Mel Sykes is being tipped to become "the new Cilla Black" after signing a new deal with ITV worth £250,000 a year.
The host of lunchtime programme Today with Des and Mel is being lined up for several new primetime shows on the network, according to The Sun today.
"Mel is our new big star for the future," an ITV source said. "We’re working on some shows for her and we hope she will become as popular as Cilla Black. We’ve been really impressed with her on Des And Mel and we’ve signed her up for a big prime time Saturday night slot. We think her down-to-earth presenting style will help viewers feel warm towards her. And now she is a mother she has the perfect Saturday night family profile."
The first project under the deal will be a series called Under Pressure, where a celebrity will live with an ordianry family for a week. She could also take over Blind Date, which has been left presenter-less since Cilla Black quit in January.
"Under Pressure bears similarities to Cilla’s Moment Of Truth," the source added. "Viewers and the audience get involved too. At the end of their week with the family the celebrity comes on the show on Saturday night and is set challenges. If the celeb meets the challenge the family win a prize.
"We’re talking to Mel about doing Blind Date as well. But we want to transform the show. We might get family and friends of the contestants in the audience to help pick the dates. No one knows yet whether Blind Date will still be called that — and there won’t be a decision on it for a while. But we do want Mel to be involved."
The host of lunchtime programme Today with Des and Mel is being lined up for several new primetime shows on the network, according to The Sun today.
"Mel is our new big star for the future," an ITV source said. "We’re working on some shows for her and we hope she will become as popular as Cilla Black. We’ve been really impressed with her on Des And Mel and we’ve signed her up for a big prime time Saturday night slot. We think her down-to-earth presenting style will help viewers feel warm towards her. And now she is a mother she has the perfect Saturday night family profile."
The first project under the deal will be a series called Under Pressure, where a celebrity will live with an ordianry family for a week. She could also take over Blind Date, which has been left presenter-less since Cilla Black quit in January.
"Under Pressure bears similarities to Cilla’s Moment Of Truth," the source added. "Viewers and the audience get involved too. At the end of their week with the family the celebrity comes on the show on Saturday night and is set challenges. If the celeb meets the challenge the family win a prize.
"We’re talking to Mel about doing Blind Date as well. But we want to transform the show. We might get family and friends of the contestants in the audience to help pick the dates. No one knows yet whether Blind Date will still be called that — and there won’t be a decision on it for a while. But we do want Mel to be involved."
