Television favourites Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have shared exciting updates about the upcoming fifth series of their hit ITV quiz show, Limitless Win. The Geordie duo, fresh from signing a lucrative new three-year deal with ITV reportedly worth around £30 million, revealed that contestants are now adopting a far more tactical approach in hopes of securing a life-changing sum.
A New Era of Strategic Play
Declan Donnelly explained that the mindset of players has evolved significantly. "Possibly the biggest change to this series is the attitude in which the contestants have approached it," he said. "They've obviously seen more episodes now we're in series five, and they’ve come along a bit braver, playing a bit more strategically and they are really bringing their ‘A’ game." This shift is partly inspired by the show's historic £1 million win in January 2024 by NHS managers Helen and Charlie from Suffolk.
Ant McPartlin confirmed the impact of that landmark victory. "So many of them spoke about having watched Charlie and Helen win the million, and it spurred them on to keep going and be brave," he noted. The hosts are now hopeful that this new, calculated approach could lead to a record-breaking payout. Dec added: "What we really want to do... is see someone break the record for the most money ever given away on a UK quiz show. So we’re keeping everything crossed for a one and a quarter million pound win!"
Contestants Go to Extreme Lengths to Prepare
The preparation undertaken by hopeful contestants has become remarkably thorough. Ant described how players are leaving nothing to chance. "They’ve got categorised spreadsheets full of things they think might come up," he revealed. "They measure their own body parts to use as a ruler. In the weeks leading up to being on the show they've covered their house in post-it notes with facts and stats on, in the hope that that will just go in their brain."
Dec highlighted the unusual lengths some go to, stating, "The amount of people who now take tape measures to the supermarket to measure everything in preparation for the show is mind boggling! They must look so weird." This intense study is for a game where questions can range from sizes and quantities to the number of sides on a shape, all on the show's infamous never-ending money ladder.
Hosts Feel the Pressure in High-Stakes Moments
Ant and Dec also opened up about the pressure they face during the 'Take Two' lifeline, where contestants ask the hosts for an answer. Dec admitted this moment makes him "feel sick" due to the risk of costing players the game. However, Ant shared that their extensive experience provides some insight. "We have genuinely played more games of Limitless Win than anybody else," Dec explained. "We've been up that ladder so many times, and we have kind of worked a little bit of logic and common sense to things."
Despite this, the emotional investment is immense. "We always get really exhausted at the end of filming Limitless Win because it's been such an emotional investment for us in every single game and every partnership," Dec said. "By the end of it we’re emotionally drained." The new series promises more tension than ever, with Ant confirming, "We've got more people playing above 1 million on the ladder this series than we've ever had before."
Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win returns for its fifth series on Sunday January 11 at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
