ITV has pulled the plug on The Neighbourhood after a single series, with sources confirming the Graham Norton-fronted reality programme will not return following underwhelming audience figures.
The show, which was positioned as ITV’s competitor to the hugely successful BBC1 hit The Traitors, debuted last month but failed to capture viewers’ attention in the way the broadcaster had hoped.
An insider told The Mirror: “It’s a real shame because we loved the concept and Graham as the host. But sadly the viewers didn’t feel the same way and the ratings have been disappointing. We won’t be making another series.”
The cancellation comes despite the production company having already begun advertising for families to participate in a potential second run.
The Neighbourhood has been ‘axed’ after one series
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ITV
The programme brought together six households on a specially constructed housing estate in Derbyshire, with contestants vying for a £250,000 cash prize.
Participants attempted to eliminate their rivals while avoiding becoming unpopular enough to receive a “for sale” sign themselves – the show’s equivalent of elimination.
While the premiere attracted reasonable numbers when it launched on April 24 during the I’m a Celebrity schedule, viewership plummeted rapidly.
By the third episode, audiences had dwindled to a mere 500,000, prompting ITV to remove it from its primetime 9pm slot.
The Neighbourhood was removed from its ITV slot after three episodes
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ITV
Despite the show’s failure to connect with audiences, Mr Norton himself was enthusiastic about the project.
The 63-year-old chat show favourite likened the elaborate set to the Hollywood film The Truman Show.
“Arriving in Derbyshire; I’d seen pictures but I didn’t quite understand the scale of it. It really is like being on a movie set, except it’s 360 – everywhere you look, it’s real,” he said.
“The art department did an extraordinary job of building up that town square where we do the removals, the pub, the cafe, the interiors of the houses. It really took my breath away.”
The show saw contestants battle for a substantial £250,000 cash prize throughout the competition
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ITVThe remaining episodes have now been relegated to the 10.45pm post-news slot, with repeats of Long Lost Family and a 2021 celebrity edition of Beat The Chasers taking over the primetime schedule.
The Neighbourhood joins a growing list of programmes that have struggled to replicate the magic of Claudia Winkleman’s The Traitors.
Channel 4 previously attempted to capture similar audiences with Rise and Fall, a reality take on Upstairs, Downstairs presented by Radio 1’s Greg James, as well as The Inheritance featuring Liz Hurley and Robert Rinder.
ITV itself had already experienced disappointment in this space with The Fortune Hotel, hosted by Stephen Mangan, which managed two series before being cancelled.
GB News has contacted ITV for a comment on the reports.