Ninja Warrior UK

Last updated

Ninja Warrior UK
Ninja Warrior UK.png
Also known asNinja Warrior UK: Race for Glory(2022)
Created byUshio Higuchi
Directed by
  • Paul Kirrage (2015–2019)
  • John L. Spencer (2022)
Presented by
Voices ofBruce Hammal
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series6
No. of episodes49
Production
Executive producers
  • Michael Kelpie (2015–2022)
  • Martin Scott (2015–2022)
  • Simon Marsh (2015–2019)
  • Helen Tumbridge (2022)
Production location Manchester Central
Running time60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company Potato
Original release
Network ITV
Release11 April 2015 (2015-04-11) –
1 June 2019 (2019-06-01)
Release10 September (2022-09-10) –
29 October 2022 (2022-10-29)
Related

Ninja Warrior UK (also known as Ninja Warrior UK: Race for Glory) is a British physical obstacle assault course game show, created for ITV. The show is based upon the format of the Japanese game show Sasuke , created by Ushio Higuchi, which is aired in the United Kingdom and other countries as Ninja Warrior. [1]

Contents

Presented by Ben Shephard, Chris Kamara and Rochelle Humes, [2] the show focuses on around 250 contestants (160 in series 4–5) tackling a difficult assault course featuring a variety of obstacles, the most notable being the Warped Wall. Contestants advance in the competition by achieving a fast enough time or progressing far enough along the course. The competition culminates with a final, in which the contestant who goes furthest fastest is declared "Last Ninja Standing". If a competitor completes the final obstacle, Mt Midoriyama, in under 45 seconds, they will be declared winner of the contest and crowned "Ninja Warrior UK".

Dubbed the "Toughest course on TV", the show originally aired five series between 2015 and 2019, including one celebrity special episode aired as part of the Text Santa telethon on 18 December 2015. The first competitor to complete the entire course was Tim Champion, beating Mt Midoriyama in the fifth series. After a three-year hiatus, the show returned in September 2022, this time under the name Ninja Warrior UK: Race for Glory, which featured contestants racing against each other. [3] Beth Lodge and Fred Dorrington are the most recent champions, beating Midoriyama in the sixth series (Race for Glory).

Format

In the show's original run, the competition was divided into three main stages - the heats, the semi-finals, and the final. Despite the show being based upon Sasuke , the assault course used on the programme featured obstacles primarily from American Ninja Warrior .

In the Heats, competitors would attempt a six obstacle course, starting with the "Quintuple Steps" in series 1–3 or the "Floating Steps" in series 4–5 and always culminating with the "Warped Wall". The other four featured obstacles would vary between the individual heat episodes. In series 1-3, 50 competitors took part in one of five heats, with the top 10 advancing to the semi-finals. In series 4–5, the number of heat episodes was reduced to four, with the top 15 advancing in series 4 and only those who beat the wall advancing in series 5.

After the qualifiers, the remaining competitors would be split evenly between two semi-finals, and tackle a nine obstacle course. Unlike the qualifiers, the first six obstacles must be completed within a set time-limit, but competitors can then freely tackle the remaining three obstacles in their own time. The top 15 competitors across both semi-finals would move on to the final, based on who got the furthest or achieved the fastest time. In series 4, due to a larger number of semi-finalists, the top 30 competitors would advance to the finals. In series 5, this number was reduced to 20.

Once in the final, the finalists tackle four separate stages of obstacles. They must complete the entire course to advance to the next stage. In Stage 1, competitors attempt a nine-obstacle course with a strict time limit. From series 4, Stage 1 was rebranded to the "Eliminator" and aired in a separate episode from Stages 2 onwards. Stage 2 is also timed and the remaining contestants attempt five obstacles. Stage 3 is an untimed three-obstacle course, following directly from Stage 2, and consists of three obstacles. In recent years, these obstacles have varied very little and include the Crazy Cliffhanger, Spider Flip and Flying Bar. The final stage of the finals is a 22-meter rope climb, [4] on (fictional) "Mount Midoriyama", which must be completed in under 45 seconds. Should a competitor complete this, they have then achieved total victory and are declared "Ninja Warrior UK". In the event that no competitor completes the final course, the competitor who goes furthest along the course in the fastest time is declared "Last Ninja Standing".

The show's format features a similar approach to that of Total Wipeout , in that footage in episodes focuses on the highlights of runs by contestants. Commentary of a contestant's run is mainly done by Shephard and Kamara, while Humes would often interview contestants before their run, and occasionally if they failed a run; in some instances, if a contestant's run was successful, especially during the qualifiers, the interview would be handled by Shephard and Kamara. [4]

Series overview

SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodesTop Contestant
1 11 April 201530 May 20158 Tim Shieff
2 2 January 201613 February 20168Owen McKenzie
3 31 December 201618 February 20178Jonny Urszuly
4 14 April 20189 June 20188Tim Shieff
5 13 April 20191 June 20198Tim Champion
SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodesFemale Top ContestantMale Top Contestant
6 10 September 202229 October 20228Beth LodgeFred Dorrington
  Indicates competitor(s) completed the Mount Midoriyama rope climb (total victory) and was declared "Ninja Warrior UK", the winner's title.


Series 1 (2015)

The first series of Ninja Warrior UK aired in 2015, from 11 April to 30 May. 250 competitors competed across five qualifying heats, with the top ten in each heat advancing to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the remaining field was split into two, with 7 places in the final available in each of the two semi-finals for the competitors who had advanced furthest along the course in the fastest time.

Of the 14 contestants that made it to the final, 6 completed Stage 1 but none managed to complete Stage 2. As a result, the winner was declared as Timothy Shieff, who managed to go the furthest. The series drew favourable viewing figures, leading ITV to renew the show for a second series on 29 May 2015. [5] [6] [7]

Series 2 (2016)

The second series of Ninja Warrior UK aired in 2016, from 2 January to 13 February. Much like in series 1, the show started with 250 competitors competing across five qualifying heats. A change was made in the semi-finals, whereby the top 15 across both semi-finals combined would advance to the final.

Of the 15 contestants that made it to the final, only three finalists made it to the second stage before failing on the same obstacle. Of these three, Owen McKenzie was declared the "Last Ninja Standing", having managed to go the furthest.

Series 3 (2017)

The third series of Ninja Warrior UK aired from 31 December 2016 to 18 February 2017. The format remained unchanged from series 2, however the course saw a significant change in obstacles from previous series, especially from the semi-finals onwards. Many competitors from previous series were also not invited back, with only five returning competitors across the series.

Of the 15 contestants that made it to the final, six completed Stage 1, and only two completed Stage 2 before failing on the Crazy Cliffhanger in Stage 3. Of these two, Jonny Urzuly was declared the "Last Ninja Standing", having gone the furthest on the obstacle.

Series 4 (2018)

The fourth series of Ninja Warrior UK aired from 14 April to 2 June 2018. Unlike previous series, it was announced on 28 August 2017 that the competition would feature a selection of celebrity contestants, including Gethin Jones, Harry Judd, Jenni Falconer, and Marvin Humes competing alongside members of the general public. [8]

The format also saw changes, with the number of heats reduced from five to four. As a result, the top 15 competitors in each heat advanced to the semi-finals. Due to the larger number of semi-finalists, 30 places were available in the eliminator, previously known as stage 1 of the final.

Of the 30 finalists, 8 completed Stage 1, 5 completed Stage 2 and none completed Stage 3. Tim Shieff was declared "Last Ninja Standing", failing the Flying Bar.

Series 5 (2019)

The fifth series of Ninja Warrior UK aired from 13 April to 1 June 2019. This series followed a similar structure to series 4 and saw many competitors from previous series return alongside new competitors. In the heats, only those who climbed the wall would advance to the semi-finals. During the semi-finals, the number of places available in the eliminator was reduced to 20.

Of the 20 finalists, 15 completed Stage 1, 8 completed Stage 2, and 1 completed Stages 3 and 4. The winner was Tim Champion, who became the first UK competitor to attempt and complete the Mount Midoriyama rope climb within 45 seconds, doing so with just 1 second to spare. [9]

This was the show's final series before its three-year hiatus; on 11 August 2020, Kamara revealed that ITV had no plans to commission a new series, thus marking the end of the series. [10]

Series 6 (2022)

In February 2022, three years after the end of the show's original run, it was announced that the show would return later that year for a sixth series. [11]

The sixth series, known as Ninja Warrior UK: Race for Glory, was filmed in August 2022 at Manchester Central, and began airing on 10 September 2022. The format was changed to introduce knockout head-to-head races, with contestants facing off against each other and a team of professional course testers in a knockout-style competition. [12]

Celebrity special

On 18 December 2015, a special celebrity edition of Ninja Warrior UK was aired in association with the Text Santa charity. The celebrities competed on a six-obstacle course, culminating with the Warped Wall; the winner was Louise Hazel.

Since 2018, celebrities have competed as part of the regular competition in the heats.

Ratings

SeriesEpisodesPremieredEnded
DatePremiere viewers
(in millions)		DateFinale viewers
(in millions)
1 811 April 20153.3230 May 20154.08
2 82 January 20163.3513 February 20163.72
3 831 December 20163.3818 February 20174.18
4814 April 20184.079 June 20182.81
5813 April 20193.091 June 20193.85
6 (Race for Glory)810 September 20222.6029 October 20221.61

Adventure Parks

Several indoor adventure parks using the Ninja Warrior UK branding have opened in cities across the UK, featuring obstacle courses inspired by the TV show. [13] [14]

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The fourth season of American Ninja Warrior began on May 20, 2012, and aired on NBC and G4. This was a landmark season for Ninja Warrior, as the entire format was overhauled. For the first time, the finals took place on U.S. soil. In addition, regional qualifying and finals were added, taking place in the series' flagship location, Venice Beach, CA, Dallas, TX, and Miami, FL. New co-host Jonny Moseley replaced Jimmy Smith, while Angela Sun replaced Alison Haislip. Again, the winner would have received $500,000 and the coveted American Ninja Warrior title. Brent Steffensen became the first competitor to complete the Ultimate Cliffhanger.

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<i>Australian Ninja Warrior</i> Australian sports entertainment series where ninjas have to complete obstacles in the quickest time

Australian Ninja Warrior is a sports entertainment competition spin-off of the Japanese television series Sasuke which premiered on 9 July 2017 on the Nine Network. It features hundreds of competitors attempting to complete series of obstacle courses of increasing difficulty, in hopes of advancing to the finals and becoming the season's "Australian Ninja Warrior."

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The first season of the sports entertainment reality competition series Australian Ninja Warrior premiered on 9 July 2017 on the Nine Network. The season was hosted by Rebecca Maddern, Ben Fordham & Freddie Flintoff.

Series Three of Ninja Warrior UK, a British physical obstacle assault course game show, was aired on ITV from 31 December 2016 to 18 February 2017. Of the 250 contestant who took part, this series' competition was won by Jonny Urszuly. During its broadcast, the series averaged around 3.81 million viewers.

Series Four of Ninja Warrior UK, a British physical obstacle assault course game show, began airing on 14 April 2018. Unlike previous series, it was announced on 28 August 2017 that the competition would feature a selection of celebrity contestants, including Gethin Jones, Harry Judd, Jenni Falconer and Marvin Humes.

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The third season of the sports entertainment reality competition series Australian Ninja Warrior premiered on 8 July 2019 on the Nine Network. The season is hosted by Rebecca Maddern, Ben Fordham & Freddie Flintoff.

The fourth season of the sports entertainment reality competition series Australian Ninja Warrior premiered on 26 July 2020 on the Nine Network. The season is hosted by Rebecca Maddern, Ben Fordham, Freddie Flintoff and Shane Crawford.

The thirteenth season of American Ninja Warrior premiered on May 31, 2021 on NBC. The season contain 12 episodes. A spin-off from the Japanese reality series Sasuke, it is hosted by Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and Zuri Hall. As with the twelfth season, this season used a smaller number of filming locations with no audiences during taping due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fourteenth season of American Ninja Warrior premiered on June 6, 2022, on NBC. A spin-off from the Japanese reality series Sasuke, it is hosted by Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and Zuri Hall. Filming for the season was similar to that of the thirteenth season, as it was taped in fewer cities, with a smaller audience during live taping, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sixth season of the sports entertainment reality competition series Australian Ninja Warrior premiered on 27 June 2022 on the Nine Network. The season is hosted by Leila McKinnon, Jim Courier and Will & Woody.

The fifteenth season of American Ninja Warrior premiered on June 5, 2023, on NBC. A spin-off from the Japanese reality series Sasuke, it is hosted by Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and Zuri Hall. This season, both Qualifying and Semifinals were entirely held in Universal City in Los Angeles, while the National Finals returned to its usual spot in Las Vegas.

References

  1. ↑ Deen, Sarah (18 February 2015). "ITV are bringing Ninja Warrior to the UK". Metro.
  2. ↑ Gillie, Rebecca (18 February 2015). "Ben Shephard and Rochelle Humes to present UK version of American Ninja Warrior". Daily Express.
  3. ↑ Craig, David (25 March 2022). "Ninja Warrior UK return confirmed by Chris Kamara – with format change". Radio Times.
  4. 1 2 Gee, Catherine (11 April 2015). "Ninja Warrior UK: everything you need to know". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  5. ↑ Lee, Ben (20 August 2015). "Ninja Warrior UK is coming back for a second series in 2016". Digital Spy UK.
  6. ↑ Campelli, Matthew (29 May 2015). "Warrior". Broadcast. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ninja Warrior UK comes to CITV!". www.itv.com.
  8. ↑ Dyke, Peter; Gleave, Ed (20 August 2017). "Ex-JLS star JB Gill reveals 'he's too scared to enter Jungle' for I'm A Celeb". Daily Star. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  9. ↑ Hegarty, Tasha (1 June 2019). "Ninja Warrior UK sees a contestant FINALLY conquer Mount Midoriyama". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  10. ↑ Morris, Lauren (11 August 2020). "Ninja Warrior UK "finished" at ITV as Chris Kamara announces show has been dropped after 5 series". Radio Times. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  11. ↑ TVZone (18 February 2022). "NINJA WARRIOR UK SET FOR ITV COMEBACK AFTER HIATUS | EXCLUSIVE". TVZoneUK. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  12. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (25 March 2022). "Revamped 'Ninja Warrior U.K.' Returns to ITV". Variety. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  13. ↑ Gee, Daniel (19 December 2022). "Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park to open in Guildford early next year". Alton Herald. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  14. ↑ Barton, Phoebe (28 June 2022). "First look at Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park opening in Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
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