EXCLUSIVE: Omid Djalili, the comedian and actor known for roles in films including Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, is set to host an ITV gameshow from the makers of the longrunning hit series The Chase.
Deadline has learned that Djalili will front Winning Combination, which will be the first new quiz format from ITV Studios production outfit Potato since The Chase was born in 2009.
Winning Combination was piloted earlier this year and ITV is in the final stages of signing off a full series commission for its daytime schedule in autumn 2020.
The Potato format starts with nine contestants, who are assigned a number between one and nine. They are whittled down to a final four, and the combination of numbers they have been assigned represents the size of the jackpot they will play to win in a final round. It means the prize money could be as high as £9,876 ($12,176) or as low as £4,321.
It will be the first time Djalili has hosted a quiz and was approached after impressing on a celebrity edition of The Chase. ITV has been on the hunt for some time for a fresh face for its daytime entertainment lineup, according to sources.
The Chase, hosted by Bradley Walsh, is something of a phenomenon for ITV, running for a decade on the channel in daytime and giving rise to primetime celebrity specials. It was remade for GSN in the U.S. in 2013 and ran for five seasons. Potato’s other shows include the UK version of Ninja Warrior.
Djalili has featured in many Hollywood blockbusters, including The Mummy, Gladiator and Spy Game. The British Iranian also fronted The Omid Djalili Show for BBC One between 2007 and 2009, in which he performed in sketches and did stand-up routines.