Rise and Fall is a British reality television series broadcast on Channel 4, which premiered on 19 March 2023 and was hosted by Greg James.

Sixteen contestants divided themselves into the "Rulers" and the "Grafters". While the Rulers lived in a luxury penthouse making the decisions, the Grafters lived in the basement, carrying out tasks to win money for the prize pot. In each episode, the Rulers voted on one of their number to be eliminated from the game and one (or more) of the Grafters had a chance to move up to the penthouse to join them. The winner was chosen from the Rulers at the end of the series to win the prize pot of up to £100,000.

The first episode was broadcast at 9pm on Sunday 19 March 2023; subsequently episodes were broadcast at 10pm on weekday evenings before being available for streaming on All 4.

Format Sixteen contestants arrive at a building in central London and, after briefly getting to know one another, have to decide amongst themselves who becomes a "Ruler" and who remains as a "Grafter". Rulers take the lift to a luxury penthouse, while the Grafters remain in the no-frills basement. The series winner will be eventually chosen from the Rulers to win the prize pot of up to £100,000.

The Rulers are responsible for making decisions about how to get the best from the Grafters, who complete tasks to make money for the prize pot. Two Rulers also face an additional challenge to pick four Grafters to do overtime, motivating their teams by each setting a production target in the overtime task.

At the end of each second episode, the Rulers have to vote on which ruler leaves the game. One or more of the Grafters then has a chance to join the Rulers and move to the penthouse. New "Grafters" regularly join the Basement as the series goes on, to make up the numbers.

Production Channel 4 ordered Rise and Fall from production company, Studio Lambert, in August 2022. An application was made in November 2022 to film the series at Southbank Tower in central London, but filming eventually took place in London's 1927 55 Broadway tower.

Presenter Greg James made a telephone call to The Traitors presenter, Claudia Winkleman, for advice about how to approach the presentation of the series.

During the series, contestants were filmed 24 hours a day.

The soundtrack for the series was composed by Patrizio Knight, who had previously worked on Studio Lambert franchise The Circle. Voice-over artist Emma Clarke provided the voice of The Lift.

In June 2023 Channel 4 announced they were considering axing a second series, citing the cost of filming, mistakes made filming with a fast turnaround and the show's lack of success in comparison with BBC's The Traitors. This was confirmed in January 2024.

Contestants

+Rise and Fall contestantsContestantAgeHometownOccupationEnteredExitedStatus 27 Devon Account manager, from an aristocratic family Episode 1 Episode 18 24 West Lothian Delivery driver and student Episode 1 Episode 18 32 Midlands Nurse Episode 1 Episode 18 24 London Physical trainer Episode 5 Episode 18 34 London Chief executive of hospitality and technology businesses Episode 1 Episode 2 5th Place Episode 9Episode 18 39 Shipdham TikTok star Episode 2 Episode 18 27 London Social media influencer Episode 1 Episode 18 Finished in basement 27 Kent Working with the elderly and disabled Episode 1 Episode 18 Finished in basement 30 London Software engineer Episode 12 Episode 18 Finished in basement 24 Standish Paralympic badminton player Episode 5 Episode 17 Eliminated 21 Essex Student and member of the Young Conservatives. GB News commentator. Episode 1 Episode 16 Eliminated 38 London (originally Brazil) PR researcher Episode 12 Episode 14 Ejected 28 Hertfordshire Construction worker and semi-professional footballer Episode 1 Episode 14 Eliminated 26 Newport (Wales) Employment coach Episode 1 Episode 12 Eliminated 69 London Art dealer and businessman, an expert on the TV programme Four Rooms. Episode 1 Episode 12 Eliminated 40 Liverpool Student and former support worker Episode 1 Episode 10 Eliminated 50 Suffolk Interior designer Episode 1 Episode 9 18 London Aspiring actor Episode 1 Episode 8 Eliminated 26 Birmingham Running a charity Episode 1 Episode 6 Eliminated 39 Hertfordshire, originally from Sierra Leone Postal worker Episode 1 Episode 4 Eliminated 45 Essex Restaurant owner and businessman Episode 1 Episode 1 Sixteen contestants initially entered the building:

Ali left in episode 1, after finding out he was to become a Grafter.

Joanna left the show in episode 9 on medical grounds, after suffering a trapped nerve in her arm.

Ramona, who had been the first Ruler to be voted out of the game in the first few days of the show, re-entered the game as a Grafter in episode 9.

In episode 13, after walking away from the show, Connor rejoined the show as a Grafter the morning after his departure.

Joas was ejected from the show in episode 14, after throwing a glass of water over Sophie during an argument.

Episodes Six episodes were broadcast in the first week Sunday 19 March to Friday 24 March. These would be followed by four shows a week, at 10pm Monday to Thursday, for a further three weeks; there will be 18 episodes in total.

The final would be broadcast on Thursday 13 April.

The Final For the final, all the previous eliminated Rulers returned to the programme to take part with the remaining Grafters.

Six rulers were in the penthouse for the final: Ramona, Rossi, Eddy, Moses, Sydney and Matt. Rossi was the first to lose his place, following a task which involved the other contestants becoming 'bricklayers'. Each ruler chose someone to work for them, filling six boxes with coloured bricks. Rossi lost by one brick.

The remaining five rulers gradually eliminated one another from the game. Ramona was voted out next, but in a surprise twist found she had the power to vote out the next Ruler. She chose Moses, who was then given the power to choose who came third. He chose Matt. Eddy and Sydney were left as the final two. Ramona, Moses and Matt had to decide between them who deserved to be the winner. They chose Eddy, who walked away with the £85,610 prize pot.

Voting history Votes took place amongst the Rulers in every other episode, to decide which one of them would leave the game. Episode 1/2 3/4 5/67/8 9/10 11/12 13/14 15/16 17/18 18 RulerVoted out Ramona Prince Rishika Rachel Marina Cheryl Matt Jeff,James Jack Sophie Isaak Ramona Moses Matt none Vote 3-2-1 3-3 3-2-1 Connor'sChoice 2-2-1 4-2 Rossi'sChoice 3-3 Grafter'sChoice 3-2 5-1-1 3-1-1 Ramona'sChoice Moses'Choice NominatedGrafters Marina, Connor James, Jeff Connor, Jeff none Moses,Rossi none Sydney,Sophie Eddy, Sophie,Isaak Isaak, Ramona,Matt none EddyInBasementNominatedto Rise Rossi Isaak MosesNo voteNo voteWinner(Episode 18) SydneyInBasementNominatedto RiseInBasementNominatedto Rise Novote Sophie Isaak RamonaRunner-up(Episode 18) Matt Ramona Prince Rachel Novote Marina ConnorDemotedInBasementNominatedto Rise IsaakRamonaThird place(Episode 18) MosesNot inGameInBasementNominatedto Rise Novote James Novote Sophie Isaak Ramona Matt Ramona RachelEliminated(Episode 2)ReturnedInBasementNominatedto Rise Matt Matt Moses Fifth place(Episode 18) RossiNot inGameInBasementNominatedto Rise Matt Jeff Novote Sophie IsaakSixth place(Episode 18) IsaakNot inGameInBasementNominatedto RiseNominatedto Rise RossiEliminated(Episode 17) SamNot inGameInBasementEliminated(Episode 17) ConnorNominatedto RiseInBasementNominatedto Rise Rachelto DemoteMattMarina Cheryl Novote JamesBasementInBasementEliminated(Episode 17) Rachel Ramona Cheryl MarinaDemotedInBasementEliminated(Episode 17) SophieInBasementNominatedto RiseNominatedto Rise RossiEliminated(Episode 16) JoasNot inGameInBasementEjected(Episode 14) JackInBasementNominatedto Rise Cheryl Novote Jeff NovoteEliminated(Episode 14) JamesInBasementNominatedto Rise Rishika Novote Marina Cheryl Novote JeffEliminated(Episode 12) JeffInBasementNominatedto RiseNominatedto RiseInBasementNominatedto Rise Cheryl Novote JamesEliminated(Episode 12) Cheryl Rachel Prince Rishika Novote James ConnorEliminated(Episode 10) JoannaInBasementWalked(Episode 9) MarinaNominatedto Rise Prince Rishika Novote MattEliminated(Episode 8) Rishika Ramona Cheryl MarinaEliminated(Episode 6) Prince Cheryl CherylEliminated(Episode 4) AliInBasementWalked(Episode 1)Key Remained in the basement. Nominated to go up to the penthouse. Was asked to go down to the basement. As the new Ruler, the contestant could not be voted for but could still vote. Received the casting vote Changed vote Received the chance to pick who was to fall to the basement. Did not receive a vote due to vote being given to one person only.Notes'''

Critical reception The Guardian reviewer described the series as "The Apprentice Traitors Big Brother" and gave 3 out of 5 stars, concluding that "so far there are no revealing interactions between the proles and the blinged-up bosses, nothing to compete with the psychological subtlety and strain of The Traitors’ extended bluffs. Beneath that shiny veneer of newness is an old-fashioned, backstabbing bunfight between unlikable people – entertaining, yes, but business as usual."

The reviewer from The Telegraph described Rise and Fall as "The Traitors’ garish little cousin", adding that "contestants in the The Traitors had to do mean things but it was always just a game; here, you suspect that some of them just aren’t very nice people." The Telegraph gave the show 2 out of 5 marks.

The Lancashire Post concluded that Rise and Fall was "not immediately gripping, but as time goes by the dynamic becomes more and more fascinating, and especially after this week, you can’t help hoping for a revolution".

At the end of the first week, The Observer described Rise and Fall as trying to be "a primetime TV treatise on capitalism and power". It criticised it for too many of the contestants being "hyper-camera-aware wannabes" and the tasks as "Torture TV" that would put off families from watching.

After the end of the second week, The Tab highlighted the lack of diversity amongst the Rulers, suggesting that 'unconscious bias' was having an effect. All four ethnic minority rulers had been voted out, followed by the remaining two women, leaving all six rulers as white men. The Tab concluded that "the show right now has a real problem and looks questionable".

International versions It was revealed in July 2023 that TVN Warner Bros. Discovery Group had obtained the rights to the Rise and Fall format and Constantin Entertainment Polska had begun looking for contestants for a Polish version of the show, called Na szczyt (meaning To the Top'').

In September 2025 an Indian version began streaming on MX Player, hosted by Ashneer Grover. The series was renewed for season 2 in September 2026 hosted by Cricketer Virender Sehwag.

References

External links