Deal or No Deal’s return to our television screens has turned out to be the reboot that the British public didn’t realise it needed. The reborn edition of Deal or No Deal, hosted by Stephen Mulhern, has proven to be one of the surprise hits on ITV in recent months.
The infectious energy of Mulhern, coupled with a string of high-drama games, has breathed new life into the classic show. In fact, it appears to have reignited the same engagement and excitement in viewers as the original led by Noel Edmonds.
There have been several memorable winners from Wales during the initial reboot, one of which well and truly captured the hearts and minds of the audience.
Welsh contestant plays their part in the show’s resurgence
A former soldier living in Merthyr Tydfil managed to get a place on the rebooted show. His desire was to win enough money to not only go on holiday but financially support the football team he coaches, Valleys Football Academy.
Following a hugely emotive show, featuring many heart-pounding moments, Matthew leant on his father-in-law for advice, who even choked up himself when mulling over his son-in-law’s decision to accept the banker’s offer of £21,190. Matthew remained resolute throughout though and eventually accepted an offer of £31,190 to prove that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for former servicemen and women.
The payout didn’t even equate to half of the highest prize won in this reboot series. However, the story surrounding Matthew captured the imagination of the TV studio as well as the watching public. The actual highest prize in the reboot series thus far went to a woman called Nay Nay, who showed tremendous guts and bravery to take home a £75,000 win. She rejected a string of offers from the banker, and, as covered by this WalesOnline article, somehow managed to get down to the final two boxes with the £100,000 and £75,000 boxes left in play.
An £82,700 offer was flatly rejected by Nay Nay, who opted to stick with her original box. Although it wasn’t the full £100,000, she was still happy to take home £75,000 – the highest prize on the ITV version of the series.
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The revival of Deal or No Deal hasn’t just been good for ITV. It appears to have boosted the wider franchise. There has been growing interest in the Deal or No Deal live casino game, which transports players into a live dealer gameshow environment akin to the Deal or No Deal TV studio. The officially licensed game is powered by live casino pioneers, Evolution, who have masterminded the live dealer gameshow niche.
Original essence of the show has been successfully retained
Part of the magic of Deal or No Deal – and its reboot – has always been the tense banker calls, the nail-biting box openings and the heartfelt, personal stories attached to every contestant. Although a slight refreshment of the game format has done just enough to feel modern, Mulhern’s light-hearted hosting style puts contestants at ease in the same way that Noel Edmonds used to. He’s equally adept at keeping the tension alive when the stakes are at their highest.
It’s this careful balance that’s enabled the franchise to thrive again, opening it up to a whole new audience, while exciting long-term fans. The show is returning for a second series on ITV – featuring Mulhern – from September.
