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Celebrities to take on reality show in the dark for Channel 4's 'Scared of the Dark'

A photograph taken on April 5, 2022 shows the logo of Channel 4 at the TV network headquarters in London, as Britain's government plans to privatise the television channel. - The government plans to privatise Britain's free-to-air public-service television network Channel 4, arguing that it otherwise cannot keep up with streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon. The company launched in 1982 and its remit involves supporting Britain's independent production sector and producing a unique and diverse range of programmes. The publicly-owned but commercially-funded broadcaster draws 90 percent of its income from advertising. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Channel 4's latest reality TV show is set to air in darkness. (Getty Images)

Celebrities are usually used to being under the spotlight, but a new Channel 4 reality show will challenge them to minimise their time on camera by living in the dark.

Scared of the Dark challenges a group of celebrities to live in a specially-created pitch-black reality space for seven days, leaving questions over what viewers will be able to see.

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It will run as a live TV Big Brother-style social experiment, but the famous contestants won't be able to see each other or any of their surroundings.

Designed to tap into one of our most common fears, the dark, it will include challenges to test the celebrities' ability to tackle their fear of, and ability to function in, complete darkness.

The Channel 4 logo outside offices in Horseferry Road, London. Divisions in the Conservative Party over the privatisation of Channel 4 are bursting into the open, with the plans likely to face a bumpy ride in Parliament. Picture date: Wednesday April 6, 2022. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
Channel 4 has a long history of bizarre reality TV shows. (PA)

Any celebrity who can't complete their task will risk losing their place on the show as at the end of the week, one contestant steps back into the limelight as series winner.

Phil Harris, head of entertainment and events at Channel 4, said: "Channel 4 has always been home to some of the most outlandish and boundary pushing reality creations that challenge preconceptions through innovative formats and diverse casting, and Scared of the Dark is a commission firmly in that tradition."

Tom Beck, head of live events at Channel 4, added: "Funny, frightening and totally unexpected, this idea really jumped out at us – much like we’ll be jumping out and surprising a load of terrified celebrities.

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"The show promises an enticing mix of reality, entertainment and experiment and I can’t wait to turn the lights off and get started."

As yet, no celebrities have been announced for the show which is still awaiting an air date.

Space Cadets convinced contestants they were aboard a rocket ship. (YouTube/Channel 4)
Space Cadets convinced contestants they were aboard a rocket ship. (YouTube/Channel 4)

Channel 4 was the original home of now-cancelled reality giant Big Brother before it moved to Channel 5, and has previously aired some unusual shows in the same genre.

In 2004, it aired the series Shattered which challenged contestants to stay awake for the entire run of the week-long series.

The following year, Space Cadets convinced its contestants they were trying to win a place on a space mission, with the "winner" hoaxed into believing their rocket launch simulation was the real thing before being confronted with the disappointing truth that they were actually in a UK aircraft hanger.

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