Deal Or No Deal (C4)

WHO'D have thought this time last year that we'd be marking the TV comeback of Noel Edmonds and the success of a daily game show that's caught the public imagination in much the same way that Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and The Weakest Link did?

Then along came Deal Or No Deal, whose ratings have been so good that C4 has hundreds of new episodes for 2006.

Explaining why this "big money game show" has captured viewers isn't easy. The same two questions - "which box do you want to open?" and "deal or no deal?" - are asked over and over again.

There are no ticking clocks or knockout rounds, and there's little time to discover personal details about the 22 contestants. There are no celebrities and no presenter being bitchy to competitors.

This very simplicity makes it addictive. I never thought I'd happily watch a game show where virtually nothing happens without getting bored.

Each of the contestants has a box, identical on the outside but each containing a different amount of money, anything from 1p to £250,000.

The person playing the game has to choose one box at a time to open. At regular intervals, the unseen banker - who communicates only with Edmonds by telephone - makes an offer for the contestant's box.

"Deal or no deal?" asks Edmonds.

Mary-Ann, the other day, sold her box for £18,000 and discovered there was only £50 in it. She was a winner, realising her dream of being able to take her family - husband, children, grandchildren - to Europe.

Before that, she was told somewhat dramatically, as she took centre stage that "it's your show now, you have Channel 4 for the next 45 minutes".

Edmonds' job is to pace about the set, saying "It's your moment" and "Are you a lucky person?".

Finding that the first box you've chosen contains the top prize of a quarter of a million pounds is a blow. "It's okay," sighed Mary-Ann, a little too reasonably. I'm sure disappointment would have made most of us swear and curse Edmonds.

I'm surprised, too, that she wasn't irritated by his constant reminders that it was vital to keep the £100,000 box. Perhaps that's why he keeps walking around, so he's a moving target and more difficult to hit.

The Banker is played by "Himself" according to the credits. Who is this mystery man? I suspect that there's no-one on the end of the line when Edmonds picks up the receiver and that he makes up the offers himself.

Deal Or No Deal has been promoted to Richard and Judy's 5.15pm slot tonight. If I was that pair I'd be afraid, very afraid, of being ousted. C4 needs a strong programme to battle against Paul O'Grady's ratings hit on ITV1 at the same time and wheeler dealer Edmonds' game show could be just what the ratings doctor ordered.