ITV You Bet! viewers fume Holly Willoughby reboot ‘killed classic’ series: ‘Scrap it now!’
ITV’s reboot of classic gameshow You Bet! faced immediate backlash from viewers following its premiere on Saturday evening.
The revamped show, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, sparked widespread criticism within minutes of its first episode airing.
Viewers flooded social media with complaints about significant changes to the beloved format, which returned to screens after a 27-year absence.
The programme, which features ordinary people taking on epic challenges for a £10,000 prize, drew particular ire for abandoning elements of the original series that ran throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Celebrity judges, including Alison Hammond, Rob Beckett, Harry Redknapp and Rosie Ramsey oversaw the challenges and took turns betting on the contestants success.
Fans were unimpressed with the long-awaited return of he classic show and vented their frustration on social media.
“Thank God that’s over. ITV really should scrap this right now lol. One of the worst shows you will ever see. How to kill a classic. Thought I’d give it a go as I loved the old show but this is simply garbage and scripted,” one slammed.
Another declared: “Well that was absolutely f******g dreadful.”
A third wrote a more measured by equally disappointed summation: “Somethings are best left in the past, Didn’t do it for me!”
The removal of the show’s iconic original theme tune emerged as a major point of contention among disappointed viewers.
“Errr was stoked for #YouBet but they ditched the theme tune?!” wrote one fan.
Another viewer fumed: “Ruined already. Bad enough it’s Willoughby & Mulhern, but no iconic theme tune!!! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“Its soul is missing without the #YouBet theme tune,” commented a second disappointed viewer.
Critics also took aim at ITV’s tendency to repeatedly use the same presenters across multiple shows.
“Why couldn’t #YouBet on #ITV been presented by some new faces? Why do a few famous #presenters get EVERY show?” questioned one viewer on social media.
Another added: “ITV really need to start expanding their pool of presenters…”
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“I bet I can climb up the outside of a multi-storey carpark faster than a race car!”
Will Mila complete her challenge? Join @hollywills and @StephenMulhern for our brand-new series, You Bet! to find out!
⏰ 8.15pm, Saturday 7th December
📺 ITV1 and @ITVX #YouBet #ITV pic.twitter.com/Lzkvx8JlAQ
— ITV (@ITV) December 6, 2024
Not all viewers panned the reboot, with one writing: “All the people who didn’t enjoy #YouBet and just want to moan on twitter, get a life you sad t***s, and just enjoy something that is fun! And stop living in the past.”
The original You Bet! began in 1988 with legendary host Bruce Forsyth at the helm until 1990.
Matthew Kelly then took over presenting duties in 1991, followed by Darren Day from 1996 to 1997.