The Summit Review: Hateful Reality TV You Can’t Look Away From

A rope bridge suspended over a dizzying chasm served as the first test for contestants on ITV’s new reality competition, The Summit, which premiered Tuesday evening. The show, hosted by Ben Shephard, pits 14 strangers against each other – and a challenging mountain trek – for a share of a £200,000 prize.

The premise, as described by one reviewer, is simple: “an unlikable group of strangers try to climb one of the New Zealand Alps, despite being vastly unsuited to it.” Contestants are each carrying a portion of the prize money in their backpacks, with the total available decreasing for those who fail to reach the summit. The series began with a clear indication of potential conflict, with contestants already exhibiting animosity towards one another, according to early reports.

Among those attempting the climb are individuals with varying degrees of outdoor experience. Thomas, a tour guide, is hampered by a fear of heights, whereas Tyra believes her Duke of Edinburgh award experience will adequately prepare her for the challenge. Perhaps the most notable contestant is Afton, a pageant and fitness coach whose accent was likened to that of a character from the television series The Windsors, and who is the daughter of “Doctor” Gillian McKeith, a figure previously sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Authority for misleading health claims.

The show’s structure includes unexpected twists. A “Mountain Keeper,” described as a “stupid, hateful black helicopter,” introduces challenges and instructions, causing at least one viewer to express extreme frustration. The first challenge involved crossing the rope bridge, where a contestant nicknamed “Dockers,” who self-identifies as an “alpha male,” volunteered to demonstrate the technique.

Shephard briefly appeared at the beginning of the episode to explain the rules, noting the unusual element of contestants physically carrying their potential winnings. He also reappeared briefly after the rope bridge challenge to deliver “some bad news” to the group before leaving them to camp overnight. Publican Miranda initially took the lead in navigation, but relinquished control after struggling to maintain direction.

The series continues on ITV1, with episodes airing Tuesdays at 9:00pm, and is also available on ITVX. The next episode is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11th, at the same time. Following this, the series will air on consecutive Tuesdays, culminating in a finale on March 17th.