C4 keeps No Deal blunder in show

Noel Edmonds has hosted the show since it began in 2005

Channel 4 is to show an episode of Deal or No Deal complete with a mistake made during filming.

A contestant opened one of the sealed boxes, supposed to contain a card with an amount of money printed on it, to find some sticky black tape.

Host Noel Edmonds told the audience it was a "genuine human error".

The contestant was then allowed to shuffle all the cards, put them back into boxes and re-pick. The programme will be shown on 26 March.

The contestant, a vicar, joked with the audience that the mistake had been an "act of God".

'Sophisticated audience'

A statement issued by Endemol UK said: "Deal or No Deal uses an independent adjudicator to load the boxes for the show.

"The adjudicator works completely alone to ensure security for the boxes and the sums of money inside.

"A human error occurred during the record of a show to transmit on 26 March and one of the boxes was sealed without the final value being put inside."

Speaking on Wednesday to a media conference organised by the Guardian newspaper, Endemol UK chief executive Tim Hincks said: "Five or 10 years ago, we would have re-edited and covered up.

"Now we have a sophisticated audience we must show our workings.

"If the format is good, whatever happens, then we can show it."

Deal or No Deal is seen in about 40 countries around the world.