Brydon, you just never see enough of him on telly…
Rob Brydon is stepping into a new primetime role on ITV, fresh from his primetime role on BBC One’s Destination X, this time as host of The Floor, ITV’s latest attempt to land a quiz show juggernaut.
The actor, best known for Gavin & Stacey, Would I Lie to You? and The Trip, will oversee the UK version of the Dutch format in which 81 contestants battle across a giant LED game board – part Trivial Pursuit, part Squid Game, with considerably more small talk.
Each player begins the contest occupying a square on the 9×9 illuminated grid, each tile representing a specialist subject. Competitors challenge adjacent rivals to head-to-head duels; the winner claims the loser’s square while the defeated player leaves the game. Over ten episodes, the tension builds until only one remains – and with it, a £50,000 prize.
“The Floor is a quiz show like no other – big, bold and bursting with excitement,” Brydon said. “I’m thrilled to be stepping onto it and guiding the contestants through the competition. Let’s light up the floor!”
ITV executives are banking on Brydon’s familiar warmth and lightly sardonic wit to anchor what they hope will be a new Saturday night staple. Katie Rawcliffe, the broadcaster’s director of entertainment, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the hilarious national treasure that is Rob Brydon to the ITV family. He is undoubtedly the perfect host for this brand new primetime quiz.”
The format has already proved itself abroad. Devised by John de Mol’s Talpa Studios – the company behind Big Brother and The Voice – The Floor has rolled out across 25 territories, from Spain to Australia, with Bulgaria recently added to the list. The UK version will be filmed at Talpa’s Dutch production hub before airing next year.
South Shore, the indie behind All or Nothing: Arsenal and The Greatest Auction, will produce. “He’s got the perfect warmth and charisma to interact with the contestants as they battle to win more of The Floor,” said the company’s joint-CEOs Andrew Mackenzie and Melanie Leach.
ITV has invested heavily in game shows over the past decade, reviving Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with Jeremy Clarkson and launching formats such as The 1% Club, Beat the Chasers and Limitless Win. Whether The Floor will match their success remains to be seen, but with Brydon at the helm, viewers can at least expect a few well-timed impressions between the high-stakes trivia.
