Red or Black? return is unclear

The Saturday night show was presented by Ant and Dec

ITV1 gameshow Red Or Black? will only return if the format is changed, the channel's chief programmer has said.

Peter Fincham said he had not yet decided whether to recommission a second series of the show, the Guardian newspaper reported.

"[It's a show I] want to make some changes to," he said during an ITV event to showcase new programming.

The show attracted an average audience of 5.18 million viewers, but shed viewers after its debut.

The opening episode, on 3 September, was seen by 7.11 million people, but that figure dropped as low as 3.99 million during the show's week-long run.

Figures picked up again for the finale, but critics were sceptical about the format's longevity, branding it a "skill free game show".

"A whistling emptiness fills the studio, exactly equalling the whistling emptiness in the minds of the show's proprietors," wrote Clive James in the Telegraph.

"You can have a million smackers without doing anything."

The series, which was made by ITV Studios and Simon Cowell's production company Syco, gave contestants the chance to win £1 million by betting on either red or black on the outcome of a series of challenges.

The show's first winner prompted controversy after it emerged he was a convicted criminal.

Three contestants from the game were then dropped after producers tightened security checks on those taking part.

Mr Fincham conceded the show had had a "sightly bumpy ride", but did not rule out a second series completely.

"It is a big show. The sort of thing ITV should be doing on a Saturday night. [It's a show I] want to make some changes to. I'm nearly there, but not quite ready yet," Mr Fincham said.

Cowell has previously said he wants to take the show "around the world".