Dragons’ Den’s Sara Davies has landed a prime afternoon slot on ITV as host of Time Is Money, a “high-stakes quiz show set to add even more excitement to the afternoon schedule for ITV1 and ITVX.”
Co-produced by Hairy Bikers producer South Shore and Plegazoid, Pointless creator David Flynn’s studio, the show offers a unique twist: contestants begin with their prize money already on the line and must race against the clock to keep it. If they fail to answer correctly, their cash prize slips away.
North East entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star Davies’ “quick wit and engaging personality” made her the perfect host to guide contestants through the tension-filled competition, the producers said.
The show joins afternoon game shows on ITV1 and ITVX including The Chase, Deal or No Deal, Lingo and Tipping Point which continue to dominate the daytime TV landscape. ITV1’s daytime share of viewing is more than double that of Channel 4 and Channel 5 combined, plus ITV’s daytime share is 10 points ahead of Netflix – its closest rival.
The Chase has now been the number one show in daytime since 2017, for nine consecutive years straight. It was up in January compared to last year, and already this year eighteen episodes have got 3 million or more viewers. Since ITVX launched, it has been the second most watched fast channel, whilst streams to the show overall in January were up +27%.
Time is Money will join other ITV daytime game show favourites such as Lingo and Deal or No Deal at MediaCity’s dock10. Deal or No Deal continues its strong performance, with ten episodes this year having achieved 2 million viewers or more. Plus it is seeing massive growth on ITVX – throughout 2024 the show generated 10 million streams and in the first eight weeks of 2025 alone, it is already up to 6.8 million streams.
Lingo is currently doing well too, with viewing up +14% compared to Q1 2024. On 24th January 2025 it was watched by 1.1 million, its biggest audience since 2023. On ITVX it has been streamed 3.2 million times in eight weeks, which is nearly half of the streams it had in the whole of last year (7m).
And Tipping Point is averaging 1.6m per episode, with a high of 2m. Having achieved 22 million streams on ITVX last year, it has already been streamed 3m times so far this year.
Katie Rawcliffe, director of entertainment & daytime at ITV, said: “It’s been fantastic to see our afternoon game shows continue to thrive this year with The Chase, Deal or No Deal, Lingo and Tipping Point all delivering strong ratings and growing audiences.
“These shows have become a staple for daytime TV and we’re thrilled to add Time Is Money to the mix. With its unique blend of fast-paced quiz action and high-stakes drama, Time Is Money will perfectly complement our existing lineup, as will Sara Davies as host.”
Davies added: “I’m absolutely delighted to be hosting Time Is Money. This show is unlike anything you’ve seen before — it’s full-on, it’s exhilarating, and the pressure is real. It’s going to be a rollercoaster of excitement and tension, and I can’t wait to see who’ll keep their cool under pressure. Get ready for a make or break adventure, because time really is money!”
