The Box review: ITV's baffling new gameshow leaves viewers and host Gary Lineker in the dark

ITV's new gameshow, 'The Box', has premiered with a format so bewildering that its purpose remains elusive, even to its host, Gary Lineker. The series, a UK adaptation of a Norwegian format, plunges ten celebrity contestants into a series of unexplained challenges within shipping containers. The opening sequences, far from clarifying the game, amplify the confusion. Captions boom across the screen: "10 BOXES," followed by "10 CONTESTANTS," as a montage teases glimpses of participants like former footballer Graeme Souness squinting at an egg and a member of the popular music group JLS, Aston Merrygold, running towards trees. The final, and perhaps most crucial, caption declares: "NO HELP." This stark statement encapsulates the show's "wilfully befuddling modus operandi," a deliberate embrace of ambiguity that leaves participants and viewers alike adrift.

The review attempts to define 'The Box' by what it is not, listing a sitcom, a medical drama, a property show, or even a program about badgers. This negation highlights the show's radical departure from conventional television structures. The surreal scenarios glimpsed in promotional material are indicative of the programme's bizarre nature: former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow is seen engaging in topless karaoke while showering pensioners with glitter, and reality television personality Joey Essex is depicted pounding on the walls of his container. These outlandish moments underscore the show's commitment to the unexplained.

Gary Lineker, a seasoned presenter known for his work on sports broadcasting and shows like 'Have I Got News For You', takes on the hosting duties for this six-part series. However, even his presence cannot anchor the programme in any discernible reality. The review suggests that elements of the original Norwegian format may have been lost in translation, potentially contributing to the overall sense of disorientation. The core premise appears to revolve around the contestants' reactions to unpredictable, often absurd, situations, with the absence of clear rules or objectives being a fundamental, and seemingly intentional, feature. The review concludes that the show's defining characteristic is its profound lack of clarity, leaving viewers, and by extension, the host, with no understanding of the events unfolding within the titular boxes. The show's deliberate obfuscation leaves one to question the underlying intent, if any, behind the chaos.