Wheel of Fortune viewers were left disappointed with a change in the show’s format when it made a comeback on ITV1 on Saturday. 

Channel bosses announced in July last year that Graham Norton, 60, would be fronting the remake of the iconic game show, which ran from 1988 until 2001.

The UK series was previously hosted by John Leslie, Nicky Campbell and Bradley Walsh when it aired on ITV.

Television presenter Carol Smillie took on the role of ‘glamorous assistant’ on the show from 1989 until 1994 before Jenny Powell took over in 1995 until 2000, with the pair tasked with turning the wheel as the show’s host asked the constants questions.

However, Graham had no assistant when the programme made a comeback this weekend, with many viewers taking to social media to complain the job had been replaced by a digital board. 

Wheel of Fortune viewers were left disappointed with a change in the show’s format when it made a comeback on ITV1 on Saturday

Television presenter Carol Smillie took on the role of ‘glamorous assistant’ on the show from 1989 until 1994 (Carol pictured with show host Nicky Campbell)

Jenny Powell took over in 1995 until 2000, with the pair tasked with turning the wheel and revealing the unseen letters (Jenny Powell and Bradley Walsh pictured in 1997)

One person wrote on Twitter: ‘Sorry but this isn’t a patch on the original, wheres the spinny letters, the phonetics and Carol Smillie/Jenny Powell.’

While someone else posted: ‘No Carol Smillie or Jenny Powell.. can’t see this version lasting long.. it’s shocking.’

‘Where’s the assistant to turn the tiles. Such as Jenny Powell #WheelOfFortune,’ asked another viewer.

Elsewhere, someone else wrote: ‘Ah, another gameshow that’s hugely popular in the USA being revived by ITV. However, Jenny Powell (or Carol Smillie) have been replaced by digital a board.’

And someone else commented: ‘Right off the bat, there are a few things off with this show. And yes, one of them is the fact that the board’s probably been taken over by AI as there’s no Carol Smillie or Jenny Powell to turn the letters.’

One other viewer remarked: ‘I’m happy to see #WheelofFortune back but the digital board is disappointing. We need Jenny Powell or Carol Smiley turning the letters round.’

‘Poor Carol Smillie has been replaced by technology,’ wrote another disappointed viewer.

While someone else shared: ‘Already not a fan of the #wheeloffortune reboot. I miss Jenny Powell turning the letters, I hate the overly loud audience, the music is all wrong…bring back the 90s version!’

However, host Graham (left) had no assistant when the programme made a comeback this weekend

Many viewers took to social media to complain the job of glamorous assistant had been replaced by a digital board

‘This new series of #WheelOfFortune is a carbon copy of the American version, rather than replicating the more modest UK version from the 90s. I need Jenny Powell or Carol Smilie sitting on the bonnet of a Ford Fiesta,’ wrote another viewer.

And someone else demanded: ‘Bring back Carol Smillie. This needs something epic about it. And it’s not. Even Graham looks like he’s just got out of bed.’

In the game of skill and luck, the turn of the wheel secures a cash value before they pick a letter to help them solve the puzzle. 

For every correct letter they reveal in the puzzle they win multiples of that amount. The pressure is on as they could lose everything at a spin of a wheel which contains ‘bankrupts’ and ‘lose a turn’ and the contestants’ entire winnings could be wiped out.

In addition to cash, contestants can also win some impressive prizes which are added to their cash pot to help them reach the bonus round.

Graham has returned for eight episodes of the show, as well as two celebrity specials, which will all be pre-recorded. It is understood he has been paid a ‘high-six figure sum’ for his role.

It comes after the ITV attempted to bring it back last year with Alison Hammond hosting but the pilots were not deemed strong enough to be commissioned.

Chiefs at the broadcaster then decided to make an audacious bid to sign Norton – who is one of the BBC’s most popular stars.

One person wrote on Twitter: ‘Sorry but this isn’t a patch on the original, wheres the spinny letters, the phonetics and Carol Smillie/Jenny Powell’

Speaking of his new role, Norton said: ‘I’m beyond excited to be bringing such an iconic American show to a new British audience. My first ever TV job was a game show on ITV so this feels like coming full circle. You might even call it a wheel!’

Jenny previously claimed she hated her job on the Wheel of Fortune because all she did was ‘spin letters’ and ‘wasn’t allowed to talk’.

The TV personality, 55, revealed that she didn’t enjoy being on the iconic gameshow that kickstarted her career in the nineties.

It seems that the star now looks back on the job with regret, as she said she wouldn’t encourage her own daughter to do anything similar.

She said on the Learning As I Go podcast: ‘You’re just turning letters round and not saying anything.’

Jenny previously claimed she hated her job on the Wheel of Fortune because all she did was ‘spin letters’ and ‘wasn’t allowed to talk’ (Jenny pictured on the show alongside Nicky Campbell in the 90s) 

Jenny shared: ‘I ended up doing The Wheel of Fortune, which I hated it. It was the biggest thing, but I hated it. Because I was just a girl turning bl***y letters around.’

The presenter told how she only took the job so that she could pay her bills and find a way out of children’s TV.

She said: ‘If someone said to you, right Jenny you are going to wear a really short skirt and we are all going to discuss the length of it for like four meetings, wear high heel shoes and turn some letters around and just look pretty and don’t say anything.’

‘Would you, do it? I know what I would tell my daughter today. I wasn’t actually allowed to speak.’