Ben Shephard is set to host a new extreme reality competition for ITV1 and ITVX, in which 14 members of the public will take on the challenge of climbing a mountain in New Zealand. The series, titled The Summit, will see contestants battle through physical and mental challenges as they ascend one of the country's enormous mountains.
The participants will be competing for a share of a £200,000 prize fund, with the option to form alliances or betray fellow competitors as eliminations occur along the route. A mysterious figure known as The Mountain Keeper will set extraordinary challenges that could block the players' progress if failed.
Speaking about the show, Shephard said: "This series really has got it all; the contestants are going to be tested in every possible way as they try and take on the mountain. They'll need a serious amount of grit, determination and strategy if they want to reach The Summit." He added that anyone who reaches the summit will have "seriously earned every penny" of the prize fund.
Paul Mortimer, ITV Director of Reality Commissioning and Acquisitions, described the show as "a huge and complex endurance test" and "an absolute nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat watch," filled with cliffhangers, shocks, twists and turns.
The Summit is based on a concept that proved popular in Australia, and the UK adaptation is expected to premiere next year.
