He’s the saviour of Saturday night TV at the BBC – whether it’s his quiz The Wheel or Michael McIntyre‘s Big Show, millions flock to watch the comedian while rivals struggle to compete.
But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that ITV is trying to lure Mr McIntyre, 49, away by throwing ‘huge amounts’ of cash at him.
Yet friends of Mr McIntyre say he has ‘so much money’ it is no longer an issue for him.
Instead he is said to be ‘obsessed’ with overnight viewing figures – and he doesn’t believe they will be as good at ITV.
ITV executives want him as the popularity of Ant and Dec declines.
TV sources have divulged that ITV boss Kevin Lygo has been personally trying to lure Mr McIntyre with a huge pay deal.
A TV insider revealed: ‘Kevin is determined to nick Michael and has been for some time. He thinks he can do great things with him and improve his Saturday night schedule a lot.
‘He needs to. There isn’t a great deal of great Saturday night stuff left at ITV since Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway came off air.
He’s the saviour of Saturday night TV at the BBC – whether it’s his quiz The Wheel or Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, millions flock to watch the comedian while rivals struggle to compete
The Mail on Sunday can reveal that ITV is trying to lure Mr McIntyre, 49, away by throwing ‘huge amounts’ of cash at him
‘It used to all be about The X Factor but that’s long gone now. Michael would solve a big headache for Kevin.
‘ITV’s big four were Holly Willoughby, Phillip Schofield, and Ant and Dec. The first two have gone and the other two are also in many ways on the wane.’
Mr Lygo, ITV’s Director of Television, is said to want revenge on the BBC who have infuriated him by stealing stars his network has nurtured.
He was furious that Bradley Walsh – whose quiz The Chase is one of ITV’s most watched programmes – began working on the BBC with Gladiators.
Also, Paddy McGuinness left ITV to host Top Gear and Question of Sport; Amanda Holden, a judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, defected to make the Beeb’s Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job; and, after decades on ITV, Davina McCall signed a deal with the BBC to make dating show Stranded on Honeymoon Island.
But the move that enraged Mr Lygo most was This Morning’s Alison Hammond being lured to host interview series Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend on BBC One and travelogue Alison Hammond’s Florida Unpacked, on BBC Two. She is also set to host a revival of BBC game show Hole In The Wall.
Mr Lygo says he ‘made’ Ms Hammond, 50, by hiring her as This Morning’s showbusiness reporter 20 years ago and giving her a shot at hosting in 2021.
‘Kevin is furious with so many ITV stars ending up at the BBC,’ says a TV source. ‘Getting Michael would be some sweet revenge for him. He also needs to get some big Saturday night shows.’
ITV’s Saturday offerings are The Voice, Britain’s Got Talent and The Masked Singer. Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was put in hiatus last April.
ITV recently signed Gary Lineker to host game show The Box. But his previous effort on the network, Sitting On A Fortune, was axed after two series.
The BBC are determined to keep Mr McIntyre whose two shows are made by Hungry Bear production company, owned by Holly Willoughby’s husband Dan Baldwin.
Channels have struggled to recreate the Saturday night magic of ’70s, ’80s and ’90s shows such as The Generation Game.
