Golden Balls
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Somehow, Golden Balls became ITV's surprise summer hit of 2007 (and they needed one after [[Tycoon]]!). Achieving audiences of up to around 2.1 million, it was ITV's first show since The Paul O' Grady Show to win the ratings battle at 5pm and the first show (other than World Cup football) to beat [[The Weakest Link]]. | Somehow, Golden Balls became ITV's surprise summer hit of 2007 (and they needed one after [[Tycoon]]!). Achieving audiences of up to around 2.1 million, it was ITV's first show since The Paul O' Grady Show to win the ratings battle at 5pm and the first show (other than World Cup football) to beat [[The Weakest Link]]. | ||
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| + | The episode on 11th February 2008 had the largest possible potential jackpot to date - £168,100 - after the top two balls (70k and 75k) made it through to the final round. At the end, freelance photographer Klara stole £93,250 - also a record amount. | ||
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| + | The smallest win was £3, stolen by Robbie on the 12th July 2007 episode. | ||
== Merchandise == | == Merchandise == | ||
Revision as of 18:30, 11 February 2008
Contents |
Host
Jasper Carrott
Co-hosts
Amanda Grant
Broadcast
Endemol for ITV1, 18 June 2007 - present
Synopsis
What stud poker would be a bit like if there was a giant lottery machine involved, and the Prisoner's Dilemma.
The Golden Bank delivers its payload.Four players are dealt out balls worth varying amounts of money (from a tenner to £75,000) and some "killer balls". Two of each player's balls are on show, the rest are known only to each player. The aim is to eliminate the players with the Killer Balls whilst keeping the big money in play, with a The Weakest Link style vote. Obviously players dealt weak balls have to fast talk their way into the next round. The final two players aim to build as big a pot as possible, and then inevitably go home with nothing because they're both very selfish.
The Golden Balls set, complete with 700 (fact!) programmable bulbs.In round one, 12 balls come from the big machine and 4 killers, and each player has four each, two on the front row, and two on the back. They then open the front ones and leave them open for all to see. They then each get to peek at their back two balls, and afterwards they take it in turns to announce what they have on their back row, simultaneously trying to convince the others they're telling the truth whilst trying to convince the other two that someone else is a stinking liar (invariably by 'shouting very loudly'). At this stage, balls on the back can only be seen by the player who owns them.
The front two balls on show. This is a decent hand: two large cash amounts and no killers, which pretty much immunises the contestant from elimination.Then we have the vote, with some stylish cards that are put on stands that can be turned round for Jasper's "The first/second/next/final vote is for..." (In case of a tie, the other players discuss which one to save and, if they still can't agree, the Golden Bank decides for them via a random draw - one player gets a solid gold ball, the other gets a killer.)
Get yer coat.The as-yet unrevealed balls are then opened and, rather predictably, there are a lot of killers and missing zeroes knocking about, which often leads to how-dare-you hilarity of epic proportions when it turns out they've kept in someone with a shocking hand. The player who is voted off then has to "bin" their balls (a.k.a. drop them down a chute) and do the Walk.
One player successfully sweet-talks his way into the second round.All the other player's balls go in to the massive roulette wheel thing, with two more balls from the ball machine and one more Killer, so we have 15 balls, 5 to each player, 2 on the front, 3 on the back. Repeat the last round.
The remaining two players bring their balls through to the money making round, along with another Killer ball, making 11 in play for "Bin or Win". Each person picks a ball to get rid of (Bin) and other to add to the jackpot (Win). If you pick up a killer to win, then your total is divided by 10, so if you have £10,000, your total drops to £1,000.
"Which of these completely identical-looking balls are you most drawn to?"After they make up their row of five winners, they are given two more balls each: Spilt and Shaft Steal. If both choose Spilt, they share the remaining cash. If one says Spilt and the other says Steal, the stealer gets all the cash. If they both say Steal, they both go home with nothing.
Call Kilroy!Trivia
In the unaired pilot, the top ball was worth £200,000, and there were £100,000 balls also.
Somehow, Golden Balls became ITV's surprise summer hit of 2007 (and they needed one after Tycoon!). Achieving audiences of up to around 2.1 million, it was ITV's first show since The Paul O' Grady Show to win the ratings battle at 5pm and the first show (other than World Cup football) to beat The Weakest Link.
The episode on 11th February 2008 had the largest possible potential jackpot to date - £168,100 - after the top two balls (70k and 75k) made it through to the final round. At the end, freelance photographer Klara stole £93,250 - also a record amount.
The smallest win was £3, stolen by Robbie on the 12th July 2007 episode.
Merchandise
Music
Marc Sylvan
