A revival and reimagining of The Price is Right, based on Bob Warman’s and Bruce Forsyth’s earlier half hour versions. Unlike Bruce’s version, this was a daily show.
The biggest difference between previous UK versions was the tone, which balanced lightheartedness with an in-your-face look. The flashier new nightclub-esque set, with new flashier lighting cues and techno theme, gave the show a very 2000s look; the tone of the show was campy and played both the games and contestants for laughs.
Quick-witted comedian Joe Pasquale with a high, distinctive voice takes the reigns. Prizes were relatively inexpensive, but models presented them in an over-the-top pantomime manner. It strikes a balance between paying homage to the earlier versions and exaggerating their traits to the point of parody.
This version was initially successful, and expanded to an hourlong format, with the winners of both Big Wheel rounds facing off in a spinoff to see who would advance to the final Range Finder showcase round.
Although ITV had high hopes for this new version, interest faded quickly, and within just a few months TPIR was pulling a third of the viewers of its competitor. The series was cancelled after just one season, but the Portuguese O Preço Certo patterned itself off of this version and saw much more success.
TPiR is back in the UK with a club-like atmosphere and themeAs announcer Peter Dickson reads the opening spiel, the words pop up……and bounce on the screen. This screen will say “You’ll Love It”The Fun……Starts Here!I can’t what?Ah! Resistance is futile. After this “slide” the show logo comes on-screenA large Come On Down sign hangs in the rafters as a thrown back to the Crowther editionOur first 4 lucky punters are in contestant’s rowWe can’t have a show without Joe! It’s comedian Joe PasqualeThe first IUFB is some jewelry. Oddly, Joe hints that it costs more than £200The bids are locked inThe young lad won those and stands beside Joe. Behind them is a massive video screenHe’s playing 1 Right Price for a jukeboxIn this version, he must choose between 3 prices£1,475, in the middle, was right! The first-ever winnerThis model spitfire is next for bids. Joe makes a joke about that “talking piece”Shaz won and now she could also take home…A SeaDoo worth more than £7,000!Plinko is the gameJoe gives her one free disc and now…play along time! Is the foot spa £12 or £22?Were you right? She wasn’t.Here you see the money amounts along the bottom of the Plinko boardPlinky Chinese music accompanies the discs as they bounce down the board£0! She needs to win some money if she wants a go at the SeaDoo£100! That is the extent of her winnings from 3 Plinko discs. She will risk that “huge” sum of money to try for the SeaDooJoe’s “twin brother Reynard” brings out the Golden Plinko Disc of DesireThe old discs will be removed after the WIN – LOSE card is put in placeOh, it got stuck! Joe kicked the board from behind to get it moving againShe wins!Each episode is accompanied by a text game where home viewers bid on an item (in this case a bread maker). A random selection from the correct guessers wins £1,000The series is sponsored by supermarket chain ASDAOur 3rd pricing game of the day is SwapThe first prize is a bar shaped like a coach2nd is a “man” that dries shirts by blowing warm air from the inside…no need to iron either!She left the prices and won!In this version, she only gets to keep one prizeShe’s excited to have won! She took the bar, by the wayThe 3 players are ready to spin the wheel. Notice how they’re ordered from least to biggest winnerSpinning 100 on the wheel gives that person a chance at winning a new car!As the wheel spins, you can also see it spinning on the giant video screen95 is a great score…but not when it puts you over!The jukebox winner watches as the amounts flash around. This showcase is the same as Bruce’s versionPressing the plunger stops the flashing ’round£2,000. Not bad. That means he can miss the price of this showcase by under £2,000 but he can’t be one penny overHis first prize is a GPSThen some dining room furnitureA trip to IcelandAnd finally a street-legal off-road buggyHis bid is £12,000 and he can’t miss by more than £2,000Oh!He was over and no more prizes for himJoe and the models commiserate with the loser One credit slideMore credits with the models and announcerYe Olde Fremantle Art CardDid I mention the show is sponsored by ASDA?This time, we’re playing for a shower unitTake 2 is the game. Note the cool Hollywood-themed setAgain, I ask you, a little stereotypical, no?Blech! Pickled Onions!Same rules as USPiR. Which 2 products total £2.40?Starting with the tea bags which seem like a good choiceWhoops! The Fruit Drink won’t work!Joe and the lady consider her optionsShe took the pickled onions for the win!Way-hey! Well played ma’amWould you like to win some lovely jewelry?What about this off-road motorcycle instead?The game is Any Number3 digits placed. Avoid the piggy bank because it’s in pounds and pence!Another winner!A motorbike. Hurrah!This time, it’s One Wrong Price for some kitchen appliancesDo we have another winner?Yup! Another perfect show!A moped is up on offerPick A Pair is the game. It’s very closely modeled after the American set-upOnly 4 items though. The biscuits are the first pick at 98p. Can you find the match?Right on the first pick!‘Raynard’ is back as a real-life mountain climberIt’s Cliffhanger with no changes to setup or game-playLet’s play Joe’s Bargain Bar for a rocking horse priced at £425 and a fountain at £351Actual price of the fountain is £451For a bargain of £100Actual price of the horse is £625That’s a £200 differenceAnother winner!That’s a tough Pick A Number setup!Colorful thoughYou are *NOT* a winnerCheck out that snazzy Danger Price set-up. We’re playing for a fish tank, chair, fireplace and TVCan she avoid the danger price of £599?The names on the dynamite sticks turn around to reveal the prices£499 is the price of the televisionIn the next pricing game, they contestant could win a trip to PragueIf he were alive, Johnny Cash would love this game…Walk The Line. The object of this game is to guess if the price of the next item is higher or lower than the current oneThe water is 29p. Is the soap higher in price or lower?It was higher and the tuna even higher still!The biscuits are lower than the tuna in priceIt’s Safecrackers…with a real safe!Joe opens the safe to revealJewelry. The price of the jewelry is the combination of the safeShe set the dials to £495A green light means she won!Another satisfied customerThe next pair of prizes are these go-kartsThat’s a snazzy Hi Lo set. The rules are exactly the same as in the USEven the price cards are fancyI see blocks marked 1, 2 and 3Which means he is playing Easy as 1 2 3The prizes are a CD jukebox, TV and a pair of phonesThe CD jukebox is £729The phones are £999If the TV is more, he’ll win the lot£1199! Winner!Who wants to win a plasma TV?Pushover! With a pirate theme! Arrrgh matey!As the numbers “walk the plank’, they are eaten by the fishShe settles for £895She’s a winner!This time, the prize is a fabulous Las Vegas holidayElvis lives!!The game is Hole in One with similar rules to the US versionOne difference is that there are only 4 grocery productsThis product is only 24pHe advances a line for getting a higher priced productAnd again! Up to the 3rd line…can he make it 4 in a row?Yup! Well played sir!He’ll putt from the closest line. No bonus for getting them all right thoughRaynard makes the “inspiration drive.” Yes, he whacks the ball and they play the sfx of glass breakingElvis putts…and it looks good…Aw man! He just missed it. No trip.Who wants to win this flash motorcycle?This guy does and it’s his if he navigates Side By SideJoe tells him the price is either £2,549……or £4,925…or £4,925Sure do. Ride safely!Motorcycles are a popular prize obviously. This one is an off-road bikeIt’s On The Nose…on Joe’s nose, that is.Darts popping a balloon is the game every time out. Same rules as the (retired US version). 3 darts for picking the exact price, 2 for the next closest and 1 for the farthest£1,400 was his pick and he was right!The model does the “prove out” showing £1,300 earned 2 throws and £1,600 would have earned just one dartRaynard is here with an over-sized dart to playHe lines up…and doesn’t throw
First try, just misses his eyebrow2nd toss is closer…just under his noseBANG!Winner on his third try!Plinko got a redesign! The small prize podiums also got a paint job.When one (or more) contestant gets 100, they play for a car. The 100 space is covered with this car graphic.This guy gives it a mighty spin! Unfortunately, he did not win a new FiatJoe hands over some One Pound coins. Must be time to play…Lucky 7! The rules haven’t changed from with the US show or Bruce’s show.Here are the 4 digits in the price stuck to the windscreen. He guesses 5 is the first digit.It’s actually 6! Pretty good guessHe looks pained (or relieved) as he hands £1 to Joe. His guess of 2 for the second digit was also off by 1.This guy is doing very well! He has missed each of the digits by only one! £3 gone with £1 to buy the car. He can miss it by 3 on either side. His final guess is 5Perfect! £1 to buy the car……which leaves him with £3 to buy petrol! Very very well played sir!And here’s a guy in the audience who is equally happy because now he can get a ride homeJOEker is the name of the game (I like that pun) and the rules are the same as the US.Play along! Is this appliance £79 or £99?Did you win a discard? The lady playing won all 4 discards.#5 hid a 4 and #4 hid a King.No! Wow, such bad luck. The only way to lose was for the joker to be in position #1 and it was.Joe consoles the young woman after her heart-breaking lossThis time, the game is 5 Price Tags. It plays the same as in the USThe first “small prize” is an ironHe correctly guessed that the price was trueNot so fortunate on this prize though, as designated by the X3 picks and the first choice wasn’t rightNeither was the 2nd pick. It all comes down to his final choice of £3,000He wins!Is that guy part Samoan?Half & Half by any other name is Money GameHere’s a cool shot of the game and video wallAnd another cool shot of the game and prizeHis first pick, 79, is neither the front nor the back half of the price of the motorcycleHis first pick, 79, is neither the front nor the back half of the price of the motorcycleIs 95 a winner?I think it might be!Sure is! Good playing, only making one mistake. Joe reveals the entire board. “There’s the proof” as Brucie would sayHere’s an interesting prize. It’s another bar but this one is shaped…..you guessed it, like the back of a car (or small cargo van I suppose). It may be bizarre but it’s more useful than a cotton candy machine!Another Bizarre Bar…this one shaped like a bottle!Safecrackers got a minor touch-up with a logo on thesafeThis lady picked up a £1,000 bonus from the big wheel *AND* she’ll spin again for a carOn Joe’s Price is Right, they call Card Game “Deck of Cards”. The rules are similar except there is no starting bidFrom the special deck, she drew a range of £700. Just like in the US, she can’t go over the price and must be within range to winA nice cut of an oversized deck of 52 cardsHere we see that she drew the 4 of Hearts which is worth £400Ooh! A big ‘ol King worth £1,000The video wall displays her total which is now up to £2,000. She opts to stopThe actual price is £4,300!Yeah. I guess she’s under!
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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