ITV has reportedly decided to axe the reality competition show 'The Summit' after just one series, following disappointing audience figures. The eight-part series, fronted by This Morning presenter Ben Shephard, debuted in February 2026 in a prime-time weekday slot, attracting 1.1 million viewers. By the final episode in March, viewership had only risen to just over 1.2 million.
High Hopes, Low Ratings
The show promised adrenaline-fuelled excitement as 14 participants navigated challenging landscapes and obstacles to conquer a mountain in New Zealand for a chance to claim £200,000. Despite its big budget and A-list host, the programme failed to make a significant impact in a competitive television landscape.
A television source told The Sun: "Competition is fierce out there right now. And even shows with big budgets and big-name presenters are not a guarantee of success. And unless they make an impact, quite quickly execs have to weigh up whether the cost of making these shows is worth the ratings, and therefore the advertising revenues, to make it worthwhile."
Failed to Capture Audience
The source added: "Everyone is looking for 'The Next Big Show'. Unfortunately The Summit wasn't it, even though commentators remarked on the fact it did seem to try to tap into some of the energy of The Traitors." The Mirror reached out to ITV, who declined to comment.
Adapted from an Australian format, the competition saw 14 ordinary Brits climb one of the peaks in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. They encountered various challenges, including a menacing black helicopter in relentless pursuit, while also facing elimination by fellow contestants. If they reached the summit within 14 days under Ben's vigilant supervision, they were in line to secure the cash prize. Each participant carried a portion of the jackpot in their rucksack.
Behind the Scenes
Ben previously explained that the series featured some shocking moments. He said: "We had an elite team setting these challenges. They were all extraordinarily, sort of brilliantly laid out by experts. But you look at it, and if it goes slightly wrong, it can go very, very wrong. And we had one very bad injury at one point."
Season one of The Summit is available to stream on ITVX.
