This Morning's Ben Shephard hosts gruelling reality competition The Summit

The contestants will be competing for a share of a £200,000 prize fund, with the option to form alliances or betray their fellow participants as eliminations unfold along the way to the top.

The show will also introduce a mysterious character known as The Mountain Keeper, who will be setting "extraordinary" challenges for the players, which could block their path if failed.

Shephard said: "This series really has got it all; the contestants are going to be tested in every possible way as they try and take on the mountain. They'll need a serious amount of grit, determination and strategy if they want to reach The Summit.

"Most people know how much I love exercise and adventure but this is taking it to another level – I’ll be donning my mountain gear to check in with them as they battle up the mountain and do their best to combat the demands of the ominous Mountain’s Keeper."

He added: "I can't wait to see how they get on because anyone who reaches The Summit will have seriously earned every penny of the prize fund."

Paul Mortimer, ITV Director of Reality Commissioning and Acquisitions, commented: "Not only is this a huge and complex endurance test for the contestants, overseen by the wonderful Ben Shephard, it’s going to be an absolute nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat watch for viewers at home.

"Filled with cliffhangers, shocks, twists and turns it’s going to keep people guessing from the very first step of the trek to that final summit."

The Summit is based on a concept that has proven popular in Australia, so hopes are high that this UK adaptation could replicate its success when it premieres next year.

The Summit is coming to ITV1 and ITVX in 2025.

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.