Perhaps the most influential international version of The Price is Right ever mounted, “Bruce’s Price is Right” is an overseas update that took heavy inspiration from Doug Davidson’s unsuccessful 1994 syndicated US version. From Wikipedia:
When it started in 1995, Bruce’s Price Is Right was one of the first shows to fully take advantage of the Independent Television Commission’s lifting of the prize limits and the general deregulation of the UK broadcasting environment.
Although, it was only in a half-hour format with three pricing games per show (the Crowther show had been an hour long with six games), it still gave away more valuable prizes each week than the previous ITV version had done.
Many European versions of the show that debuted after the Forsyth version based their games and sound cues on this show. The main theme and format are based on the short-lived Doug Davidson 1994 US syndicated version.
It’s Britain’s Brightest (or Biggest) Game!Nice to see you, to see you…NICE! Your host is the perennial Bruce ForsythBruce’s Spice Girls…er…Price GirlsAnd the Price Boy…yes, a male model on a game showBruce helps this older lady down the stairs as she is called to Come on DownBidder’s row is on stageBruce is beggin Michelle to join him to play a pricing game. She better hurry or else she may not win…a new car!Oh horrors! Pick A Number! For a car!!Is the first digit 6, 7 or 8? This is bloody well impossible!She won! £7,339The stars of our show…whoever you are!What the heck is that? It’s a floating globeYou could win a rock band…or a Lake Tahoe ski holiday!She is going to play Check Out. To win, her total must be within £1 of the actual totalSeems a tad cliche, doesn’t it?Her total is £5.85All of the products aren’t sponsored. Bruce told her at the beginning that the products were “own brand” items (no name)Actual total £5.83!She missed it only 2 pence! That might be closer than even the American show! Wow!Why does Bruce look so surprised? She chose the rock band over the holiday. As they went to commercial, Bruce said “Fancy wanting the rock band!”The next contestant could win three of these 5 prizes! The prizes are a dollhouse, laserdisc player, fridge, dishwasher and a TV with Nintendo64Presenting the giant credit card to play…uh…Credit CardHis credit limit is £2,250He chose the laserdisc player, fridge and dishwasher for the win! These are the prizes that he wins…not all 5There are the prices. He could have won by picking almost any combination of the 5 prizes!Hmm…wonder what part of the show is coming up next?Spin 100 in one spin or a combination of 2 spins and you win £1,000 cash! Show them the moneyOhh! Heartbreak! Misery!The mighty British price is right wheelWhat is it with this show and floating globes? (This is from another episode)Would you like a TV?Or a new car?!Avoid the piggy bank as you play Any Number. Bruce suggested she not shake the piggy bank wearing that dressThe rules here are the same. Notice that instead of a vane display, they use a monitor to display the digitsHe started with 1?One more for the car. Notice, again, that he hasn’t lit up any other numbersBruce can’t believe this guy. He started with 1 and is almost a new car owner!He won! The lucky bugger gets a hug from KimberleyThere are the prices…”There’s the proof” as Bruce saysA skier and a garden swingIn this version of clock game, all prices end in 0 and 5A cool shot of the entire stageLea shows us that the price of the exerciser is £180She’s bidding like crazy but gets flustered as time winds downShe wins! No time left on the clock and the price was £995To win your showcase you must come within a range randomly selected by the Range FinderPush the plunger to stop the numbers from flashing aboutOoh! She got the biggest range possible! £5,000Her showcase begins with binoculars and a cameraWhich she can use on a week long African Safari and week in MombassaThen beautify your bedroom when you get home with this wide array of bedroom furnitureHave your own safari in your coral-coloured Toyota Rav4Her bid is £25,000 and she must come within £5,000 without going overThe Actual Price “pixels” inShe wins! Shes taking home her showcase, rock band and a miniature greenhouseThis lady has a £3,000 rangeHer showcase features this unique aquarium……scuba package……12 hours of diving lessons……a 2 week trip to Sydney/Great Barrier Reef and Cairns……and ends with this 200hp Skiboat!The total can’t be over £25,000Oh dear! She really missed it!The video wall really drives it home. Too bad dear but she did win over £1,600 in prizesWould you like to win a video camera with tripod?How about a 5 door hatchback?! Don’t get too excited, it’s a KIAOut of retirement, and across the pond, is Split Decision!Make sure you press the button to stop the clock after pulling down the digits in the price of the carThis version is plagued with problems too. The clock never seemed to work right and the numbers were “bouncy”No no no. There are 3 digits in the camera price!The audience was screaming £7339 for the car. Bruce even told her what they were saying and to put the 0 upThe audience was right. No car. Too bad.All of these prizes (a fridge/freezer, TV with Nintendo64 and stereo) could be yoursAll he’s gotta do is find the Secret X you get one X free and 3 chances to win 2 more XsPlay along time. How much do you think this nutmeg grinder costs?Did you guess correctly?He couldn’t be in better shape! The only way to lose……is for the X to be at the top. Oh shame audienceThe final item up for bids is a camera which Bruce poses forBrian chokes on the fog as they reveal a sport motorcycle! Also included are leathers, helmet and a 5 day courseYou can win it playing Plinko. Yes, that’s not a mistake. Plinko for a motorcycle. Bruce mentions the Plinko Dish..er..DiscHe got one disc free and wins up to 4 more by pricing small items. Every price shares a common last digit (in this case zeros)Bruce is behind the Plinko board with David and encourages the audience to make some noiseThat’s no good!With his 4 chips, he won £1500!He can risk the £1500 to win the motorcycle if the chip lands in a WIN slot. If it lands in LOSE he wins nothingAgainst the advice of his wife (who is 3 months pregnant) he’s going for it. Emma kissed the disc and now he’s kissing the discEveryone felt bad for him for losing. However, he wound up winning a showcase worth over £28,000This lady is going to play (1 2) 3 StrikesBruce shows her an X. If she draws 3 Xs, the game is overA nice close up of the board. In the UK, baseball is called ’rounders’ and doesn’t enjoy the popularity it does in the US so the board isn’t given a baseball motifShe reaches into the cannister…Is the first digit 3?Looks like she won without drawing a single strike! Well played in any country!Watch out for falling ‘R’s…it’s Cliffhanger! Judging by the models dress, Any Number must have been played earlierAs with every other version you must protect the life of the mountain climber……from falling off of the cliffThis young lady plays Make Your MoveBruce demonstrates how the slider works. 2 digits in the price of the barometer, 3 for the washer/dryer and 4 in the piano priceShe has £3,345 for the piano, £419 for the washer dryer and £99 for the barometerWinner! That’s almost £3,900 worth of prizesWho wouldn’t like to win a NEW CAR!!A nice close-up of the ‘BRUCE 1’ license plate as the car, a Seat, is rolled out……to play Lucky 7! The numbers in the price are hidden on clingfilm numbers attached to the windscreenBruce gives our player 7 £1 coins. The rules are the same as in the USThe model peels back the first cover to reveal an 8The second digit is a 2. At the time, this car is probably worth about US$14,000A 9! Oh he loses all of his money and doesn’t win the carBruce looks as upset as the contestant. Oh shame audience…There you see the full price of £8,295The contestant could win a pool table and a bar unitThe UK certainly has a colorful Joker game board. Could be the best in the world!Joker is suffering from “Bonkers Complex” The rules are the same as the USIs this coffee pot £25 or £45?I think this is the 100th coffee pot in the PAtW gallery!Bruce has a pained expression as the contestant was correct and discarded #3#s 2 3 and 5 are gone. The odds are in his favor5 is not the Joker3 is a Jack. #2 must be a joker or he losesWinner!“There’s the proof!”Bruce and our winnerThe next exciting prize is a pair of go-karts with trailer!You can win them playing Side By SideBruce demonstrates where the top is moved to if he thinks the price is £7,367Another winner!Here we have a refrigerator/freezer, suit of armour and a pair of bicyclesWho wouldn’t want a suit of armour?Unless you really want a bar!The pricing game this time out is Most Expensive but played more like Easy as 1 2 3He thought the bikes were the lowest priceThe refrigerator, at £899 looks good as the middle priced prizeAnd the unique bar is £1,295! Another winner for Brucie!Bruce looks thrilled as this guy mugs him. Check for your billfold Bruce!This is what contestants row looked like when BPiR first went to airThe folks are bidding on this lovely cameraLet’s play Danger PriceThere’s a good shot of the logo and today’s Danger Price of £449The saucepan set is £321. A safe pickThe washer dryer is £499. What is wrong with that model on the left?Oh! The exercise bike was £449 and he losesThe word processor was the one to pick at only £379It’s Master Key. This lady has won one key and it looks like she’s about to lose anotherShe only has one key to win all 3 prizes. Notice the arrows showing which way to turn the keyThis gentleman is playing Pick A Pair. The rules are the same as the US version except with ‘small prizes’Wow. What the heck is up with that set?Here we see the names of the products. 3 pairs of prizes have the same price. Find just one pair for a win.Cooler is £79‘Grouse dish’ is £30. By the way, that prize is a small serving dish shaped like a duckA painful decision indeedThere are all of the prices revealedFor all to see, the very first Plinko board on BPiR. That thing is tiny!Now to the showcase, here is the first “video wall”. Apparently there wasn’t much budget in the early showsHe pushed the signaling button and stopped the range at £5,000, the best of the lot!The showcase has this complete kitchen in itAnd a new car! Looks like a Ford FiestaHis bid is £15,000. Remember he has to come within £5,000 without going even £1 overActual Price is £21,280! So close!That’s underwhelmingHere is the first generation of the big wheelAnd finally, the ‘art card’ mentioning MGPThe next prize is an awesome Yamaha sport motorcycle!Putt the ball into the hole and it yoursOrder these 4 prizes from least expensive to most expensive. Each correct decision moves you one line closer to the holeHe starts with the walkman at £34Ooh! £54 for the Nintendo Game BoyHe picked the answering machine next but it didn’t matterBruce hands off his mic for the inspiration puttThe model hands Bruce his putter and a ballBruce gets ready to make his putt. The model reminds him he’s got £200 riding on this. Bruce is expecting to come into some money…the lotto is SaturdayHey?! They replaced his golf ball with a bouncy rubberized one!“Very funny! Very funny! I’ll get you in four or five weeks time!”Bruce tells the player how to line the ball, club and hole upLooks good…Oh! Blew right on byNot to worry, Bruce turns the golf club on top to reveal…The game is Hole in One..or Two!A nice close-up of the real golf ballDid it twice in a row! Not a winnerBruce looks more crushed that the contestant…must be the 200 quid he lost!Later in the series, they used this ID at the end of the showIt’s a new family car! 2 doors, a 1.3L engine and extra padding in the roof for a quiet ride!The game is Pathfinder. It looks very similar to the US version but bigger!The spot in the middle is free and she has to walk the path of right numbers to winShe steps to the 6 (of 8, 6, 7 or 3)Right! Is the next digit the 9, 4 or 5?Is the 9 right?Yes! £6900 plus…Now she has to decide between the 8, 1 and 7The 7 is not right and she has to price an item to win another chance. She did not get to pick her own prizeWhat, no coffee pot? Is the dustbuster £29 or £49?£29 is a winner!The lights around the 7 are off. Is it the 8 or 1?It’s the 8 and only one digit left!Should she pick the 6 or 5?5 is a winner! She won the car…too bad she doesn’t drive!!How about winning this shiny new car?!This lady can win it playing Let ‘Em Roll. I think this table is smaller even than the first US oneThis dishwashing liquid is £2.49. Is the cling film (Saran Wrap) higher or lower?It’s lower, but not a lot lowerAnd the last product is higher that the cling filmBruce shows us that each cube has 3 cars…£250, £500 and another £250 amount of money on the other 3 sidesIt takes 5 cars to win so Let ‘Em Roll!Well doneBruce has tidied up the cubes. Will she take £750 or roll again?She rolls and…WINNER!The audience is happy…She’s happy, Bruce is happy..everybody is happy!With a cloud of mist, there’s a motorcycle you could winThat look on her face reminds me of the Clock Game lady who couldn’t balance a checkbook “What the hell am I going to do with a computer?!”Too bad we don’t get cool shots of motorcycles like this on the US PiRIt even has a headlamp! All together audience…Oooooh!She’ll own it if she’s a pushoverShe has to push the 4 blocks in the price into the lighted windowIt’s a very aboriginal design, no? Once a block goes over the edge, it will never be seen againIn fact, the blocks fall through to Australia! Bruce and the contestant see if there’s a shrimp on the barbiCool! The blocks are transparent so they light up as well!She doesn’t like £5,324 as the four is about to visit the Sydney Opera HouseShe’s stopped pushing at £5,895
Bruce ushers her into position for the big revealShe wins!“What am I going to do with a motorcycle?!”Bruce gets a hug…I don’t think he minds at allI think the woman in blue (bottom left) thinks she is going to get a ride on the motorcycleThis wide shot of the studio shows the next contestant is going to play Clearance SaleThe first prize is a camcorderNext is a writing desk and chairThird is a motorized scooterBruce shows the young man all of the sales pricesPut a sale price on each prize and win all 3. A nice close-up shot of the tagsBPiR had many of these long, sweeping shots of the entire set like this. Behind the young man, you can see the showcase areaHe puts £1,500 on the scooter£950 for the deskThe prizes are lined up on stage. Even on BPiR the contestant doesn’t know where to put the sale tags!Ooh! The camera is £1,350. £750 is a sale price but it’s awfully low…ExactlyArgh! Should have reversed the first two tags. £750 belonged on the deskAnd there’s the proof the he had the scooter rightFor this series of BPiR Plinko gets a paint job. I don’t think Bruce had to get Maaco.By this point in the shows run, Pearson is a co-producer in nameAnd here, Pearson is merely a subsidiary of Grundy (and later Fremantle)Later, in Let ‘Em Roll’s history, they ditched the grocery items and switched to a On The Nose scoring system. Can you pick the exact price from the 3?The player did and won 3 rolls
The next closest earns you 2 rolls and the farthest price gives you only 1 rollIn the final series of BPiR, ITV switched the credits to a “split screen” to better fit with the look of other programs on the network
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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