There's a New Banker on 'Deal or No Deal Island' and We Now Know It's a "She"

NBC's popular game show Deal or No Deal ventured into the spinoff arena with the release of Deal or No Deal Island. Hosted by Joe Manganiello and executive produced by Howie Mandel, the series follows 14 players who are sent to a remote tropical island to participate in both physical challenges and play the classic game of "Deal or No Deal."

During the day, contestants compete in daring challenges to secure the game's iconic silver briefcases, which later become values on the board.

After each challenge, one person will be up for elimination, where they are put up against the Banker during a game of "Deal or No Deal."

However, the Banker isn't just present during the nighttime gameplay. They are constantly observing and making the rules as the contestants are on the Banker's island. So, who exactly is this ominous and powerful Banker? Here's what we know so far.

The identity of the banker in Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 remains a mystery, but we do know that this time it’s a woman calling the shots — a shift from Season 1 when the Banker was a man (more on that later). As the season unfolds, however, viewers and contestants may uncover clues about the secretive banker, especially those who rise to the challenges.

Joe Manganiello spoke to NBC Insider ahead of the Season 2 premiere, explaining, "We’ve tried to make a concerted effort to choose Bankers — yes, there’s a new Banker this season — that have roots in Deal or No Deal." That’s another clue to add to the drawing board.

He also teased, "There’s gonna be some fun surprises this year in terms of the Banker, and people are gonna learn some things. You’ll just have to hang in there." So, it seems viewers might just piece together the Banker's identity before the season finale.

Similar to Deal or No Deal, the Banker's face is never seen, and their voice is never heard on Deal or No Deal Island. The Banker communicates exclusively with Joe via phone, and then Joe relays the Banker's offer to the contestants.

In a February 2024 interview, DONDI Season 1 contestant Alyssa Klinzing gave some insight into the inner workings of the show, explaining to Distractify that "Everyone who was brought to the Banker's island got to meet the Banker," adding that even those eliminated got to leave knowing who had beat them out.

However, she was very tight-lipped about the Banker's identity. "When I was on the island, I was asked a lot about who I thought the Banker was, and I really had no idea. My best guess was the Banker was just some old guy who was just ready to give me more money," she explained, neither confirming nor denying if the Banker matched her intel.

NBC wrote on its website, "The Banker is the villain of Deal or No Deal, essentially. They want to offer the contestants as little money as they think they’ll accept — sometimes an outright insulting offer — in the hopes that they’ll accept it, tail between their legs, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars more on the table."

In the original NBC and CNBC revival series, contestants and audiences could see the Banker's silhouette behind the stage. But on Deal or No Deal Island, we don't even get that much. In Season 1, contestant's were only able to see the Banker's helicopter watching over them and the Banker's yacht, which was anchored off their private island.

In Season 1 of Deal or No Deal Island, viewers had to wait until the final episode to discover that the banker was Howie Mandel. While it was a surprise, it wasn’t totally unexpected, given that he's the host of Deal or No Deal.

However, Howie greeted Season 2 contestants via video call and confirmed he is no longer the Banker.

New episodes of Deal or No Deal Island air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.