Stephen Mulhern prompted a mixed reaction from viewers as he made his debut as the host of ITV's Deal Or No Deal reboot on Monday. The show, which originally aired on Channel 4 from 2005 to 2016, returned on ITV1 and ITVX with Mulhern at the helm.
Many viewers took to Twitter to express their opinions. One unimpressed fan wrote: 'Me assuming you couldn't find anyone more objectionable than Noel Edmonds to host the new series of #DealOrNoDeal only to see it's now Stephen Mulhern.' However, another viewer praised: 'The perfect show for Stephen Mulhern. I forgot how much I loved it.'
Some viewers compared Mulhern unfavourably to original host Noel Edmonds. One person posted: 'There was a chummyness with Noel Edmonds that I’m surprised Stephen Mulhern lacks. And this banker is making very unattractive offers.' Others were more positive, with one writing: 'Stephen Mulhern is so much better than Noel Edmonds on #DealOrNoDeal.'
The show sees contestants battle against the Banker, opening 22 sealed boxes to reveal cash amounts. The Banker makes offers to buy the contestant's box, with the offer increasing as larger amounts remain unopened. Mulhern said of his new role: 'Wow what an opportunity, I’m beyond excited to be hosting the brand-new series.'
Mulhern is best known for fronting ITV shows such as In For A Penny, Catchphrase, and Saturday Night Takeaway. Deal Or No Deal originally attracted over three million viewers at its peak in 2006, but numbers dwindled to around 300,000 per episode by the end of its run.
