Millionaire

I was actually in Amsterdam for my birthday on 16th September - (it was my b/day on the Friday!!!) and it was either his son or his daughter came into the bar (Aran Bar on Max Euweplein nr Leideseplein - my local when in A-dam!!!) asking if they could watch it on one of the TV's in the bar. Unfortunately they couldn't as Football was on!!!!!!!

So they would have been disappointed not to see him win!!!! (SHAME )

I think that they should rest Millionaire - it has more or less been on our screen constantly (except for a few weeks over summer months) for the last few years. When it first started it was an eveny TV show (just like Pokerface was a few months ago). As usual ITV has spoilt the programme.

Best suggestion would be - rest it for about 18 months and then make it an Event TV show again - showing it on a weekly basis for 2 weeks at a time (beginning of Autumn, a Celebrity Christmas edition and a celebrity New Year edition, first 2 proper weeks in January and 2 weeks just after easter)

BTW Poker face should be shown weely, in the MIllionaire slot on Saturday's, also bring back Russian Roulette (but with normal contestants instead on celebrities), as well as the Dr Fox show (from last Summer) and a couple of decent new 60 minute gameshows

18 months is a bit too long - but a few months wouldn't do any harm.

I'd run it from January to August. It should benefit in the Winter from being run alongside Dancing on Ice - and then in the summer I'd partner it with a second series of Ant and Dec's Game Show Marathon.

All ITV have to do then is find something to compete with Doctor Who in the Spring! Simple!

Weren't they planning a rival Saturday night drama?

I think 18 months is about right - think about the boredom factor that people have with the programme. It could come back fully refreshed with a new pazzazz about it. I would never do the show as a weekly thing - that's how pwople quickly get bored with it - short snappy series (i.e. Event TV - everynight, 2 weeks at a time! - as it was when it first started!)

Saturday's could look like....

1715 Regional News; Regional Weather
1745 ITV News Update; ITV National Weather
1800 TV Burp, You've Been Framed, The Hidden Camera Show, Other British Comedy Series'
1830 The X-Factor, Dancing on Ice, Stars In Their Eyes, Saturday Night Takeaway
1930 Russian Roulette, Dr Fox Gameshow, Gameshow Marathon, Poker Face, Other Gameshow series
2030 Airline, Jimmy's, Other British Fly-on-the-wall Series'
2100 ...FRom Hell, Holiday Showdown, Other British Reality Series'
2200 Parkinson, The Frank Skinner Show, Other British Chat Show Series
2300 ITV Weekend News; ITV National Weather
2330 Late Film

Love to see ITV do a new mature version of The Tomorrow People and a new version of Space 1999 for its early Sunday evening, though!!!!!!!!
Sunday's i.e.

1715 Regional News; Regional Weather
1745 ITV News Update; ITV National Weather
1800 The Tomorrow People, Moonbase Alpha, Foreign Drama Series
1900 New Bullseye, New Pyramid Game, New Catchphrase
1930 Wish You Were Here?, We Can Work It Out, Other British Consumer Series'
2000 Heartbeat, The Royal, Wild at Heart, Where The Heart Is
2100 Feature-length British Drama Series'
2300 ITV Weekend News; ITV National Weather
2330 ITV Religion

But back on topic.......

MIllionaire does need a rest - Tarrant I feel needs a rest (both professionally and personally). When it does come back ITV does need to rethink how to use the show - make it an event TV rather than a schedule filler (as it seems to be nowadays)

Though initially when they changed to weekly I would have agreed with you, I now think it has bedded down quite well as a weekly format.

ITV has enough "event programming" as it is to perk up the schedule every so often - it's shows that will bring in viewers week after week it is lacking.

Maybe though launching the series with a week of episodes wouldn't be a bad idea.

I'd like to see them do a live episode again, or at least go back to recording the show the night before it aired so winners wouldn't be leaked (as much).


Anyhow, at least they've cut out the celebrity specials so far this series!

I think running it from Jan-August is still too much - they should just show it for 2 x 8 episode series each year. That way people wouldnt get so fed up with it

Other than nobody watching it, obviously.

The trouble is if the show is still receiving thousands of calls to get on the show, and now even more for their text game then it is quite the money earner for ITV.

I agree that Chris needs a break, and that would mean taking the show with him. (Didn't they get a new female presenter for the US version only for the show to be axed shortly after?)

A change of host could improve the show although I think it is the format that is now boring rather than the host.

The US show got a female host when it became syndicated in daytime - and it's still running.

It's just the primetime version that was axed - ratings fell when they became obsessed with celeb specials.


As for a replacement host - the only person I could see doing it is Eamonn Holmes. I'd rather keep Tarrant I think!