Davina McCall’s £100k Drop has been axed less than two years after the prize money was lowered by £900,000
CHANNEL 4 has opened a trapdoor on one of its biggest quiz shows.
I can reveal Davina McCall’s £100k Drop has been axed after nearly a decade.
The show began life in 2010 as The Million Pound Drop, which aired live and allowed viewers to play along at home.
It ran until 2015, before returning as a daytime show in May last year, with a huge £900,000 slashed from the prize fund.
A TV insider said: “With players handling £1million in real cash and the trapdoor twist, Million Pound Drop was one of the most exciting shows around when it launched.
“But when ratings fell, Channel 4 bosses took a gamble of their own.
“Unfortunately, lower stakes meant low interest and now they’ve decided to cash out of the Drop for good.”
A spokeswoman confirmed: “There are no plans for The £100k Drop to return to Channel 4.
“We’d like to thank Davina and all of the team behind the show for the numerous nail-biting moments.”
Sadly, no players managed to beat the £100k Drop during its run, but two contestants — best friends David and Jonathan — came close, taking home £75,000 in June 2018.
The biggest ever winners were comedian Jack Whitehall and his dad Michael, who pocketed £300,000 for charity when they played Million Pound Drop in 2011.
Contestants were probably better off buying scratchcards on the way to the studio.
READ ON FOR MORE OF ANDY HALLS' BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Simon's got rex factor
SIMON Cowell gave a healthy donation to a dog charity at the weekend, while looking fitter than ever.
The X Factor boss showed off his super-svelte figure at a fundraiser in Barbados at the weekend, where he gave £190,000 to fund K9 Friends.
Simon, who has lost three stone after adopting a vegan diet, attended the event with his girlfriend Lauren Silverman and son Eric during their annual Caribbean break.
The mogul was seen cuddling five-year-old Eric as he met adorable mutts helped by the charity, which he and Lauren are patrons of.
It’s good to see Simon back enjoying himself after he cancelled his 60th birthday party at the last-minute in October.
After that, a quiet Christmas would be a paw show.
bizbit
CAITLYN Jenner said sorry to daughters Kylie and Kendall and the Kardashians after they were criticised for snubbing her on I’m A Celeb.
She said: “I never asked them to come down. I texted the kids to apologise.”
C4 docu is in full swing
NAKED Attraction and Embarrassing Bodies have pushed the boundaries when it comes to what is acceptable to show on telly.
But now a shockumentary is preparing to bring some even more risqué action into viewers’ front rooms.
Channel 4 will boldly go undercover at a swingers’ party this spring.
The as-yet-untitled programme will meet visitors to a high-end private members’ club – opening the doors on the world of partner-swapping.
A source said: “This new series will follow newbies as they visit one of the country’s most renowned swinging and fetish clubs to see how they like it, or not.
“While it might seem to them like a good idea at the time, there will be some very funny and toe-curling moments as the couples work out whether it is for them.
“Channel 4 has always wanted to make shows which will raise eyebrows and draw people in.
“Sex sells, so bosses are convinced people will tune in to see what these swinging clubs are like.”
Call me boring – but I don’t think it will persuade me to get involved.
must watch
WHAT? Dame Edna Rules The Waves, BBC1, Tuesday 9.05pm
WHY? She’s back, possums! Barry Humphries’ Aussie queen welcomes guests including Emily Atack, Sharon Osbourne and Judge Rinder.
Just wee sip, Andy
I’VE quaffed questionable concoctions – but nothing as grim as urine from the 1800s.
That’s what Antiques Roadshow expert Andy McConnell knocked back on an episode of the BBC programme, thinking it was vintage port.
Host Fiona Bruce broke the news to him on Sunday’s show after analysing the content of a 180-year-old bottle buried under a house in Cornwall, which he swigged from during a 2016 episode.
She said: “You thought it might be port. That would have been nice.”
Then she revealed it comprised “urine, a tiny bit of alcohol and one human hair”.
A shelled creature was also thrown into the “witch’s bottle”, concocted to ward off evil.
Andy said: “I was the naughty boy at school.
"It was too good an opportunity to miss.”
He’d do well in the I’m A Celeb jungle.
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ARDAL O’Hanlon has revealed why he chose to leave Death In Paradise after three years.
He said: “It’s a tough old station out there, being away from family for so long.
"There’s only so much you can do, no matter how much you love it.”
It's trick step Ben
HOW do you make a show involving figure-skating and Phillip Schofield even cheesier? Answer: add magic.
That’s what illusionist Ben Hanlin plans for his Dancing On Ice routine.
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He said: “I’m doing magic in my routine for the first time because I need to give myself an edge.”
You would think Ben, known for ITV2 magic series Tricked, would be used to the pressure of performing. But he admitted: “The worst bit is that it is live. There’s nowhere to hide. If you fall over, the nation sees it.”
He’ll have to conquer his nerves to avoid doing a disappearing act.
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