Channel 4 game show ‘Deal or No Deal’ has been axed after 11 years and over 3,000 episodes. Presented by Noel Edmonds the show was hugely popular in its early years and at one time attracted more than 4 million viewers. However ratings have fallen steadily in recent years, with it now attracting an audience of just around 300,000.

Noel Edmonds‘Deal or No Deal’ host Noel Edmonds

A TV insider told The Mirror: “'Deal Or No Deal' doesn’t get the ratings it used to and it is not a cheap daytime show to make. Noel and ‘Deal’ had a great run but bosses have just decided it is the right time to end the series.”

It is understood that before bowing out, it will embark on a ‘farewell tour’ around the country as way for fans to say goodbye to the show. The remaining episodes of the show left to air are ones filmed back in 2015.

The format sees a new contestant each day open 22 identical sealed red boxes, in an order of their choosing, in the hope of winning £250,000. Each boxes contains an amount ranging from 1p to £250,000, and the aim is to be left with the big money box unopened at the end.

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Speaking last September Edmonds, whose career was resurrected by the show, had admitted that he did not know if ‘Deal Or No Deal’ had a future. “I have no idea about the future of Deal or No Deal,” he said.

“ I get asked this all the time and what I can say is we finished recording the last one at the end of the first week of May and they have enough 'Deal or No Deal' to go through to the end of next year.

"I do not know if it will be recorded again, if it's over I have had a sensational 10 years.” Edmonds is now said to be working on a new big-money studio game show and two other pilots for Channel 4.