Celebrity Catchphrase is getting a schedule shake-up, moving to Sunday nights on ITV this Spring. The move fills the void left by Family Fortunes, which won’t air due to allegations against its presenter, Gino D’Acampo.
Here’s the Lowdown: ITV confirmed it won’t broadcast the shelved series of Family Fortunes and has announced that Celebrity Catchphrase, usually a Saturday night show, will take its place on Sundays. The network has also ordered an eleventh series of Celebrity Catchphrase, with the tenth series airing soon. Stephen Mulhern continues as host. Each episode features three celebrities playing to win £50,000 for charity.
What This Means Now: Fans of Celebrity Catchphrase will need to adjust their viewing schedules, as it becomes a Sunday night staple. The change highlights the fallout from the Gino D’Acampo controversy, creating an opening for Catchphrase to gain a potentially larger audience. Transmission details for the new episodes will be announced soon.
The Bigger Picture: The scheduling swap underscores ITV’s commitment to Celebrity Catchphrase, while also highlighting the challenges faced when a show is connected to controversy. Stephen Mulhern’s continued presence as host, and his involvement in several other ITV projects (Deal Or No Deal, You Bet!, Dancing on Ice, The Accidental Tourist) cements his position as a key figure for the network. While spin off show In for a Penny is not returning anytime soon an ITV source said “the team could be popping up in your local town… in the future!”
