The battle for the win in early peak

Early peak entertainment shows are an eclectic bunch, often either celebrity versions of shows promoted from daytime, or reboots of past successes from TV’s rich library.

In 2024, BBC1 delved into the annals and rediscovered a late-20th century format in need of reviving. Hungry Bear Media’s rebooted Gladiators, hosted by Bradley and Barney Walsh, opened on 13 January 2024 at 5.50pm with 8.8 million/46% after 28 days, rising to 8.9 million including 137,000 on devices – the best so far.

The inaugural 12-part series averaged 6.3 million/37%, including 66,000 on devices. ABC1 adults averaged 2.8 million/37%, with 796,000/49% for 16-34s. Series two, launching on 1 January 2025, averaged a smaller but still decent 4.5 million/31%, including 47,000 on devices, with 1.9 million/31% for ABC1s and 420,000/36% for 16-34s.

Another reboot also returned in an early Saturday peak slot in 2024. Hosted by Graham Norton, ITV1’s Wheel Of Fortune launched at 6pm on 6 January with 4.2 million/30%, including 20,000 on devices. The Whisper North series averaged 2.8 million/18%, including 14,000 on devices, with 1.1 million/15% for ABC1s and 189,000/15% for 16-34s.

The second series, which launched at 6pm on Saturday 4 January 2025, averaged only 400,000 fewer with 2.4 million/17%, including 10,000 on devices. It averaged 842,000/14% for ABC1s and 124,000/12% for 16-34s.

Some of today’s early Saturday peak titles began life in daytime. Hosted by Romesh Ranganathan, The Weakest Link was brought back to BBC1 on Wednesday 18 December 2021 at 6.25pm, where it drew 5.2 million/30%, including 34,000 on devices, with 3.1 million/ 36% for ABC1s and 405,000/22% for 16-34s – still the reboot’s best to date.

Saturday line-up

Since then, it has joined the channel’s Saturday night line-up, with the seven-episode run from 11 January 2025 averaging 2.7 million, including 2.6 million/19% on TV and 22,000 on devices, usually after 7.30pm. It averaged 1.3 million/21% for ABC1s and 168,000/15% for 16-34s.

The celebrity version of BBC1 daytime quiz Bridge Of Lies has also been moved into early Saturday peak. Hosted by Ross Kemp, the STV Studios show began in its afternoon daytime slot in March 2022. The first Saturday early peak Celebrity Bridge Of Lies launched on Saturday 14 January 2023 at 6pm, where it averaged 2.3 million/ 16%, including 9,000 on devices, across its eight episodes, with 1.2 million/19% for ABC1 adults and 127,000/11% for 16-34s.

The best of the 2025 run so far is the 15 February EastEnders’ Special at 7.50pm, with 2.2 million/17%, including 14,000 on devices, 902,000/18% for ABC1 adults and 118,000/17% for 16-34s.

Reboots aren’t necessarily a slam dunk but a tried-and-tested show does provide reassurance. More risky is introducing new formats. Hosted by soap star brothers Adam and Ryan Thomas, the most recent is ITV1’s 99 To Beat (pictured top) from Initial TV. The show opened on Saturday 22 March 2025 at 6pm with 2.5 million/19%, including 35,000 on devices, the best of the inaugural eight-part run. The opener picked up 711,000/13% for ABC1 adults and 199,000/20% for 16-34s.

Over eight Saturdays at 6pm, 99 To Beat averaged 2.1 million/18%, including 25,000 on devices, with 705,000/15% for ABC1 adults and 135,000/16% for 16-34s.

Slam dunk

Another relative newby, BBC1’s Alan Carr’s Picture Slam, launched at 5.50pm on Saturday 16 September 2023 with 2.5 million, including 2.4 million/21% on TV and 22,000 on devices. Over eight Saturdays,the series averaged 3 million/24%, including 18,000 on devices, with 1.4 million/23% for ABC1s and 142,00/13% for 16-34s.

The latest eight-part run, from Saturday 28 September 2024 at 5.30pm, averaged effectively the same with 3 million/26%, including 16,000 on devices, 1.3 million/26% for ABC1s and 166,000/19% for 16-34s.

ITV launched In With A Shout at 6pm on Saturday 8 April 2023 with 2.4 million/21%, including 11,000 on devices. Hosted by Joel Dommett, the Expectation gameshow averaged 2.3 million/18%, including 9,000 on devices, mostly at 7pm. The second series averaged 1.9 million/16%, including 7,000 on devices, over seven weeks from 20 April 2024, with 635,000/12% for ABC1s and 179,000/18% for 16-34s.

Some early-peak entertainment shows have established themselves over many years, most notably ITV1’s Catchphrase. Presented by Stephen Mulhern since it was rebooted in 2013, since 2018 it has had its own Celebrity Catchphrase spin-off, which normally airs in early peak on Saturdays.

But unusually, the 2025 run aired on Sundays at 7pm from 13 April where, after eight episodes with 28-day ratings, it is averaging 2 million/16%, including 8,000 on devices, with 739,000/13% for ABC1 and 140,000/18% 16-34s.

In comparison, the ninth series, the final episode of which aired at 7.15pm on Saturday 19 October 2024, averaged 1.9 million/14%, including 7,000 on devices, with 690,000/11% for ABC1s and 133,000/14% for 16-34s.

ITV1’s In For A Penny launched in 2019 and in recent times was paired with In With Shout. Hosted by Stephen Mulhern and co-produced by Lifted Entertainment and Mitre Television, the latest series opened at 6pm on Saturday 20 April 2024. It averaged 1.7 million/15%, including 7,000 on devices, 290,000 short of the 2023 run (2 million/17%, including 9,000 on devices).

The 2024 series averaged 606,000/12% for ABC1s and 156,000/17% for 16-34s, compared with 697,000/13% and 177,000/18% respectively in 2023.

BBC1’s The Hit List, hosted by husband-and-wife team Marvin Humes and Rochelle Humes, also began in 2019 and is currently running a Celebrity Specials series.

After three episodes with 28-day ratings from 5 April 2025 at 6.50pm, the Tuesday’s Child series is averaging 2 million/18%, including 12,000 on devices, with 894,000/19% for ABC1s and 115,000/14% for 16-34s. Last year’s non-celebrity version, which launched on Saturday 17 August 2024 at 6.20pm, averaged 2.3 million/21%, including 10,000 on devices, over six weeks, with 1.1 million/22% for ABC1s and 161,000/21% for 16-34s.

Saturday’s early evening entertainment shows are canapés or a bag of Twiglets, whetting the appetite and setting the tone for an evening of singing, dancing, dressing up as a bag of chips or even guessing the blanks. In a highly competitive part of the schedule, they play a crucial role on a day that can still define a channel.