Deal or No Deal to relaunch on ITV seven years after ending with Stephen Mulhern as host

Deal or No Deal is making a grand return to our TV screens after seven years off the air thanks to ITV gaining the rights to broadcast the programme. The show will return with one major change - original host, the one and only Noel Edmonds, will be replaced by family favourite Stephen Mulhern.

The game show was a huge success from the moment it first aired on Channel 4 in 2005 and quickly became a weekly staple for viewers across the country. Noel Edmonds was the original host, and stayed with the show before it was scrapped in 2016.

ITV has now ordered 20 new episodes after ITV bosses were reportedly thrilled with Mulhern’s performance on two recently-recorded pilots. No stranger to hosting gigs, the 45-year-old’s most recent work being on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, he also presented game show Catchphrase for a massive 10 years.

And, according to reports, the presenter has been gunning for the role of host ever since rumours first emerged Deal or No Deal may be returning to screens. When told about the exciting news, he was overjoyed, saying: "Are they talking about it? The answer is yes. Would I love to host it? Yes, without fail. It’s one of the best game shows ever created."

It’s been reported it’s unlikely the format of the show itself will be changed, offering contestants  the chance to once again win thousands of pounds by choosing wisely and holding their nerve.  The show is no stranger to handing out the big bucks to contestants - in 2015 the show handed out a staggering £40 million in prize money.

The series previously concluded with a farewell tour around the country, and ended with a ninth contestant hitting the £250,000 jackpot on the last ever show in Glasgow. Noel Edmonds spoke about the tour saying: "We can go anywhere and this is something I’ve wanted to do for years. 22 boxes, a phone and me. Where will we pop up next?"