He’s the saviour of BBC Saturday night television – though very few of his millions of viewers will never have heard of him.

But last night TV guru Dan Baldwin, the husband of Holly Willoughby beat off Ant and Dec and The Masked Singer with his programmes Gladiators and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show.

While The Masked Singer, hosted by Joel Dommett, peaked with 4.1million viewers, Baldwin’s Michael McIntyre’s Big Show got 4.8 million.

And in the later slot the BBC also beat ITV, with Baldwin’s reboot of ITV classic Gladiators attracting an audience of 3.9 million, beating quiz show Ant and Dec’s Limitless Win which lured 3.1 million viewers.

Baldwin, head of Hungry Bear Media, is the force behind some of the BBC’s biggest prime-time hits, including The Wheel and Bradley & Barney Walsh: Breaking Dad.

His work has helped secure BBC One’s position as a leader in family entertainment as bosses at the Corporation have repeatedly schmoozed him in a bid to stop him selling his shows elsewhere.

TV guru Dan Baldwin, the husband of Holly Willoughby beat off Ant and Dec and The Masked Singer with his programmes Gladiators and Michael McIntyre ’s Big Show on Saturday evening 

Baldwin’s reboot of ITV classic Gladiators attracted an audience of 3.9 million, beating quiz show Ant and Dec’s Limitless Win which lured 3.1 million viewers

‘At a time when the BBC is trying to recreate modern day versions of the Saturday night greats such as the Generation Game, Dan has become essential to them.’

The 50-year-old has been a familiar name in the industry for years and his successful shows have helped the couple recently by a new £8 million house mortgage free.

He met Holly Willoughby in 2004 on ITV’s Ministry of Mayhem, where Baldwin was a producer and Willoughby a presenter.

They married in 2007, have three children together and have since collaborated on projects like Celebrity Juice.

The TV mogul has already profited from a lucrative BBC deal to produce the revamped Gladiators.

Baldwin has found another way to capitalise on the Saturday-night hit by setting up a talent agency under his company Hungry Bear Talent, which now represents nearly all the show’s new stars.

At least 12 of the 16 Gladiators from last season, including Alex Gray (Apollo), Emily Steele (Dynamite), Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Nitro) and 6ft 5in Jamie Christian Johal (Giant), have signed up.

This means Baldwin takes a cut of their future earnings as their fame explodes thanks to their BBC appearances. 

Baldwin’s Michael McIntyre’s Big Show got 4.8 million viewers on Saturday evening 

… while over on ITV1 The Masked Singer, hosted by Joel Dommett , got 4.1million viewers

‘Talk about a clever business decision,’ a television insider previously told The Mail on Sunday.

‘Dan made the reboot with his company, sold it to the BBC for a lot of money, and now he has shrewdly signed up some of its most popular young stars. Whatever they make now, he will get extra money via the management company. 

‘Some might think that is a little greedy. The BBC isn’t supposed to be a shop window for Dan to cash in on.’

Baldwin’s move to represent the Gladiator stars has ensured Hungry Bear Talent’s roster includes the athletes behind Athena, Diamond, Legend, Bionic, Fire, Sabre, Viper and Steel.

Starting his career at the BBC as a researcher on Live & Kicking, Baldwin quickly climbed the ranks.

Baldwin met Holly Willoughby in 2004 on ITV’s Ministry of Mayhem, where Baldwin was a producer and she a presenter. They married in 2007 and have three children together 

By his late twenties, he had held senior roles, including Head of Programmes at MTV, before founding his own production company in 2014.

His professional ties with BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore have been key to his ongoing collaborations with the broadcaster.

In November 2022, Moore invited Baldwin and Willoughby to the Variety Club Showbiz Awards at London’s Grosvenor House H๏τel.

Baldwin’s accolades include a BAFTA, two National Television Awards, and two Royal Television Society Awards.

With last night’s double success, he has reinforced his reputation as one of the most influential figures in UK television.