'Red or Black?' format dismissed by ITV in 2003

ITV reportedly ordered a pilot episode of Red or Black? eight years ago, but decided that the format was 'too flawed' to work as a hit ITV1 show.

Claudia Rosencrantz, the controller of entertainment at ITV in 2003, commissioned a pilot of Red or Black?, but the programme was never transmitted or publicised.

She told The Guardian that a number of flaws were revealed in the format after she analysed the trial version.

Rosencrantz, who commissioned Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? for ITV, said that viewers would feel differently about contestants who had won £1m on merit as opposed to those who had won the sum on luck.

"I didn't believe people would like to see someone win a vast sum of money, with no skills at all involved. Second, gambling is not a spectator sport, you get an adrenaline rush from participating in it," she said.

"I also did not like the idea of a show about gambling, which I personally loathe. If [ITV chairman] Archie Norman had asked my advice I would have saved him a lot of money."

Richard Holloway, an executive producer at The X Factor maker FremantleMedia, also confirmed that his company had made a pilot of Red or Black? for ITV. The original host for the show was Brian Conley.

Last night, Yorkshire pig farmer Darren Thompson became the third person to win the £1m jackpot on the now-Simon Cowell masterminded ITV1 gameshow Red or Black?, presented by Ant & Dec.

However, Cowell has been forced to defend the programme from criticism that one of its millionaire winners, Nathan Hageman, had a previous criminal record for serious assault. The show has also suffered declining ratings since its premiere last Saturday.

Cowell's Syco production company was not associated with Red or Black? in 2003, and Rosencrantz said that the show was offered to ITV by Paul Worsley, now group director of the James Grant talent agency, which represents Ant & Dec.

Most of the channel managers and executive team at ITV have changed since the original pilot, while Rosencrantz left the broadcaster in 2006.

Red or Black?, which is jointly produced by Syco and ITV Studios, is estimated to be costing around £2m a night to make due to the celebrity guests, lavish stunts and prize money.

The show is currently pulling in a relatively modest audience of around 4.5m-5m viewers a night.

Watch Darren Thompson win £1 million on last night's Red or Black? below: