A contestant from the revived ITV game show Deal Or No Deal has opened up about the severe physical and emotional stress she experienced during and after filming. Helen McPherson, who appeared in an episode that aired last month, revealed that the intense adrenaline of the competition left her physically sick once she returned home.
The Aftermath of Filming
Helen McPherson walked away with £19,000 from her appearance on the show, which is presented by Stephen Mulhern. However, the episode was actually filmed a full fourteen months before it was broadcast in January. This lengthy gap meant that Helen had to wait over a year to relive the experience alongside the viewing public.
Posting on her TikTok account, Helen described the visceral reaction she still has when watching the show. 'The funny thing is, watching it back now, I'm literally like chewing chunks out of my hand,' she said. 'My husband is like, "Hels, you were there, you know what happened". But, you forget so much of it and I feel the emotions as intensely as I did when I was there.'
Physical and Emotional Impact
She went on to explain the direct physical consequences. 'And when I came back, I was physically unwell from the adrenaline crash and then I was okay again and now it's the reliving it all. My cortisol levels are up [high] every time I watch someone else's game. Even though I was there and know how it went, there's so much of it that I don't remember.'
Before her game commenced on screen, Helen told host Stephen Mulhern that she hoped to use any potential winnings for a new car and family adventures. Contestants on the ITV revival of Deal Or No Deal have the chance to win up to £100,000 in prize money.
Another Contestant's Devastating Loss
In a separate recent episode, fans were left 'gutted' for a player named Sonia, who lost a potential £100,000 following a critical decision. Sonia managed to open all the blue boxes during her game, leaving her with three amounts towards the end: £10,000, £5,000, and the top prize of £100,000.
Choosing to play it safe, she accepted the Banker's offer of £22,670, which ended her game. She then discovered that her own box contained the £100,000, leaving her devastated. Host Stephen Mulhern told her, 'Sonia, you have been brilliant by the way, you really have.'
The Banker's Reveal
The Banker subsequently informed Stephen that if Sonia had proceeded to open just one more box, the offer would have been £52,670—a revelation that caused the studio audience to gasp in shock. After learning the contents of her box, Sonia could only utter, 'Aw man.' Stephen added, 'It's quite unbelievable, you knew you had it.'
Viewers quickly took to social media platform X to express their sympathy. One user wrote, 'Who would have thought opening a couple of shoe boxes would be so dramatic! #DealOrNoDeal.' Another commented, 'Still a huge amount to win, but yikes missing out on the £100k - gutted for her.' A third noted, 'Wow! Sonia played an incredible game....but she went against her gut feeling!! £52,670 at the 2 box stage. £100,000 in her box.'
History of the Show
Before its current iteration on ITV, which launched in late 2023, Deal Or No Deal originally aired on Channel 4 from 2005 to 2016. That version was presented by Noel Edmonds and offered contestants the opportunity to win up to £250,000.
The enduring appeal and high stakes of the format continue to generate intense emotional reactions from both participants and audiences, as evidenced by Helen McPherson's candid account of the physical toll and the dramatic narratives of contestants like Sonia.
