Accidental Tourist premiered on ITV on Sunday evening to a rather mixed reception as the presenting duo of Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly put their pal Stephen Mulhern through his paces.
The 48-year-old presenter was sent to South Korea by the Geordie duo to tackle his numerous anxieties, including sampling octopus, sea snails, and other unfamiliar seafood, while also embarking on a trip to a traditional naked Korean sauna.
Elsewhere in the show, he underwent acupuncture to address his needle phobia and traversed a mountain bridge to visit a spiritual healer.
Arguably, the most challenging experience was when Mr Mulhern entered the ocean alongside the renowned Haenyeo sea women, a group of free divers. He only just managed to complete the task.
ITV Accidental Tourist: Ant and Dec
|ITV
"I'm frightened of food, I'm scared of strange places, I've got a fear of heights, and I'm terrified of the sea," he explained during the programme.
"I like what I like," he stated when questioned about his limited diet, but despite finding his phobias deeply frustrating, the presenter expressed a genuine desire for change, saying: "It's time to make a change, and the change is now."
While Ant and Dec found the prospect of seeing Mr Mulhern face his fears rather funny, there were plenty of emotional moments too, especially when the presenter addressed the death of his father.
However, several watching at home were left less than impressed with the show's premise, with many drawing comparisons with Sky's An Idiot Abroad, which featured Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington.
ITV Accidental Tourist: Stephen Mulhern
|ITV
Over the course of the series, Mr Gervais and Mr Merchant were portrayed as the trip organisers who sent Mr Pilkington to all corners of the globe to tackle challenges outside of his comfort zone.
The comedy show made Mr Pilkington a household name, and its legacy lives on to this day, which is why some ITV viewers took to X to accuse Accidental Tourist of piggybacking on its success.
"Anyone fawning over the narcissistic #AccidentalTourist, it’s just a blatant ripoff of #AnIdiotAbroad which was done far better - less playing up for the camera and more authentic immersion in culture. @antanddec and @StephenMulhern devoid of originality once more," one viewer brutally put.
A second echoed: "#AccidentalTourist is just Idiot Abroad with Stephen Mulhern as Karl and Ant & Dec as Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant, no?"
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Karl Pilkington shot to fame in An Idiiot Abroad
|GETTY
Elsewhere, a third said: "Why the hell are ant & dec trying to copy an idiot abroad? NOTHING will EVER come close to that show. There is only one Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington ffs #AccidentalTourist."
Meanwhile, a fourth weighed in: "@ITV where did the idea for #AccidentalTourist come from? Feels like a bad rip-off of @rickygervais — except Ricky, Stephen & especially Karl were effortlessly hilarious. @antanddec & @StephenMulhern couldn’t find a joke in a Christmas cracker factory."
"#AccidentalTourist basically a spin off An Idiot Abroad...see how this goes. Nothing can beat Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant," a fifth echoed.
While a sixth claimed: "Would expect the ‘idiot abroad’ lawyers to be steaming in. Total rip off but s***e instead of funny #AccidentalTourist." (sic)
Ricky Gervais fans have accused Accidental Tourist of 'ripping off' An Idiot Abroad
| PAHowever, despite the furore, there were still plenty of An Idiot Abroad fans who urged viewers to stick with Accidental Tourist despite the similarities.
"Watching @StephenMulhern in #AccidentalTourist memories of Karl Pilkington in Idiot Abroad comes to mind. Same sort of delivery from @antanddec as @rickygervais and @StephenMerchant did for Karl! Both made me giggle! More please," one X user pleaded.
A second addressed the comparisons head-on: "Yes it’s a bit of a rip off of An Idiot Abroad but that doesn’t mean we can’t sit and laugh and enjoy it. People slagging it off are miserable b*****ds. Life is hard enough, lighten up for f***s sake. #AccidentalTourist."
And another applauded: "Absolutely loved #AccidentalTourist, proud of @StephenMulhern he conquered his fears, would love Stephen to get his own back on @antanddec one day." (sic)
Mr Mulhern himself returned to social media the following day after Accident Tourist's premiere on ITV, although he ignored any of the complaints aimed at the show.
Instead, he pushed the show on his Instagram page alongside the caption: "I danced, I cried, I ate things with eyes! Catch up on Accidental Tourist now on @itvxofficial! @AntandDec - next time, somewhere with steak and chips, yeah?"