Hello, I am currently studying AS media and one of my projects are to research a film or programme. I decided to research Deal or No Deal and find out why it has lasted so long (compared to some other game shows aired on day time TV i.e. Golden Balls) and what attracts so many high ratings consistently?

So I was wondering if it would be okay for some of you to answer me and help me out with my primary research.

Here are some factors I considered about the show:
What is it about the show which appeals to you? (You can pick as many as you wish)

The presenter (Noel Edmonds)
The contestants
The Banker
The fascination of how much money the contestants will win (Will they win the big 250k)
General interest in game shows
Contemplating applying for the show
Watch the show to fill time (out of boredom)
Curiosity (Maybe many of your friends watch the show, watch it to have a common interest)
Entertainment factor (The ‘banter’ between contestants, Noel and the banker)
Any other reason?

And do you have any other reasons why you think Deal or No Deal has a great longevity?

Thank you so much

From my own personal point of view, the main factors are the entertainment and banter, and the sheer unpredictability of the program, no two games are ever the same, and that feeling of What will happen tomorrow?, that you never got with Goldenballs after the inital run, because it predominately became Steal/Steal

The Banker (mathematically interesting), general interest in game shows, entertainment factor, and as wokoman says, the unpredictability.

As someone with a background in economics and to a lesser extent psychology, the way people come to their financial decisions (and how that can be affected by other people, from Noel and the Banker to the pilgrims and wing members) is something I find especially interesting even if I often fail to understand it. Perhaps especially if I fail to understand it!

It's quite a fun game, there is often laughing and banter in it.

It's not too complicated for people to follow, and its a simple game of chance.

Unlike other games such as Golden Balls and Weakest Link, there is no maliciousness in it, the contestants aren't against each other which makes the atmosphere of the game much nicer.

There are so many outcomes of Deal or No Deal and so many combinations and variables to keep it interesting, unlike some other games that doesn't have that.

Theres a different kind of tension in Deal or No Deal as opposed to other game shows. For example, the only tention I find in Golden Balls is the end because of the split or steal where there are only 3 possible outcomes.. but in Deal or No Deal, there are much more varieties and theres tension with each box opening.

When I first started watching the show, it was because I'd heard Noel Edmonds was back on TV and I wanted to see what his new show was all about. I think Noel Edmonds is excellent at hosting the show, and I'm fairly confident that I wouldn't have watched the show as religiously as I have done (or even at all) if someone else had been hosting.

Another aspect of the show that has kept me glued over the years is the fact that you get to know the players on the wings for a few weeks before they play their show. I can't think of any other gameshow where you get to know the contestants so well before they play the game.

I also like the idea that no two games can be exactly the same, because of the randomness of the boxes, and the variations in the banker's offers. The banker's psychological and mathematical tactics are also fascinating too.

It's also good that Noel - and to a certain extent, the contestants - have freedom in the studio. Most gameshows (such as Pointless, Golden Balls, Weakest Link) require the host(s) and contestants to stay in one place throughout the show, and almost follow a script as to what happens. With DoND, though, pretty much anything can happen, partly because Noel lets the player have a lot of control over what happens in their show. I was lucky enough to be a contestant three years ago, and I was able to have a lot of fun with Noel during my game, thanks to the unscripted nature of the show.

As a result of all of this, there have been some really memorable shows over the years - some of them memorable either because of the gameplay (big wins, massive crashes, etc), or because of the characters (e.g. Farmer Clive, Pat M, etc.), or because of something else (such as a flood, which happened during one game).