Ratings disaster sinks Eamonn's U.S TV hopes

Eamonn Holmes' hopes of breaking into the U.S. television market have been dealt a crushing blow after his quiz show was pulled from the schedules following only one episode.

Viewing figures for The Rich List were described by industry insiders as 'cancel me now numbers'.

The programme, broadcast on the Fox network, came in fourth behind rivals CBS, ABC and NBC on Wednesday night. They were showing the crime drama Criminal Minds, the castaway-drama Lost and the dieting show The Biggest Loser respectively.

Holmes's quiz attracted just over 4million viewers against Criminal Minds' 16.7million, Lost's 16.1million and The Biggest Loser's 7.8million.

As part of the promotion for The Rich List, in which contestants could win unlimited amounts of cash, publicity shots were sent out of the thick-set 47-year-old Ulsterman which had been re-touched to make him look younger and thinner for the image-obsessed U.S. market.

Hairs, wrinkles and bags under his eyes were removed but, apparently, all the work was in vain. Holmes left GMTV last year and now appears on Sky News Sunrise and the BBC's National Lottery Jet Set. He recently received a doctorate from Queen's University in Belfast for his services to broadcasting.

After the announcement of Des Lynam's departure from Channel-4's Countdown, Holmes was one of the favourites to take over the helm of the long-running quiz. He was said to have turned down a deal to concentrate on breaking through in the U.S.

Last week Chris Tarrant claimed that he had turned down a megabucks opportunity to present The Rich List so he could spend more time with his family.

Following his marriage break-up over his philandering, it was a move which he said in retrospect had been a waste of time.