ITV launches new show to rival The Traitors on BBC

GONE are the chilly climes of the Scottish Highlands and Claudia Winkleman in her signature black cloak as ITV launch a fresh series to rival The Traitors.

The broadcaster has got on board with the reality show hype after the nation became engrossed with The Traitors - and winner Harry Clark's deception - earlier this year.

Now ITV has revealed a sun-soaked alternative, dubbed The Fortune Hotel.

A brand new trailer captures host Stephen Mangan at the helm of the series, filmed in Grenada, which sees competitors forced to lie to each other to bag a £250K prize.

A total of 10 couples with compete - with only one being armed with a briefcase containing the whopper cash prize.

Eight suitcases will be empty, with one containing the dreaded early checkout card, leading to elimination. 

Then begins the challenge in order to find which case the cash is in.

Meanwhile, the owners of the cash case - who are fully aware theirs is the prestigious lot - can lie and bluff in order to keep it hidden.

Viewers will be in the know throughout, witnessing their plans and strategies playing out on screen. 

The show's climax is the nerve-shredding case swap in the Lady Luck bar, where each pair must decide whether to keep or swap their case.

We previously reported how Pointless star Stephen would be fronting the game show and switching up from his BBC role to play the hotel manager.

Talking of the show content, he said: "The game is pretty simple but endlessly fascinating so a combination of that alongside the backdrop in which it was set was just pretty irresistible.

"People are endlessly fascinating to me as an actor and the reason you become an actor is because people and how they get on with each other, especially in moments of high stress is deeply fascinating.

"Human beings are complex and interesting so The Fortune Hotel felt like the perfect mix of entertainment and drama. It's a way of putting people together under pressure set amongst a stunning location.

"The whole package was just incredibly intriguing to me so I had to be a part of it."

The Fortune Hotel will air across eight, 60-minute episodes.

Opening up

Host Stephen has opened up on filming the sun-soaked role.

He told the Telegraph: "I’d be lying if I didn’t say a month in the Caribbean wasn’t part of the appeal.

"We hired the whole ­resort on Grenada – complete with a 100 m swimming pool – for the whole shoot.

And I’ve never done so much filming on yachts and beaches.

"The sunsets were just incredible."

Third Traitor?

ITV's new show comes as applications for the third Traitors series opened up.

Host Claudia recently revealed another instalment was on the way - and fans will no doubt be hoping she is at the helm.

The Sun also reported how show bosses have booked out the Scottish castle where the show is filmed until the end of the decade.