ITV has reportedly decided not to recommission its big-budget reality competition series The Summit, hosted by Ben Shephard, after only one series. The show debuted in February 2026 in a primetime weekday slot, drawing 1.1 million viewers for its premiere. However, by the final episode, viewership had only slightly increased to 1.2 million, prompting the channel to reconsider the show's high production costs.
Premise and Contestants
The series featured 14 contestants attempting to climb a peak in New Zealand's Southern Alps within 14 days. Along the way, they faced various challenges, a sinister black helicopter dubbed "the mountain's keeper," and the risk of being voted off by fellow competitors. The three winners who reached the summit shared a prize of £114,290 from a potential £200,000 jackpot.
Life-Changing Impact on Contestant
Among the winners was Colleen O'Leary, a 49-year-old steel worker from Port Talbot, who was among thousands of TATA steel employees made redundant when the final blast furnace closed in 2024. She described the show as life-changing, stating, "I lost myself, and the show made me realise just how much I can do and my capabilities really."
Decision Not to Recommission
Despite the positive impact on contestants, a TV insider 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. 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."
Availability
The series remains available to stream on ITVX.
