TV: How to win power and influence people, with Radio 1’s Greg James

How would you rule if power was suddenly bestowed upon you? Would you be a benevolent leader, or command with an iron fist?

These are questions many of us only ponder amid political leadership elections but now a new reality series by Channel 4 will let members of the public put their personal theories to the test in a game all about how to win power and influence others.

From the makers of hit series The Traitors, Rise And Fall will see 16 ordinary people from all walks of life begin the game as equals before finding themselves either in a position of control as a “ruler”, or as part of the powerless as a “grafter”.

The game will reflect real-life power dynamics as the grafters strive to survive in a cramped basement without natural light and with repetitive, bland food while having to complete physically demanding challenges to build a cash prize fund only the rulers can win.

Rulers will live it up in a luxurious penthouse as they encourage the grafters to work harder – however, if they push too hard, they might find themselves toppled from power.

Anyone can rise to a position of power and anyone can fall, which will be decided by the other players. At the end of the game, only one ruler will have the chance of winning a life-changing cash prize of up to £100,000.

BBC Radio 1’s Greg James will be at the helm of the show as the ringleader, “rolling in mischievous grenades” among the rulers as they decide what to do with the grafters.

“This is exactly the sort of show that I wanted to get my teeth into for a while, because there’s very little on TV that gives me the creative freedom and ownership of a show like radio does,” says the breakfast show host, 37. “So when a TV show came along and they wanted me to be the ringleader in a new thing that was a social experiment, full of drama, jeopardy and mischief, and you can be a bit sinister I thought, ‘This is amazing, this is a dream gig’. I didn’t even play it cool in the meeting.”

Rulers will also have to watch their own backs, as the players vote in their own secret ballots.

“That’s the tricky balance when you’re in power – how do you keep power?” says James. “And that’s where the conflict will come because they’ll want to control everyone but, equally, you will need to make friends with people. You will need to have grafters on your side. It’s a game of strategy and alliances.”

Rise And Fall, Channel 4, weeknights, 9pm and on All4