When a channel commits to airing a new show every weekday evening for the next eight weeks, shunting the news to a later slot in the process, it’s safe to say that first impressions count.

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Unfortunately for ITV’s topical entertainment offering The Nightly Show, the reception has not exactly been gushing.

The debut episode aired on Monday night – hosted by David Walliams for this first week and including skits around Donald Trump and the Oscars and an interview with Martin Clunes – and was hounded by viewers not only for pushing ITV News out of its 10pm slot, but also for its general “awfulness” and for copying the format of American late night talk shows.

First of all, viewers would really prefer to just watch the good old fashioned news…

Almost every derogatory adjective was applied to the programme.

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And finally, it was slammed for trying to be like US talk shows.

#thenightlyshow would work better on American television with an American audience and American presenter, made in America instead of here.

— Mike Fordham (@mike_fordham) February 28, 2017

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Let’s hope John Bishop has better luck when he hosts next week.

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