Fans of 'Wheel of Fortune' were less than thrilled with the recent festive special aired on ITV, choosing to voice their grievances on social media shortly after the episode began. Hosted by Graham Norton, the holiday edition featured celebrities Richard E Grant, Tyler West, and Joanna Page competing for various charities, all vying to answer puzzles and bank cash for good causes.
Yet, as the game unfolded, viewers began to express their disappointment, particularly concerning the ease of the puzzles. The show challenges contestants to guess phrases and words, but many found this year's holiday episode lacking the excitement they expected. Social media quickly lit up with critiques, particularly focused on one puzzle where 'mince pies' was revealed as the answer with little challenge. One viewer tweeted, "Omg how easy is this show now, I got mince pies before he even picked the letters, actually even my dog got the answer #wheeloffortune." Another viewer complained, "It's so boring sorry. #WheelOfFortune," and yet another lamented, "At least make it challenging #wheeloffortune."
Comments about the simplicity didn't stop there; many echoed similar sentiments, prompting calls for more rigorous challenges throughout the show. Others commented on how they quickly deduced the answers even without any clues, reinforcing claims about the puzzles being too easy. A common theme among the complainants was the notion of watching the show, expecting at least some level of unpredictability and suspense, which they felt was absent during the special.
Joanna Page's struggle with the phrase 'Ding Dong Merrily on High Heels' became another focal point of negative attention. Although the phrase is reminiscent of the popular Christmas carol, Page required all letters to be revealed before she could solve the puzzle, leaving many viewers perplexed, especially since several of them had figured it out long before.
Graham Norton, the exuberant host, has been the face of the show's revival, which first reappeared on British screens earlier this year after over two decades off-air. Speaking at the show's reintroduction, Norton expressed his excitement about the return, stating, "I'm thrilled we are coming back for a second series to challenge more contestants to solve more word puzzles and hopefully they come away with even more cash. It's a game of skill and luck, so you just never know which way it will go and I'm excited to see who can hold their nerve against the wheel."
This festive episode was not just another holiday special; it also serves as the stepping stone to the eagerly anticipated civilian series set to launch next month. TV viewers are bracing for nine additional episodes featuring regular participants hoping to tackle the same wheel and potentially win big.
Katie Rawcliffe, ITV’s Head of Entertainment Commissioning, expressed enthusiasm for the show’s revival, remarking, "We are excited to bring back this iconic game show for a second series after a successful launch earlier this year. Graham with his wit and humour is the perfect host for this fun, exciting, fast-paced game of luck and skill." This indicates ITV’s confidence as they seek to reinvigorate interest amid viewers' complaints.
Despite some negative feedback and raised eyebrows over this special edition, the underlying interest for the show's return and future episodes remains high. After all, nostalgia, combined with the competitive spirit brought by celebrity guests, keeps the audience engaged, even if some viewers question the difficulty level of the puzzles presented.
Whether the new series will take the criticisms on board remains to be seen, but there's hope from fans for changes after this festive installment was deemed "too easy." For now, the 'Wheel of Fortune' continues to spin, much to the mixed reactions of its audience, as they await the upcoming civilian series with bated breath.
