Sue Perkins is to host a new Channel 4 show in which contestants have to double their money.

However it’s not prize cash they are competing for – they have to take the money out into the real world to try to double it every few hours.

Contestants in Double The Money are given complete freedom on how to spend the seed money they are given to charity – subject to the rule that they can’t use the same idea twice.

Jo Street, head of daytime and features at Channel 4, said: ‘This is an incredibly exciting format that breaks the mould of traditional game shows. 

‘By taking the competition out of the shiny TV studio and immersing the contestants in the real world, we're sure to see some truly creative ways of making money as our pairs battle it out for the top cash prize.’

Contestants play in pairs with the  duo that makes the most money winning a large cash prize to add to their final pot.

The show is being made by South Shore, whose joint chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said: ‘The world is full of people with great side hustles and weird and wonderful ways to make money. In challenging economic times, this format tests the couples’ money-making ideas and their relationships."’