ITV viewers have slammed new entertainment series The Box, after it made its debut last night.
In the latest of a string of new formats trialed by the channel, Gary Lineker proceeds as a bunch of celebrities exit boxes, finding themselves in a middle of a task they need to solve. That’s after they spend some time together getting to bond.
It’s as if entertainment bosses saw the original TV version and thought “it’s kind of like The Traitors when they do a task, so people will love it”.
The celebs themselves will come as no surprise to you... step forward Joey Essex and Sara Davies. We also get JB Gill, Ranvir Singh and new Strictly It Takes Two host Ellie Taylor.
ITV has scheduled the series to run on both Saturday and Sunday nights in a bid to lure viewers away from Strictly, imminently arriving on BBC One.
They’ve got no chance.
Within minutes of The Box airing, viewers took to social media to say how confused they were by the format, and how much they didn’t like it.
@robinhood2022 wrote: “how on earth can that Shakira and the YouTuber be classed even as minor celebs? The show was painful try-hard shit and we presume there won’t be another run...”
@dpt2891 wrote: “ITV continues its pattern of awful shows that won’t (hopefully) be back”
@kathryn521605 wrote: “I think ITV takes the public for fools, and believes that we will watch any old drivel, that is ‘pushed’ at us by them !!!!😠
ITV please note:- We are very fussy over the quality of the programmes we watch, and don’t want the rubbish that is given to us by the channel !!!!”
@Neil7833 wrote: “Maybe the worst thing ever shown in British TV. Even worse than that paddy crap browns boys. Embarrassing”
@Onecrispygrhama wrote: “It’s heavily edited, over-produced bilge. It’s so far removed from what most people know as Saturday evening entertainment. Add “celebs” that are unknown to most and you have a programme that people don’t care for and have no affiliation with”.
And the critics agree.
The Guardian say “no one knows what’s going on here … least of all Gary Lineker”.
The Independent hated it, saying “Gary Lineker’s big new ITV gameshow is an existential crisis in telly form”
The Telegraph summarise it beautifully, writing “Gary Lineker’s game show would be better if he were locked in The Box”.
The Box looks certain to be the latest in a string of big and expensive entertainment flops from the channel, following the likes of The Neighbourhood with Graham Norton, You Bet! with Stephen Mulhern and David Tennant’s The Genius Game.
No wonder they’re looking to bring The X Factor back…
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