ITV's attempt to lure Graham Norton away from the BBC has reportedly backfired, with his new show 'The Neighbourhood' suffering a sharp decline in viewership. The 63-year-old presenter, a long-time BBC fixture, launched the reality series on ITV earlier this year.
The programme, which sees families compete in a popularity contest to avoid being voted out of a street, premiered in a primetime slot after the I'm A Celebrity: All Stars final. However, by the third episode, ratings had fallen to just 500,000 viewers, according to reports.
A source told The Sun that the poor figures could jeopardise ITV's hopes of securing Norton permanently, describing the show as 'a bit of a damp squib'. The 11-part series features households vying for a £250,000 cash prize, with Norton praising its 'wholesome' and 'heartwarming' nature.
Viewer reactions have been mixed, with some criticising the show as 'dreadful' and accusing ITV of trying to copy The Traitors, while others have expressed enjoyment, calling it 'better than Britain's Got Talent'.
