'The Nightly Show': Jason Manford Delivers As Latest Host, With Viewers Claiming Series Has Been 'Saved'

It’s fair to say ‘The Nightly Show’ has had a rocky old run, but Jason Manford looks to be the secret ingredient that has been missing all this time.

The comic took the reins of the troubled ITV series on Monday (10 April) night, and viewers actually seemed to find it funny - which could be a first for show.

While ‘The Nightly Show’ has spent weeks being slammed by viewers and critics for its weak gags and shaky format, Jason went down a storm with those watching, claiming it was a vast improvement:

@JasonManford @ITVNightlyShow Best one yet! First time we thought it wasn't long enough! You should double your fee, you may have just saved it!
— Liver Bird (@LiverBird543) April 11, 2017

Watching @ITVNightlyShow with @JasonManford. Best host by far!! #heytyrone! #TheNightlyShow
— Sarah Lewis (@sazzav) April 10, 2017

@jasonmanford U R smashing this! #thenightlyshow
— Mrs Miles (@aulismiles) April 10, 2017

One word for @JasonManford PERFECTION! So so funny on Nightly Show!
— Sarah Jayne (@SazJayney) April 10, 2017

@JasonManford Best "Nightly Show" host so far. Hilarious 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
— Chris Brophy UK 🇬🇧 (@thebrophyblog) April 10, 2017

@ITVNightlyShow @JasonManford was brilliant last night
— Claire Sweeney (@clairesweeney) April 11, 2017

#thenightlyshow @JasonManford really entertaining show, best yet! Very naturally funny well done Jasonxx
— Madaline Stott (@madmoostott) April 10, 2017

@JasonManford Without doubt the best presenter of @ITVNightlyShow so far, kept it simple and chatted to the guests without the nonsense ✅
— Matt Gillman (@MattGillman7) April 10, 2017

@JasonManford You've rescued #thenightlyshow Yours was the best. (Late tweet. Watching on +1) 👍🏼
— Kerry McDonald (@macckyk12) April 10, 2017

@JasonManford Your a natural presenter, the only other person I've enjoyed presenting #TheNightlyShow is Bradly Walsh! I wanted more tonite!
— Charlotte Lamb (@CharlotteLamb) April 10, 2017

@JasonManford Just telling the truth jason your the best host that programme has had
— *tammy* (@Ronans_lady) April 10, 2017

As ever though, there were those who disagreed:

#thenightlyshow And normal, crap service has been resumed. Not a fan of Manford, he was lucky he had decent guests.
— Jane Arnold (@ThisLeadenPall) April 10, 2017

@ITV #thenightlyshow - this has been painful tonight, I'm sorry. @amazon - as sponsors please do something 🙈 stopped watching !!!!
— Jason Davis (@jasondavis594) April 10, 2017

@JasonManford love you mate but the shows a turkey , get some distance from it.
— Terry (@Terrytheblueone) April 10, 2017

Jason was thankful for his stint being so well received, admitting he wasn’t expecting the positive response:

Can't thank you enough for all your lovely comments about @ITVNightlyShow. Was such a fun record & I'm so honoured to be one of the hosts.
— JasonManford (@JasonManford) April 10, 2017

Well I wasn't expecting to wake up to so many lovely tweets & reviews of the @ITVNightlyShow! Thanks so much, means an awful lot. ❤
— JasonManford (@JasonManford) April 11, 2017

Prior to taking the hot seat, Jason admitted he wasn’t concerned about the show’s bad reviews.

He told The Sun: “I think it’s harder for non-comics, because you’ve got to just take the writers’ jokes. But I’ve been watching every minute of it — literally taking notes.

“And what I’ve noticed so far is that when John Bishop was doing the monologue, his was the strongest, and that’s because he’s a comic and it’s his thing.

“But when Dermot O’Leary was doing the interviews, I think his were the strongest of them, because he knows that world. A lot of it has been very good.”

‘The Nightly Show’ airs weeknights at 10pm on ITV.

uktv The Nightly Show jason manford