1 week Ago By Sasha Morris
ITV has pulled the plug on Pictionary after just one series. The network confirmed that there are no plans to produce more episodes of Mel Giedroyc's game show, based on the popular Mattel drawing game, due to underwhelming viewership numbers. An ITV spokesperson stated: "There are no plans at this stage to make any more 'Pictionary'.
" The series aired from December 2024 until February this year and featured celebrity guests such as Denise Van Outen, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen and Brian Conley as well as cash prizes and holidays for the winners. The show aired from December 2024 until February this year and featured celebrity guests such as Denise Van Outen, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen and Brian Conley, with cash prizes and holidays up for grabs for the winners. A source told The Sun newspaper: "So many quiz shows have been inspired by beloved board games and the assumption was 'Pictionary' would become an instant hit.
"Sadly the ratings were poor and celebrity-led panels require a budget, which in this case wasn't deemed worth expanding." Mel had previously expressed her enthusiasm about hosting 'Pictionary', which has enjoyed success in the US where it is already in its third season. The 56 year old star said: "Everyone is familiar with 'Pictionary', and I am so excited to help bring the game to life on television.
It is such a pleasure to be a part of and I know people will love the show." The announcement of 'Pictionary's' cancellation comes as ITV revealed plans to launch a channel dedicated exclusively to game shows and quizzes. ITV is set to launch a new channel dedicated entirely to quiz shows, named ITV Quiz, which will take over from the soon-to-be-axed ITVBe and is expected to go live in June.
Popular programmes like The Chase, Tipping Point', and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? are slated for round-the-clock broadcasting on the new channel. These game shows have consistently delivered strong ratings for ITV, with 'The Chase', hosted by Bradley Walsh, frequently coming in second only to ' Coronation Street ' in the weekday viewing figures. A source revealed to The Sun newspaper: "Britain's love of quiz shows endures, so creating a dedicated channel makes sense.
"And game shows are very cheap to make. "Many episodes are filmed in one chunk, so they're a popular job for big-name talent too." Viewers can also expect to see other favourites such as 'Deal or No Deal' and the challenging 'The 1% Club' on ITV Quiz.
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