Chris McCausland says Channel 4 show gave him the experience of ‘being the most able’ competitor

It has recently been called one of television’s most ridiculous reality shows. But the new Channel 4 series Scared of the Dark will help audiences understand sight loss, a contestant has said.

The blind comedian Chris McCausland is one of eight famous faces who stepped out of the spotlight and into a pitch-black bunker for eight days for the experiment, hosted by Danny Dyer. It will show how they cope with the pressures of light deprivation and humanity’s primal fear of the dark.

It’s a Knockout, BBC One, 1966 Giant obstacle-based physical series that spawned a Europe-wide and royal version.

Touch the Truck, Channel 5, 2001 Dale Winton-fronted endurance show featured contestants holding on to a truck for the longest to win it.

Naked Jungle, Channel 5, 2000 A nudist Crystal Maze meets It’s a Knockout, fronted by Keith Chegwin.

Shafted, ITV, 2001 Robert Kilroy-Silk’s ill-fated show created TV’s most infamous catchphrase, “to share or to shaft”.

Celebrity Shark Bait, ITV, 2005 Richard E Grant and Ruby Wax were among the stars locked in a metal cage in shark-infested waters.

Hole in the Wall, BBC One, 2008 Teams of celebrities tried to jump through shapes in a moving wall.

Heads or Tails, Channel 5, 2009 Justin Lee Collins oversaw contestants flipping a coin to try to win £1m.

Don’t Scare the Hare, BBC One, 2011 Contestants carried out a mad series of challenges against a giant robotic hare.

That Puppet Game Show, BBC One, 2013 The Muppets’ short-lived move into gameshows.

The Jump, C4, 2014 Insurance nightmare celebrity ski jump show created 34 casualties.

Flockstars, ITV, 2015 Celebrities attempt sheepdog trials.

Wild Things, Sky One, 2015 Couples dressed as animals competed on a woodland obstacle course.

Apocalypse Wow, ITV2, 2021 Gladiators meets BDSM.

Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home, Channel 4, 2023 Race Across the World in the buff.