Deal or No Deal is the United Kingdom version of the Endemol game show format Deal or No Deal, hosted by Noel Edmonds. First broadcast on Channel 4 on 31 October 2005, it is aired 6 days a week excluding Saturdays for the entire year, excluding a summer break of a month during July and August.
Filmed in the round, the game is a simple game of chance and nerve, it features a single contestant trying to beat the Banker, as they open twenty-two identical sealed red boxes assigned to potential contestants in an order of their choosing. The boxes contain randomly assigned sums of money inside ranging from 1p to £250,000. The day's contestant is selected at the beginning, bringing their box to the chair. As the boxes are opened over a number of rounds, the Banker makes offers of real money to gain possession of their box. The gameplay is coordinated by Edmonds, who communicates with the unseen banker by telephone. Contestants can either 'deal' to take the money, or play to the end, settling on the amount in their box.
The objective is for the contestant to leave with more money than the Banker is prepared to deal for the box, while the element of risk is that by not dealing, or holding out for better deals, their luck can change and their take home amount can be relatively low, or even nothing.
There is a basic theme to the show, although now and again there are special episodes with a particular theme, usually based around the national holidays, introducing special features and prizes, and occasionally an opportunity to win £500,000.
