Celebrity Sabotage Sparks Viewer Uproar and Mixed Reactions
ITV’s ambitious new game show, “Celebrity Sabotage,” has landed with a significant splash, but it’s not the wave of applause the broadcaster might have hoped for. The program, which debuted over the weekend, pits a cast of well-known personalities against each other in a series of elaborate, fabricated reality TV scenarios. The aim? To cause maximum chaos and sabotage unsuspecting contestants, all in the name of winning cash for charity. However, early viewer feedback suggests the show has fallen flat for many, with a vocal contingent labelling it “abysmal and juvenile.”
The core concept of “Celebrity Sabotage” is certainly intriguing. Each episode features a rotating cast of celebrities, including regular faces like Joel Dommett, Judi Love, Sam Thompson, and GK Barry, alongside weekly guests such as Jill Scott, Fay Ripley, Olivia Attwood, Jo Brand, Guz Khan, and Harry Redknapp. These stars are tasked with subtly (or not so subtly) derailing a series of fake ITV programmes. These fabricated shows are designed to be convincing, mimicking popular formats like cooking competitions, dating challenges, business pitches, and even murder mysteries.
To bolster the illusion, these mock shows are fronted by recognisable presenters, including Clare Balding, Matt and Emma Willis, Monica Galetti, Jason Fox, Sara Davies, and Rylan Clark. The twist, known only to the celebrity saboteurs and the production crew, is that the entire premise is a setup. The contestants genuinely believe they are participating in a legitimate new ITV series, unaware that their every move is being scrutinised and, potentially, undermined by the celebrity mischief-makers.
The inaugural episode saw former “Dragons’ Den” star Sara Davies step into the role of host for “The Applicant,” a segment clearly inspired by the format of the BBC’s “The Apprentice.” Contestants were put through their paces, aiming to impress Davies and secure a £30,000 prize. However, the celebrity saboteurs were on a mission to create pandemonium, aiming to attribute any ensuing failures to the contestants’ own shortcomings.
Despite the elaborate setup and the star power involved, the reaction from viewers tuning in at home was overwhelmingly negative. A torrent of criticism flooded social media platform X, formerly Twitter, with many expressing deep disappointment.
- One viewer lamented, “This is as much fun as having a toothache, ITV churns out some rubbish and this one is right up there. It’s a waste of our time.”
- Another chimed in with harsh critique, stating, “This is appallingly bad even for ITV. How long before it’s shunted to 4.30pm Sunday afternoon?”
The sentiment of bewilderment at the show’s commissioning was also palpable:
- “How do programmes like these ever get commissioned. Utter rubbish,” one user posted.
- A fourth viewer questioned the direction of Saturday night entertainment: “How has Saturday night entertainment come to this?”
- The show’s perceived lack of appeal extended even to younger audiences, with one viewer noting, “Who is the target audience for this my 8yo hasn’t so much as smirked and I’m just about ready to turn it off.”
The show also drew the ire of media critics. Christopher Stevens, the Daily Mail’s resident TV reviewer, awarded “Celebrity Sabotage” a meagre two-star rating. He particularly took aim at the calibre of the celebrity participants, describing them as “semi-famous” and suggesting that even with name badges, they would remain largely unrecognisable to the public.
However, the programme wasn’t without its defenders. A counter-movement of viewers emerged, pushing back against the prevailing negativity.
- One fan urged critics to “lighten up,” describing the show as “Funny, daft, Saturday night telly, a bit of a laugh, much needed in this miserable country and even more miserable platform.”
- Another agreed, proclaiming, “I’m actually loving this programme.”
- A third simply stated, “This was good!”
- Further support came from a viewer who had anticipated enjoying the show: “Honestly I knew I was going to like Celebrity Sabotage, it’s a great show with a great cast and I really like how the fake shows are rip-offs of others. Definitely will be watching next week.”
Before the show’s broadcast, celebrity saboteur Joel Dommett expressed his enthusiasm for the format, highlighting the enjoyment the cast derived from its creation. Speaking to PA, he shared his hopes that this on-screen fun would translate to the audience.
“We had so much fun making it, and all I can hope is that the fun comes across on screen,” Dommett stated. “We worked really hard to make it as fun as possible and to give some money to some really deserving people. Genuinely, this show has been one of the highlights of my career! You never really know what a new show will be like. I really hope people watching it enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.”
Dommett also recounted a particularly perilous on-set incident to The Sun, involving a Great Dane and a rather unusual costume. “There was a Great Dane and I was dressed as dog toys,” he revealed. “It’s genuinely one of the most frightening moments of my life. GK was there trying to distract the owner while I was dressed as dog toys, trying to get a collar off the dog without being noticed. The dog had a wig on! I was dressed as dog toys. Obviously, the dog just wanted to eat me. I nearly died!”
“Celebrity Sabotage” continues its run on Saturdays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Whether it can win over its early critics and establish itself as a Saturday night staple remains to be seen.
