ITV’s strategy to snatch Graham Norton from the BBC has hit a major roadblock after the debut of his new show, The Neighbourhood, suffered dismal ratings.
Graham Norton’s big move from BBC to ITV with his new reality show The Neighbourhood seems to be in chaos after the show’s ratings plummeted dramatically. Initially given a prime slot between I’m A Celebrity All Stars’ live final, the show has struggled to attract viewers, with numbers falling to just 500,000 by episode three.
An ITV insider revealed: “It would be a massive coup to bring Graham away from the BBC with a long-term project, but The Neighbourhood has been a bit of a damp squib despite everything being thrown at it.”
The show, which launched in April 2024, was meant to captivate audiences with a street-wide popularity contest featuring real households from across the UK, with a £250,000 prize for the last house standing. Graham’s role involves stirring the pot via a group WhatsApp chat, but the show has been criticized as a poor imitation of ITV’s The Traitors.
Television critics have branded the show ‘dreadful’ and ‘tired,’ with many fans quick to slam the programme. One viewer shared their disappointment online: “It was dreadful. I couldn’t stay with it after 15 minutes. Awful TV.” Another said, “Seems like ITV is desperately trying to recreate The Traitors success.”
Despite the negative reaction, some fans have defended the show, calling it a refreshing change. One viewer said, “Am I the only one loving The Neighbourhood? It’s so much better than Britain’s Got Talent.”
However, it seems that for ITV, The Neighbourhood has failed to live up to expectations, and with Graham’s move to ITV now in doubt, questions remain about his future on the network. With the show currently suffering from declining viewership and mixed reviews, it remains to be seen whether Graham’s charm can salvage this project.
Graham, who has long been a BBC favourite, previously expressed excitement about his transition to ITV and his first foray into reality TV, saying, “I feel confident that The Neighbourhood will be the nation’s favourite destination.” But with The Neighbourhood struggling to capture the audience’s attention, the journey to make it a success could be more difficult than anticipated.
As of now, it remains unclear whether ITV will continue to pursue the TV host or reconsider the entire plan. The situation continues to unfold, with fans and critics alike eager to see what’s next for Graham Norton.
