ITV poaches huge BBC star for brand new 'fastest quiz on TV' programme

Entrepreneur and crafting queen Sara Davies has reportedly been 'poached' by ITV to host its newest daytime quiz show.

The mum of two, 40, has just finished presenting a 16-episode run of The Big Idea Works on the BBC but is expected to soon take on the role of game show host on This is Money.

The channel describes the new show as the "fastest quiz on TV", and viewers will see competitors battle against the clock as they try to hold onto the jackpot prize they receive at the start of the show. Sara, who joined Dragon's Den in 2019 as the youngest ever female investor, said she was "absolutely delighted" to be taking the helm.

"This show is unlike anything you’ve seen before — it’s full-on, it’s exhilarating, and the pressure is real," she told the Sun. "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!"

In a recent callout for contestants, the producers said they were looking for "fun, confident, quick thinking and strategic personalities that can handle the pressure against the clock to take part, and be in with a chance of winning a HUGE cash prize!"

Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment at ITV, said quiz shows had become a "staple for daytime" TV and that Country Durham-born Sara would "perfectly complement" the channel's existing line-up.

Time is Money will add to an already bumper list of successful ITV quiz shows, joining the likes of The Chase, Tipping Point and Deal or No Deal. Last year the channel also announced that The 1% Club, hosted by Lee Mack, had become the biggest game show on telly, averaging around 5.8 million viewers.

Chatting to us recently about her latest BBC series, which turned ideas into reality for wannabe inventors, Sara explained why she was so passionate about making dreams come true. "My first big break 20 years ago came from identifying a problem and having an idea for a solution — people were making homemade cards but didn’t have the envelopes to fit.

"My dad was an engineer so was able to take what was in my head and make it into a working prototype. So the lightbulb moment for the show was finding more everyday people who have ideas, and getting lots of engineers in the room to bring them to life."