Saturday Night Takeaway star Stephen Mulhern set to star in new quiz show – which is all about TV

IT’S a challenge to turn on the TV without seeing Stephen Mulhern staring back from our screens – and now he’s lined up for yet another show.

ITV is about to hand him TV Winners, where contestants get grilled on their knowledge of the small screen.

He is already hosting Catchphrase, Rolling In It, In For A Penny and, of course, pops up on Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

A TV insider said: “Stephen is really well respected at ITV and has very much become one of the faces of their light entertainment offering.

“He’s been in the business for almost 25 years and knows so many of the stars he’s climbed up the ranks alongside.

“More importantly, he is viewed as a safe pair of hands when it comes to fronting shows.

“And with the gameshow format, which requires personality as well as skills to steer a programme, he really seems to have found his niche.

“In particular, bosses were impressed by him presenting The Big Soap Quiz on ITV, which made them realise how good he’d be in a similar role, full-time.”

The new venture, which is at the pilot stage, will have a similar vibe to Telly Addicts, which was hosted by Noel Edmonds and ran on the BBC from 1985 to 1998.

But it has a different format, with experts demonstrating their knowledge.

They will also show off any skills they might have acquired after being inspired by certain programmes.

Telly bosses are keeping the details under wraps until a full series is commissioned, which could happen later this year.

Stephen got his big break in children’s TV in 1998 and has since appeared on SMTV Live, Britain’s Got More Talent, This Morning and Sunday Night At The Palladium.

This latest quiz could have a whole episode dedicated to questions about his career.

DAWN: TV ON CHEAP A THREAT

DAWN FRENCH reckons “cheap” shows such as Love Island are killing off comedy.

The Vicar Of Dibley favourite, who has been in the business for 40 years and starred with Jennifer Saunders, said: “We live in the world of reality TV where it’s so cheap that even if you take everyone to Love Island, the people are costing you nothing.

“You’ve got hours and hours of telly and all you’re really having to pay for is the technicians.

"A couple of houses and your cameras and your crew. Why would you spend money on comedy?

“We’d never be able to make French And Saunders in this day and age.

“We would go to them and say we want to do some characters, we need you to build a dentist office, prosthetics that cost £3k each and I don’t know quite what we’re gonna do when we’re in the prosthetics.”

CHEF TOM BACK ON THE MENU

FORMER Great British Menu winner Tom Kerridge is returning to the show as one of its judges.

The Michelin-starred TV chef, who triumphed on the cooking contest in 2010 and 2011, will be joined by fellow kitchen whizz Nisha Katona, Off Menu podcast host Ed Gamble, plus regular panellist Andi Oliver in the new line-up.

Tom said: “I’ve been involved with the show in some respect now for years. I know how much it means, not just to the chefs that compete, but also the British food scene in general.”

Ed added: “I know way more than Tom and Nisha, who both kept complaining that nobody served chicken nuggets.”

Great British Menu returns to BBC2 at 8pm on February 1.

JASON'S GOT THE JITTERS

JASON ISAACS got off on the wrong foot during his early break in TV.

The actor, best known as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, said on That Gaby Roslin Podcast he dropped a clanger when filming 1989 drama Capital City on ITV.

He thought he should copy the body language of fellow actors who had a jittery body language.

Jason said: “I did it for weeks and weeks and three or four episodes.

"And then one day the cameraman said to me, ‘Jase, you might not want to do the bouncing leg thing in your close-ups’.”

He was then told to stop – because it looked like he was playing with himself.

COUPLE MAKES SI SEE RED

NEWLY engaged Simon Cowell was not feeling any wedding fever during Britain’s Got Talent auditions.

The show judge looked less than impressed when a couple came on stage and tied the knot in front of him.

Ben and Kerry were attempting a world record but delivered an even bigger surprise during their appearance this week.

They brought someone else into the act – a celebrant who helped them get hitched.

Fellow judge Alesha Dixon was thrilled by the turn of events and remarked: “Just when you think this show can’t get any crazier, we have an actual wedding.”

But Simon gestured to the audience that he wanted the experience to end quickly – and panellist David Walliams was clearly relishing his friend’s displeasure.

I think it was a big fat “no” from Simon.

THE HUNT IS ON

FEAST your eyes on the bewildered bunch of contestants who are taking part in this year’s Celebrity Hunted on Channel 4.

They will appear on the contest, which involves “fugitives” using their guile to escape a group of experts in pursuit.

The hugely popular show started seven years ago with members of the public taking on the hunted roles, but two years later the celebrity spin-off began.

This year the line-up is, from left, Drag Race winner The Vivienne, Olympic sprinter Iwan Thomas, Paralympian Richard Whitehead, UK garage star Lisa Maffia, Holby City actress Chizzy Akudolu, reality TV star Chloe Veitch and Made In Chelsea’s Ollie and Gareth Locke.

They will be getting chased by Chief Hunter Lisa Theaker, with her sidekicks Hattie and Ray, when the show starts on January 30 at 9pm.