Graham Norton’s new ITV show The Neighbourhood has been branded ‘dreadful’ and a ‘brazen attempt to replicate the success of The Traitors’ by television critics and viewers alike.
The 11-part reality series sees real households from across the UK compete in a street-wide popularity contest – with a prize of £250,000 for the last house standing.
In addition, chat show host Graham, 63, oversees events and stirs the pot via the group WhatsApp chat.
Although as the programme debuted on Friday (April 24), not everyone watching was left impressed.
One viewer wrote: ‘Oh my goodness it was dreadful. I have a huge capacity for “drivel” TV but I couldn’t stay with this after 15 minutes. Awful TV.’
Another penned: ‘Seems like ITV is trying desperately to make a show that will have the success The Traitors has.’
Graham Norton’s new ITV show The Neighbourhood has been branded ‘dreadful’ and a ‘brazen attempt to replicate the success of The Traitors’ by television critics and viewers alike
The 11-part reality series sees real households from across the UK compete in a street-wide popularity contest – with a prize of £250,000 for the last house standing
A third commented: ‘Turned it off, the biggest load of rubbish.’
A fourth shared: ‘I turned it off after 10 minutes.’
In a three-star review, Metro described the show as ‘the latest – and arguably boldest – brazen attempt to replicate the colossal success of The Traitors.’
Other fans had a more positive reaction, with one posting: ‘Am I the only person who’s loving #TheNeighbourhood.
‘I actually really like all the families. This is the type of normal people we want cast on Big Brother.’
A second agreed: ‘#Theneighbourhood is gooood, better than Britain’s got talent, i would put The neighbourhood on prime time saturday.’
The Guardian’s two-star review read: ‘Any sense of jeopardy is conspicuous by its absence.
‘Norton lifts the energy when he’s there but is only present for the welcome and removals-voting.’
The publication also branded The Neighbourhood as a ‘tired reality show’.
The Telegraph stated in their two-star assessment: ‘The show is full of quirky little design touches like this, and it seems as if the producers have put more thought into how it looks than how engaging it is to watch.’
Taking to X, viewers shared their reactions to The Neighbourhood – and were left divided in their opinions
The Independent claimed in their three-star review that even host Graham ‘can’t save this trippy reality show’.
Speaking to the press as he introduced the new show on location in the Lake District, Graham previously said: ‘Welcome to The Neighbourhood. Where you are now – this is Keep Your Enemies Close, and this is the hub of the show where all the drama, tensions and laughs will unfold right here.
‘You are the first people in the world to get a sneak peek at The Neighbourhood, and it’s a show that I’m really excited to be at the helm of.
‘Anyone that knows me will know that as much as I enjoy my job, I’m also very lazy, so when the brilliant teams from Lifted Entertainment and The Garden asked me in for the pitch, I thought, well I’ll do that but then I’ll say no.
‘And then as I was sitting there, I thought oh this is really good. I have to say yes to this, so here I am.’
He continued: ‘It has that combination of big challenges and also all the behind-the-scenes, behind-the-doors 24/7 filming, combining those with a life-changing prize of £250,000, and I was hooked.
‘Being here, you get the scale of this competition – it really is extraordinary.’
Ed Daggett, Development Executive at Lifted Entertainment, expressed hopes that the new ITV show could rival the BBC’s The Traitors, saying: ‘The Traitors has been absolutely phenomenal in terms of the way it’s attracted reality fans and people who may not normally come to reality shows.
‘Of course, we would want to come close to that sort of success.’
Ed explained that the families living in The Neighbourhood will take part in challenges to secure their place in the competition, but when it comes to eliminations, contestants will simply place a ‘For Sale’ sign on ‘removal day’ outside the house of the person they wish to evict.
Graham was first confirmed to front The Neighbourhood – his first reality TV project – back in February 2025.
He told The Sun at the time: ‘Like everyone, I’m always intrigued by what goes on behind closed doors.
‘Add to that some dastardly challenges and a life-changing prize and I’m hooked.
‘I feel confident that The Neighbourhood will be the nation’s favourite destination.’
The Neighbourhood airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
