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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Sandra Mallon

Winning Streak bosses planning revamp but show will not return in 2023

Winning Streak TV bosses are hoping to refresh the hit show – but we can reveal it will not return this year.

The popular RTE One show – hosted by Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy – has been off the air for the last three years after it was shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now we have learned the show still won’t be returning this year – but talks are underway to "freshen up" some of the games for players when it does eventually come back.

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An insider said: "It is not coming back this year.

"They’re reviewing the game completely in terms of the scratch card games and TV games.

"TV executives want to make the show as exciting as it was before but they want to see if there are games that are more appealing to players."

The iconic National Lottery and RTE Game Show, Winning Streak is 1,000 episodes old. Winning Streak has been on air on RTE for the past 28 years and the it is one of Europe’s longest-running game shows. (Mac Innes Photography)

Games on the show were refreshed five years ago and TV bosses want to ensure that, when Winning Streak does come back, it will have new features for players looking to win some serious cash prizes.

Host Marty Whelan told us he couldn’t comprehend the show never returning – but admitted he has still heard nothing.

The Lyric FM presenter told us: "It’s coming up to three years in a few weeks.

"I don’t have the answer. The call is theirs but I think the idea of it being gone completely, I can’t get that around in my head.

(Colin Keegan)

"I keep saying to myself ‘in time, in time, in time something will happen and it will come back.'

"But it is down the line. It is not happening now," he added.

A spokesman for the National Lottery said: "The Winning Streak TV gameshow is currently under review and will not be returning to screens in 2023.

"We continue to engage with our players and other stakeholders as we are constantly looking at ways to refresh our games to grow excitement and keep players engaged."

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