A popular ITV challenge show will be cancelled after failing to live up to the popularity of its BBC competitor, according to reports.
Ninja Warrior first launched on the channel in 2015, with critics quickly commenting on how “remarkably similar” the assault course looked to the one formerly used on Gladiators.
Gladiators first launched on ITV in 1992 and ran for eight seasons before ending in 2002. The show was brought back for a year-long stint by Sky in 2008 and was revived by the BBC this year, hosted by the father and son duo, Bradley and Barney Walsh.
ITV has now been forced to axe Ninja Warrior, as the Gladiators reboot has far exceeded the show in ratings, The Sun reports.
“For years Ninja Warrior was one of ITV’s biggest shows and scooped up all those families who missed Gladiators,” a source told the paper.
Ninja Warrior’s first series finale in May 2015 drew in 4.08 million viewers, with its best numbers in February 2017 being 4.18 million.
This year, the Gladiators reboot pulled in over six million viewers compared to Ninja Warrior’s 1.6m audience for its last series in 2022.
It had previously been reported that ITV elected not to bring back the challenge show for its seventh season in 2023 because the broadcaster prioritised the Men’s Rugby World Cup instead.
“Ninja Warrior has been axed for this year, but could return in 2024,” an insider claimed at the time. However, reports now suggest the show has been entirely cancelled.
“When the BBC revived Gladiators last year, it sounded the death knell for ITV’s ninjas. It was an absolute ratings champion,” The Sun’s insider said. “A decision was therefore taken to rest Ninja Warrior for good.”
The Independent has contacted ITV for comment.
Gladiators will return to the BBC for a second series early next year, which will include a celebrity special, following its popularity with viewers and critics alike.
Contestants (two men, two women) will compete over a series of randomised trials, battling the various Gladiators in an effort to gain an advantage in the final head-to-head race, the Eliminator.
The Independent’s Nicky Hilton said in his review of the reboot in January the show is “like the public embarrassment of Takeshi’s Castle meets the pantomime quality of WWE wrestling”.
“There is a simple, unalloyed joy in seeing people getting smashed in the face with a giant Q-tip,” he continued. “It is a pleasure that doesn’t bear overanalysis.”
Gladiators will return to BBC One next year.
