Television viewers are being served a diminished product, according to a scathing review of ITV's latest quiz show offering. Millionaire Hot Seat, a condensed version of the iconic Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, has been branded a classic example of 'shrinkflation' hitting the small screen.
The Bite-Sized Format Loses Its Teeth
The critique draws a direct parallel with the shrinking Mars Bar, which cost 7p in 1976 but now offers less for £1.20. Similarly, the new half-hour format, hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, is seen as a pale imitation of the original. The show's unique suspense, built on contestants' long, agonising deliberations before uttering 'final answer', has been gutted.
In its place, players now face strict time limits: just 15 seconds for the first five rounds and 30 seconds for subsequent questions. This rapid-fire approach removes the core thrill of watching players wrestle with doubt and risk, reducing the game to what the review calls an 'identiquiz'. The requirement to say 'final answer' is described as laughable when there's no time to properly consider alternatives.
Stripped-Back Rules and Reduced Rewards
The show has also jettisoned key elements that defined the original. The famous 'lifelines' – Phone a Friend, Ask the Audience, and 50:50 – are absent. Contestants do get one 'pass', but a wrong answer still means elimination. Furthermore, the 'Fastest Finger First' round is gone, replaced by a random draw to decide who plays.
The prize structure has also undergone its own form of shrinkflation. While a million pounds is theoretically still available, the second-highest prize is now £250,000, not £500,000. Every incorrect answer sees a top prize removed from the jackpot, starting from the highest value. The review notes that the show's first winner, firefighter Simon Williams, left with £20,000 – a decent sum but not life-changing, especially when considering inflation since the original show's 1998 launch.
A Symptom of a Wider Trend
The term 'shrinkflation' was coined by economists around 15 years ago following the banking crisis, describing the process where consumers pay more for a smaller, often inferior product. The review argues this economic phenomenon has now firmly infected television production, resulting in a 'bland, unsatisfying recipe in identical packaging'.
Host Jeremy Clarkson, who has publicly discussed using slimming jabs to lose three stone, may find a personal upside – he can now button his jacket. For viewers, however, the verdict is that Millionaire Hot Seat offers a diluted experience, lacking the substance and suspense that made its predecessor a primetime champion.
