ITVX." The Genius Game became one of ITV's lowest-performing shows in recent years. Over on the BBC, Race Across The World, which airs in the same timeslot as Genius Game, thrashed the programme when it came to viewers - achieving a new series peak of 5.9million viewers. The Genius Game series is adapted from a South Korean format as it brings together a few of the country's most clever and sharp minds competing in never-before-seen games. The games are "all designed to not only test their intellectual acumen but encourage them to carefully and creatively use the art of manipulation to outfox their opponents and win a cash prize". After a sudden schedule change, the show will now run over seven weeks rather than four. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? celebrity specials will replace the show's timeslot on a Thursday, at least for this week and next. Episodes of the programme also remain available to view on ITVX. 2 The players battle it out to test their intellectual acumen Credit: ITV
