Graham Norton’s ITV Debut Faces Challenges
Graham Norton, one of the BBC’s most beloved personalities, has recently made a bold move by joining forces with ITV for his first-ever reality TV project, The Neighbourhood. However, this new venture appears to be facing significant challenges, with declining ratings and mixed audience reactions.
Despite being a household name for decades, Norton’s transition to ITV has not been smooth. His new show, which was expected to be a major success, has seen a sharp drop in viewership. This has led to questions about whether ITV will be able to successfully lure Norton away from the BBC.
A source close to the situation said:
“It would be a huge coup to tempt Graham away from the BBC with a long-term project. They threw everything at The Neighbourhood to make it a big success, but it’s ended up a bit of a damp squib.”
The show was given a prime-time slot during its launch, sandwiched between the I’m A Celebrity All Stars final. However, by the third episode, the number of viewers had dropped to just 500,000. According to reports, these ratings are similar to those of previous ITV shows like Genius Game and The Fortune Hotel, which were later cancelled.
Critics and viewers alike have not been kind to The Neighbourhood. Many have described it as “dreadful” and a “brazen attempt to replicate the success of The Traitors.” The 11-part reality series features real households from across the UK competing in a street-wide popularity contest, with a prize of £250,000 for the last house standing.
Graham Norton plays a key role in the show, overseeing events and engaging with participants through a group WhatsApp chat. However, not all viewers were impressed with the format.
One viewer wrote: “Oh my goodness it was dreadful. I have a huge capacity for ‘drivel’ TV but I couldn’t stay with this after 15 minutes. Awful TV.”
Another commented: “Seems like ITV is trying desperately to make a show that will have the success The Traitors has.” Others echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Turned it off, the biggest load of rubbish,” and “I turned it off after 10 minutes.”
Despite the negative feedback, some fans have expressed a more positive view of the show. One person posted: “Am I the only person who’s loving #TheNeighbourhood. I actually really like all the families. This is the type of normal people we want cast on Big Brother.”
Another fan agreed: “#Theneighbourhood is gooood, better than Britain’s got talent, I would put The Neighbourhood on prime time Saturday.”
However, not all reviews have been favorable. Metro gave the show a three-star review, calling it “the latest – and arguably boldest – brazen attempt to replicate the colossal success of The Traitors.”
The Guardian offered a two-star review, stating: “Any sense of jeopardy is conspicuous by its absence. Norton lifts the energy when he’s there but is only present for the welcome and removals-voting.” The publication also branded the show as “a tired reality show.”
The Telegraph added in their two-star assessment: “The show is full of quirky little design touches like this, and it seems as if the producers have put more thought into how it looks than how engaging it is to watch.”
Graham Norton was first confirmed to front The Neighbourhood back in February 2025. At the time, he told The Sun: “Like everyone, I’m always intrigued by what goes on behind closed doors. Add to that some dastardly challenges and a life-changing prize and I’m hooked. I feel confident that The Neighbourhood will be the nation’s favourite destination.”
As the show continues, it remains to be seen whether it can recover from its rocky start and live up to Norton’s expectations.
