Huge ITV primetime show AXED after being trounced in ratings by BBC’s Gladiators revival

CHALLENGE Show Ninja Warrior launched connected ITV successful 2015, fans of Gladiators were thrilled by its similarities to the then-defunct household favourite.

It had the aforesaid gruelling climbs, hair-raising leaps, and an almost-impossible ascent to the decorativeness enactment of Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu’s Nineties classic.

But those echoes person proven to beryllium the downfall of Chris Kamara’s doppelganger.

I tin uncover that ITV has been forced to axe Ninja Warrior, arsenic the reboot of Gladiators has smashed it successful the ratings.

A root said: “For years Ninja Warrior was 1 of ITV’s biggest shows and scooped up each those families who missed Gladiators.

“Ben Shephard, Rochelle Humes, and Kammy made the bid a large success.

“But erstwhile the BBC revived Gladiators past year, it sounded the decease knell for ITV’s ninjas. It was an implicit ratings champion, pulling successful implicit six cardinal viewers versus 1.6 cardinal for Ninja Warrior’s past bid successful 2022.

“A determination was truthful taken to remainder Ninja Warrior for good.”

Gladiators volition instrumentality to the BBC for a 2nd bid aboriginal next twelvemonth and volition see a celebrity special.

Ninja Warrior’s archetypal bid finale successful May 2015 drew successful 4.08 cardinal viewers, with its champion show successful February 2017 astatine 4.18 million.

After bid five, the amusement took a three-year hiatus, past returned successful September 2022 with a caller Race For Glory format of head-to-head races against nonrecreational warriors.

A spot similar connected Gladiators...

Thanks but nary planks

It’s the gripping, knee-trembling I’m A Celebrity opener that has proven excessively terrifying for galore a household name.

But I tin uncover that this year’s campmates, including Wag Coleen Rooney and boxer Barry McGuigan, won’t person to Walk The Plank due to the fact that bosses person axed the trial.

The challenge saw celebs wobble on a plank suspended from the 100m-tall Focus Building successful Surfer’s Paradise, Australia.

But producers person decided to alteration things this twelvemonth and are replacing it with a caller situation – which they importune is conscionable arsenic scary.

A amusement root said: “Bosses are staying tight-lipped connected what they’ve got lined up to regenerate the plank, but remainder assured it volition beryllium arsenic arsenic terrifying and exhilarating.

"They are pulling retired each the stops to guarantee the amusement has a spectacular motorboat that viewers won’t privation to miss.”

Walk The Plank was introduced to the show’s curtain-raiser episodes successful 2017.

Made In Chelsea prima and erstwhile Queen of the Jungle Georgia Toffolo was among the archetypal to instrumentality it on. Last year, the plank was replaced with a rod for the challenge, which had EastEnders histrion Danielle Harold screaming successful terror.

But 1 prima who won’t beryllium bittersweet to spot it spell is Loose Women’s Charlene White – who was stuck connected the borderline of the plank for 45 minutes portion chap camper Babatunde Aleshe had a meltdown and past pulled retired of the situation successful 2022.

ITV volition request to person thing precise bully up their sleeves to vie with that.

Weddy for Wolf Hall

WHEN  Wolf Hall returns this weekend, the enactment volition prime up precisely wherever things near off.

A teaser look astatine the archetypal fewer minutes of the BBC One drama, which returns connected Sunday astatine 9pm, flashes backmost to scenes of Claire Foy arsenic Anne Boleyn successful its past occurrence successful 2015.

And interspersed with the brutal shots of her execution is the archetypal look astatine Damian Lewis returning arsenic King Henry VIII, arsenic helium weds his 3rd wife, Jane Seymour, played by Kate Phillips.

Meeting with Mark Rylance arsenic the power-hungry and societal climbing Oliver Cromwell, Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s Rafe Sadler asks aft the execution: “Did it person to beryllium this way, truthful bloody?”

To which Oliver responds: “When dialog and compromise fail, past the lone people is to destruct your force earlier they aftermath successful the morning, person the axe successful your hand.”

The caller bid volition besides spot the instrumentality of Jonathan Pryce arsenic Cardinal Wolsey and Lilit Lesser arsenic the young Princess Mary.

Witness Maggie's arrival

Two caller faces are joining the formed of Silent Witness arsenic it gears up to instrumentality successful 2025.

The caller bid volition absorption connected a disturbing enigma that sees an aged pistillate recovered dormant successful a cave.

Rivals histrion Maggie Steed volition play Harriet Maven, the caller Head of the Lyell Centre, portion The Witcher: Blood Origin histrion Francesca Mills portrays crime expert Kit Brooks.

Maggie said: “I’ve enjoyed it galore times implicit the years, and it’s ever been the astir intriguing bid going, truthful it’s been a thrill to join.”

It comes soon aft it was confirmed the play series, which airs connected BBC One and iPlayer, had been greenlit for a 29th bid earlier the 28th has adjacent aired.

The finale of the past series, which stars Emilia Fox and David Caves arsenic forensic pathologists Nikki and Jack, ended connected a cliffhanger arsenic the 2 got engaged.

THE BEEB has green-lit different bid of Garden Rescue. Presenter Charlie Dimmock volition beryllium helping makeover much extracurricular abstraction aft signing up again for the deed amusement successful 2025.

A root said: “Execs commissioned an 11th tally earlier its latest bid has adjacent made it to air.”

Office? Not connected my watch

The Office is 1 of the astir palmy sitcoms, watched and loved by millions astir the world.

But 1 antheral who avoided tuning successful to the Noughties BBC comedy was 1 of its biggest stars – Mackenzie Crook. The histrion – who played workplace nerd Gareth Keenan – utilized to power it disconnected due to the fact that helium could not carnivore to beryllium witnesser to his ain performance.

He told Virgin Radio UK: “The Office was the 1 that opened each the doors for me, and I tin ticker that with the clip passed.

“I don’t cognize if I could for a portion afterwards, due to the fact that I could spot myself acting, everyone other seems to beryllium wholly natural.

“I’m fortunate to person been afforded each the opportunities to bash what I’ve done.”