ITV Orders The Summit

ITV1 and ITVX have commissioned the brand-new adventure reality series The Summit, hosted by Ben Shephard.

The show will see 14 strangers from all walks of life face the daunting challenge of climbing a mountain in the rugged Alps of New Zealand’s south island. They will face a test of strategy and resilience as they compete for a share of a potential £200,000 cash prize.

The Summit is made by Shine TV for ITV. It will air on ITV1, ITVX and STV and STV Player in 2025.

Shephard said: “This series really has got it all; the contestants are going to be tested in every possible way as they try and take on the mountain. They’ll need a serious amount of grit, determination and strategy if they want to reach The Summit. Most people know how much I love exercise and adventure, but this is taking it to another level—I’ll be donning my mountain gear to check in with them as they battle up the mountain and do their best to combat the demands of the ominous Mountain’s Keeper. I can’t wait to see how they get on because anyone who reaches The Summit will have seriously earned every penny of the prize fund.”

Paul Mortimer, ITV’s director of reality commissioning and acquisitions, said: “Not only is this a huge and complex endurance test for the contestants, overseen by the wonderful Ben Shephard, it’s going to be an absolute nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat watch for viewers at home. Filled with cliffhangers, shocks, twists and turns, it’s going to keep people guessing from the very first step of the trek to that final summit.”

Leon Wilson, CEO of Shine TV, added: “Our contestants are ordinary Brits up for the challenge of their lives. It’s not about being the fittest or the strongest—this show will test resilience, relationships and mental strength as they battle to get the most money and the least amount of people to share it with to the top. To do that, they must survive intense challenges, survive nerve-wracking eliminations and form devious alliances. I just hope they are not afraid of heights.”