Channel 10’s ratings-starved The Project could be headed for a late night time slot.
The embattled current affairs show may be bumped from its early evening position by a re-vamped version of the one-time hit game show Deal or No Deal.
Insiders have leaked news to Woman’s Day this week that 10 is hoping to move The Project from its current 6.30pm position in the schedule to 9.30pm.
A re-boot of Deal or No Deal, which originally screen on Channel Seven, and was axed in 2014, would take The Project’s tea-time slot.
There is also talk that 10 is prepared to axe a half-hour from its 5pm, 90-minute news bulletin in favour of a revived Deal or No Deal.
Channel 10 insiders have leak news that embattled current affairs show The Project could be bumped to a later time slot. Pictured: Host of The Project Sarah Harris
However, Channel 10 has responded to the rumours with a statement suggesting that for the time being all is business as usual.
A spoke person told Women’s Day that: ‘The Project will continue in its current time slot from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, Sunday to Friday.’
Speculation among insiders is that a later time slot for The Project might actually help the show, which has been struggling in the ratings for close to three years.
At one time Channel 10’s flagship current affairs show, ratings have been steadily fallen over 2022-2023, shedding one-third of its viewers from its national audience over the last 18 months.
Woman’s Day this week reports that 10 is hoping to move the ratings starved show from its current 6.30pm position in the schedule to 9.30pm
The Project may be be bumped from its early evening position by a re-vamped version of the one-time hit game show Deal or No Deal. Pictured: Waleed Ally with Sarah Harris
The audience decline coincides with growing criticism of The Project’s left-wing bias and the recent departures of several high-profile hosts, including Carrie Bickmore, Peter Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson.
This year, the show relaunched with a new panel comprising Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton, Michael Hing and long-serving anchor Waleed Aly.
Last year, OzTAM ratings revealed the program had lost almost a third of its audience since 2011.
The struggling show saw its metro ratings plummet to an all-time low of just 367,000 last year.
That’s a 30 per cent decline from its five-city audience of 538,000 a decade earlier.
A re-boot of Deal or No Deal, which originally screen on Channel Seven , and was axed in 2014, would take The Project’s tea-time slot. Pictured: DOND host Andrew O’Keefe
Meanwhile, a return of Deal or No Deal would see the come back of a proven ratings formula.
Debuting in 2003, the show was hosted by Andrew O’Keefe, becoming a popular fixture on Australian television for more than a decade.
O’Keefe rose to celebrity status, including hosting Seven’s Weekend Sunrise, but he is the 51-year-old is unlikely to make a come back on the show after his recent court appearances.
At its peak in 2007-2008, the guessing game regularly pulled in 900,000 viewers.
Debuting in 2003, DOND was hosted by Andrew O’Keefe (pictured), but the 51-year-old is unlikely to make a come back on the one-time ratings blockbuster
