Les Dennis reveals his sad reason why ITV would not ask him to front Family Fortunes again
Les Dennis fronted the ITV game show Family Fortunes from 1987 until 2002.
Family Fortunes' Les Dennis thinks the ITV game show's bosses would not ask him back as host because he is "too old".
The 73-year-old star challenged two families to guess the most popular answer to everyday questions, based on a survey of 100 people, from 1987 until 2002, when he quit after the network offered him an "insulting" 98 per cent pay cut when the programme moved from primetime to daytime.
Les would be open to returning to Family Fortunes if the show returned, but he doubts he would be considered because of his age.
The Coronation Street alum told The Sun: "If they brought Family Fortunes back, I would consider doing it again.
"But they won’t consider me. I’m too old for that job now. I think they’ll want somebody young and upcoming."
Les would love to see his 45-year-old friend, comedian Jason Manford, take over as host of Family Fortunes from 50-year-old Gino D'Acampo, whom ITV cut ties with following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he "categorically denies".
ITV shelved the rebooted show in February 2025 after an ITV News investigation into the chef.
Les said: "Whoever they got would be great. Jason Manford would be good. He lives around the corner from me, so we’re mates."
The Strictly Come Dancing 2023 contestant "loved" presenting Family Fortunes, and is glad to have had that opportunity.
Les added: "People still talk to me about it even now. They come up to me and do the noise and say, ‘If it’s up there I’ll give you the money myself.’"
Appearing on a July 2023 episode of 53-year-old Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time podcast, the Celebrity Big Brother 2002 housemate shared he quit Family Fortunes because ITV were planning to slash his pay by 98 per cent.
He explained: "I'd just come out of the Big Brother house and the phone wasn't, you know (ringing).
"I went in thinking that I was going to get a reboot, everybody says they're going to the Big Brother house or a show like that for charity or whatever, and certainly at that time there was no fee when we were doing those... there was no fee.
"You say, 'Oh, I'm going in for charity,' but I was going in to try and kick-start again because Family Fortunes had ended.
"I'd decided to leave it because it had gone to a daytime slot. I left it because of money, to be honest. They offered an insultingly 98 per cent pay cut.
"You go in for a reboot because the phone wasn’t ringing. But it certainly wasn’t ringing after!"
