Could Ant and Dec’s Limitless Win really bankrupt ITV?

Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have said time and time again that they could bankrupt ITV with their show Limitless Win - but could it really?

TV and Entertainment PR expert for Press Box, Lynn Carratt, told Yahoo: "It is doubtful that Ant & Dec's Limitless Win could make ITV bankrupt. ITV have a budget approved when they commission these shows, so they will have a plan in place for contestants to win £1m."

This upcoming weekend will see contestants on Limitless Win make history in the show by winning a £1m prize. In the teaser, McPartlin said: "You just cashed out for one million pounds." Previously, Donnelly confessed the pair have had "sleepless nights" over the thought of bankrupting ITV.

Limitless Win promises exactly what the title offers: a limitless win is on offer to the contestants. All those competing need to do is to climb the 'Limitless' ladder by answering questions correctly. But it gets harder and harder as time goes on. It had returned to our screens this weekend for the third instalment with the cheeky hosts fronting the show.

Already it has been confirmed that the nation's favourite Geordie duo will return for the fourth series of the game show and it will air on our small screens in 2025. As the happy-go-lucky presenters are always jesting about how the show could almost bankrupt ITV, we take a look at whether it really could break the bank.

Will Ant and Dec's Limitless Win bankrupt ITV?

PR expert Ms Carratt is not convinced the show would bankrupt ITV, citing the reason that TV bosses will have budgeted for any big wins to come out of the show. Plus, she lifted the lid on why it would be "tough" for contestants to win big on Limitless Win.

She further explained: "It's all about holding your nerve and not pulling any wrong moves. In series one, no contestants snatched £1million; the most significant win was £500,000 and was won by contestants Katherine and Will, who walked away with the life-changing amount.

"Ant & Dec made the same joke about bankrupting ITV during the run-up to the series launch in December 2022. They say it in jest because the prize money on the show is such a life-changing amount of money, and anyone who wins it will also gain financial security for a long time to come."

She added: "As a contestant on the show, it is a nerve-wracking environment, seeing the amount of money you're winning going up and up and in front of you; there is a life-changing amount of money, and with one wrong move, you could lose it all in a split-second.

"It is only natural the majority of the contestants will air on the side of caution. But this Saturday's show promises "more drama and more tension", as two contestants will win the staggering £1m for the first time ever time in the show's run."

What Ant and Dec have said

McPartlin has playfully told how Limitless Win almost bankrupted ITV with its latest winner who scooped £1m. Donnelly joined in on the fun as he commented the accountants were "greyer than normal" following the big win.

Asked whether they were any closer to bankrupting ITV, a cheeky McPartlin said: "Yes... We've had more people climb up the ladder than ever before and this series sees the biggest win in the show's history. Can I say that?" Donnelly quipped: "I think you just did. There were a lot of accountants around the studio looking even greyer than normal."

In 2022, Donnelly jested the pair had sleepless nights over the thought of bankrupting ITV. He said: "At the end of the show, we don't go ‘Okay, now it's time to play for tonight's grand prize’, because there isn't one. Just as long as you stay in the game you could keep going and keep playing. And you know, that did give us sleepless nights sometimes."

McPartlin cheekily joked the pair had concerns about their new show and how it weighed on their shoulders. He jested: "We did worry we were going to bankrupt ITV!" But Limitless Win's limitless jackpot is the key selling point of the show. Previously, McPartlin said: "What makes our show different is, it’s the world’s first limitless jackpot, that’s the selling point for us and that’s what hooked us in, the fact that there’s no top prize. You could – if you play this game right – win millions upon millions of pounds."

What are the top Limitless Wins so far?

This series, lucky Limitless Win contestants will bag £1m the biggest prize fund so far. Prior to this series, £500,000 has been the biggest win. Married couple Kathryn and Will - who both work for the NHS as a midwife and intensive care doctor - won £500,000 on the show but kind-hearted pair revealed plans to give £50,000 away to mental health charities and cancer research.

At the time, Will told Lorraine of their plans: "We’ve always given away 10 percent of our salary to charity, so this isn’t going to be any different. We’re going to give away at least £50,000 to charities close to our hearts - mental health charities, leukaemia research charities. After that we’ll take our family on holiday, buy that campervan we’ve always wanted and buy a house as well."

The TV hosts have said they are cheering the contestants on every step of the way.

Read more

• Ant and Dec 'almost bankrupt' ITV with Limitless Win

• Ant and Dec 'Limitless Win' jackpot winners to donate 10 per cent to charity