Ant and Dec are churning out another game show – why? The genre has already peaked

Creativity has no limits, so there will always be opportunities to go further with new game show ideas. Still, argues Laura Denby, that doesn’t mean broadcasters actually need to do so

Ant and Dec attending the National Television Awards 2021 (Gareth Cattermole/Getty)

ITV recently commissioned a new game show Limitless Win, created and hosted by Ant and Dec. It’s the latest in a steady stream of additions to an overflowing genre that is dominating television. But it’s time to leave the format alone.

Game shows are a staple of our British TV experience, featuring in schedules every day from noon until night. Beat The Chasers, a spin-off to ITV’s The Chase, has just won the National Television Award for “Quiz Game Show”; so their universal popularity is obvious.

But the fact that broadcasters have these established hits on their hands should encourage them to retain their status by nurturing them. This may not be possible when, instead, every channel is continuously introducing the next big production.