ITV Faces Axe For £2.5m David Tennant Show After Finale Viewership Drop

ITV's game show The Genius Game, hosted by David Tennant and costing £2.5 million to produce, is reportedly facing cancellation after consistently poor ratings. The show's finale attracted only 661,000 viewers, equaling the audience of a BBC2 documentary about pangolins, and significantly trailing behind competitors like BBC1's Race Across the World. Initially drawing 1.2 million viewers, the series saw a steep decline early on, with many viewers finding its complex gameplay confusing and difficult to follow. Despite occupying a prime 9pm slot and featuring a well-known host, the show failed to compete effectively against other programs and was described internally by ITV executives as a disaster. ITV has officially stated that no final decision has been made regarding the show's future. Viewer feedback on social media also highlighted difficulty in understanding the show's format, contributing to its declining audience and uncertain renewal prospects.