To celebrate ITV’s 50th anniversary, a special miniseries was comissioned looking back on seven classic game shows that had aired on the network. Seasoned British presenting duo Ant & Dec hosted; six celebrities competed in a seven-week game show tournament, playing for charity and home viewers.
The six celebrities included:
News anchor Eamonn Holmes (though known to US game show fans as host of “The Rich List” on FOX)
TV host Vernon Kay
Soap opera actress Patsy Kensit
Soap actor WIlliam Roache
Sitcom star and Royal Shakespeare Company actress Ruby Wax
Countdown numbers game whiz Carol Vorderman
The Price is Right was the first of the seven shows; all six celebrities competed, with the day’s showcase competitor being crowned champion and moving on to the next round.
The other six shows in the tournament included the parlor game “Take Your Pick”, the archery-based “The Golden Shot”, the UK versions of “Sale of the Century” and “Card Sharks”, and the dart game “Bullseye” (not related to the US Barry-Enright Bullseye). The final two celebrities’ families would compete in “Family Fortunes”, the UK version of Family Feud.
The series was a success, and led to revivals of The Price is Right and Family Fortunes on ITV, and Bullseye on a competing network. It also inspired other versions of Gameshow Marathon around the world, including a US version hosted by Ricki Lake.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of UK broadcaster ITV, they have commissioned a series of old game shows to be played, by celebritiesThe hosts, Ant and Dec, prepare to jump into the TV and be “contestants” on old gameshowsCan you find Leslie Crowther?Here they are on Bruce’s Price is RightA set of doors open on the futuristic setYour hosts, awash in a blinding light. Suppose they came from game show heaven?The crowd is excited! Maybe they think it’s another Ant and Dec show!The guys explain the rules on their Gameshow MarathonThey start with 6 celebrities (all of whom will play our game tonight)And each week they whittle them down until only one is crowned Gameshow ChampionThe wall spins around as we reveal the classic game we’re playing tonightIt’s The Price is Right! (but you knew that already)The guys stand in front of Bruce’s old wheel to explain how you at home can winThat’s right…someone at home can win all of the prizes won tonight by answering this question correctlyThey start the game with an old ident of Yorkshire TelevisionIt’s time to playI bet……that somewhere……Leslie Crowther is smiling.
The announcer for this show is Bruce’s announcer, Peter DicksonAnt and Dec await the first contestantThe audience is waiting to hear their name called!Carol Vorderman is the first to be called to Come on DownThe first item is a clock
The bids are in. The other celebs are William Roache, Patsy Kensit, and Vernon KayActual Price is £145 which means Carol is the winner!Carol could win a lucky viewer a holiday in Antiguaor a discotec systemThe system includes a mixing board, speakers and the headphones worn by this hot modelCarol will play CliffhangerThe first item she prices is a shower radio shaped like a fishShe missed by only £1!She missed the 2nd prize (a fryer) by only £3. The cliffhanger can take 21 steps safelyThe last item is this dragon sculptureShe misses by £6 and wins!Carol is thrilled to have won! She took the holiday for the lucky home viewerPerhaps one of the next 2 called on down will be ZippyA cool shot of the entire set from the back of the studioThe next contestant is Ruby Wax!And the next item for bidding is a chair. How cheeky!I wonder who won it? You can see that Bidders Row resembles Leslie’s version a little but slightly updated with video screensMy word Vernon is a big boy! I wonder if he’ll win…A new CAR!!Play Along with Vernon. Are the cocks £15 or £25?Did you win another plinko disc? Vernon didn’tHere we see the Plinko (plinko plinko plinko!) board. It looks down right tiny next to VernonAnother shot of the Plinko boardI love these long shots showing the entire stage setupVernon has won 2 more discs for total of 3. He goes up the stairsAnd disappears?! Do you suppose he fell into the Pushover box?He lets his first chip go…And it lands in £250. The end slots are £0 and the middle ones alternate £500 and £250Here’s the setup to win the car…..will he risk all that he’s won so far to hopefully land one final chip in one of the WIN slots?Vernon won a total of £1,000 and the slots have been replaced with WIN £ LOSE. If he gambles and hits WIN, he wins the car. If he lands in LOSE, he wins nothing. Should it land in £..no car but the home viewer gets the cashWinner!!Vernon has just won a new car for someone at home! (plus the £1,000)Ew. The last item up for bids is a chocolate fountain. Eammon Holmes joins Contestants Row but it’s Ruby Wax who winsRuby could win someone a TV, cuckoo clock, oven and cutleryHere we see the prices on a standRuby and the guys try out for Gameshow Modelling SchoolIt’s the Race Game. Notice that they only get 30 secondsNo arms for the Brits! They get a buttonRun Ruby run! Only 19 seconds leftOnly 10 seconds left and none are right. Make some changesTime runs out on her and…Poor Ruby (who looks a bit like Vicki Lawrence here) is guttedShe only won the cuckoo clock worth £452. The other prices were TV £339, oven £399 and cutlery £499Time to spin the wheelThis is what you want to get in one spin or a combination of two spinsFor whom does the wheel spin? It spins for thee, RubyBut she went over (35 and 75)Easy Carol! It looks like she’s touching the wheel but she’s merely urging it to stay on 85 (which it does)Vernon got the 100! Unfortunately is was one spin too lateCarol stands in front of the projection screen RangefinderThe ranges from £1,000 to £5,000 flash aboutShe got £3,000. Not too badCarol, your showcase includes a pair of folding bikes……a spa……a trip to Universal Studios in Florida……a new CAR! A Renault Laguna!What’s your bid Carol?£29,000. She can be £3,000 under but not one pound over. What is the price of tonight’s showcase?£29,503! She wins!Confetti falls from the sky! Just think…some lucky punter at home has won *2* new cars!Carol advances to the semi-finals on her way to Gameshow Champion-hoodAnt, Dec, Carol and the models wave goodnightThe closing credits acknowledge our “little” productionAnd, the final ident card with the Granada and Thames logos side-by-side. Thanks for this gallery go to Patchy for the grabs and Billy for his notes during the broadcast
Any fan of any UK version of The Price is Right can’t go without visiting UKGameShows.com for more info.
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