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.
It emerged in January this year that Stephen, 46, was set to relaunch Deal Or No Deal, six years after it was axed from Channel 4.
Airing on ITV1 and ITVX, the programme sees contestants battle it out against the notorious Banker to be in with a chance of winning a life-changing cash prize, in a nail-biting game of nerves and intuition.
Each week, a contestant will be confronted with 22 sealed boxes, each one hiding a different amount of money.
Without knowing what each one contains, the player must eliminate the boxes, which are opened one at a time to reveal the amount of money inside.
New start: 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
Comeback: It emerged in January this year that Stephen, 46, was set to relaunch Deal Or No Deal, six years after it was axed from Channel 4
Pressure mounts as the player is tempted by the notorious Banker to accept an offer of cash in exchange for what might be inside their box.
As long as the larger cash prizes remain unchosen, the Banker’s offers will get higher. But that can all change in an instant if a big cash prize is unveiled.
Deal Or No Deal was previously fronted by Noel Edmonds, from its first episode in 2005 until it ended in August 2016 after 13 series.
And Stephen fronted the show for the first time on Monday, with many viewers taking to Twitter to express their opinion on his work.
One unimpressed show 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, one delighted viewer wrote: ‘The perfect show for Stephen Mulhern. I forgot how much I loved it.’
‘Stephen Mulhern is so much better than Noel Edmonds on #DealOrNoDeal,’ shared someone else.
One other person wrote: ‘So cool! Also I LOVE Stephen Mulhern he has been a long time crush for me x.’
Thoughts: Stephen fronted the show for the first time on Monday, with many viewers taking to Twitter to express their opinion on his work
‘I cannot abide Stephen Mulhern,’ declared one disgruntled telly watcher.
While someone else wrote: ‘I see Deal Or No Deal is trending and apparently Stephen Mulhern is the presenter if so I wouldn’t watch cause the guy gets on nerves.. he’s every where.. #DealOrNoDeal.’
Someone else posted: ‘There was a chummyness with Noel Edmonds that I’m surprised Stephen Mulhern lacks. And this banker is making very unattractive offers.’
And someone else wrote: ‘Ok I lied Stephen Mulhern as the new host of Deal Or No Deal is probably the best idea itv have had in a long time.’
While someone else wrote: ‘I must be only one who finds Stephen Mulhern a boring presenter ! X.’
Stephen said of his new job on the show when it was officially confirmed in March this year: ‘Wow what an opportunity, I’m beyond excited to be hosting the brand-new series.
‘I’ve always been such a huge fan of the show, so much so, I’ve been practising at home with small cereal boxes!
‘It looks so simple but it’s an incredibly compelling game for both those playing and the viewers watching at home.
It’s only a gameshow: Airing on ITV1 and ITVX, the programme sees contestants battle it out against the notorious Banker to be in with a chance of winning a life-changing cash prize
‘It’s one of the greatest shows of all time and to be the new host is an honour! I can’t wait to get started.’
Presenter Stephen is best known for fronting In For A Penny, as well as Catchphrase, and is a key part of ITV’s Saturday Night Takeaway team.
Deal or No Deal, which aired for more than a decade, initially proved a hit, but audience numbers dwindled in its final few series.
At its peak in 2006, it attracted more than three million, but towards the end of its run tended to draw around 300,000 viewers an episode.
Beginning in 2005, Noel presented almost 3,000 episodes of the show, in which contestants win prize money by selecting from 22 red boxes worth different sums.
He handed out £40million in winnings, although just eight contestants got the £250,000 jackpot.
Prior to its axe in 2016, Noel said in a newspaper interview: ‘I do not know if it will be recorded again – if it’s over, I have had a sensational ten years.’
Earlier this month, Stephen revealed Noel had wished him luck with taking over the presenting role on Deal Or No Deal.
The magician told how he was recently performing at a private party when a man appeard on stage dressed like Gandalf from Lord of the Rings.
According to the Mirror, Stephen said: ‘I’m slightly freaking out at this point because I don’t know what he’s going to do. He’s got a big old stick. He says ‘We need to have a conversation, you and I. In fact, let me put it a different way. Deal Or No Deal’.
Host with the most: Stephen told how former host Noel Edmonds, 74 (pictured), wished him well with the new role and gave him some advice on hosting the game show
‘He takes off his mask. It’s Noel Edmonds! I could not believe that. He was friends with the guy whose party it was.’
Stephen told how Noel wished him well with the new role and gave him some advice on hosting the game show.
He said: ‘[Noel] told me ‘When they first brought it to the UK, they wanted to make it more about the money and the boxes like they do in America. And I said no, this is a people show. It should be about the people.’ And it all made sense.’
Deal Or No Deal airs on ITV1 and ITVX every weekday at 4pm.
