Weaver's Week 2024-12-22
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Last week | Weaver's Week Index | The Week of the Year
The very final part of our summer filler series. Over 21 cut-out-and-keep articles, we've recorded every single game show to have had at least 500 episodes from 1924 to 2023, or at least 100 primetime episodes. Thanks to Broken TV for the original idea, and a senior UKGameshows.com editor for the little spin we've put on it.
But we still need to finish the alphabet, in the only way George Marshall would allow:
Contents |
Which game shows have the most episodes? Part 21: XYZ
XYZ was a one-series wonder, where contestants competed for Perspex letters so they could make a long string, and potentially win a coveted* XYZ Mug Tree. 32 episodes, and it's still better than Eldorado.
The X Factor
About fifteen years ago, this was television's hottest show. People would sing for our entertainment. Many of them were very good indeed. Some of them were celebrated by the programme; many were treated as disposable cannon fodder. Gave us Jedward and One Direction and Little Mix and Leona Lewis; also gave us him and them and her and him.
The main series, a logical follow-up to Pop Idol (qv), ran from 2004 to 2018, a total of 354 primetime episodes. Celebrity and a band spin-off add 20 further competition episodes. And then there was the spin-off show, refined to an art by Ben Shepherd on ITV's Got the Xtra Factor (And Possibly a New Celebrity Co-Host +1) from 2004 to 2016, another 359 episodes.
Towards the end of its run, The Aftermath and Xcess All Areas were further spin-offs from the spin-off show, a total of 30 episodes. Ten episodes of The Winners' Story, and 25 editions of Xtra Factor Rewind to repeat some of the narratives from previous years. Fourteen editions of Xtra Bites in 2017 and 2018, and an online version of Xtra Factor returned for 8 eps in the 2019 celeb series.
And so it goes. We tally up 798 primetime episodes, and 834 episodes in total.
You Bet!
Stunt show. Members of the public can do incredible things, but are they able to complete difficult challenges under studio pressure? Based on a German format, which goes out live and takes about four hours to complete a show.
Originally hosted by Bruce Forsyth, later presented by Matthew Kelly and Darren Day. Managed 105 primetime episodes, and while the show is fondly remembered, no broadcaster in their right minds would recommission it today.
What? Oh.
Review when we come back next year.
Young Musician of the Year
High culture as young classical musicians get time to show their brilliance and improve their craft. Run every second year since 1978, famous winners include Natalie Clein, Nicola Benedetti, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Young Musician is a peg on which the BBC can hang some classical programmes for a mainstream audience. Previous competitors have been invited to give recitals on Radio 3, there were documentaries and masterclasses. We've included these shows where they wouldn't be made without Young Musician (so "Thirty Years Of..." yes, a random mention for a YM finalist no).
Up to the 2022 contest, we reckon 201 primetime competition shows, 25 spin-off shows and documentaries, and 13 radio programmes with no corresponding television show.
We also need to include Eurovision Young Musicians, which ran on the BBC from 1982 to 2010 and again in 2018. A total of 19 primetime episodes, plus three heats on Radio 3.
Total for the Young Musician family is 245 primetime episodes, and 261 episodes in total.
Your Face or Mine?
Who's more attractive: Debbie or Paul? On the surface, it's a shallow game about perceived beauty and social stereotypes; the show eventually reveals how it's subtly deconstructing these ideas from the inside. Revived on Comedy Central before the pandemic, and maybe they could bring it back. 111 primetime episodes.
You've Been Framed!
Funny home videos linked by Jeremy Beadle and/or Harry Hill. Often had some sort of contest, with a prize, with just about makes it a game show. Approximately 650 primetime episodes.
The Zone was ITV Play's last call-and-lose contest. Taken off air after 6 episodes. And that is where our A-Z ends.
The final scores
All episodes
Show | Episodes |
Countdown | 8732 |
Popmaster | 6550 |
Bamboozle | 5900 |
Big Brother | 4183 |
Deal or No Deal | 3011 |
Fifteen-to-One | 2683 |
Come Dine with Me | 2432 |
The Chase | 2247 |
Eggheads | 2239 |
University Challenge | 2188 |
Bargain Hunt | 2085 |
The Big Quiz (1) | 2000 |
Pointless | 1925 |
Ready Steady Cook | 1911 |
The Weakest Link | 1725 |
Strictly Come Dancing | 1644 |
Brain of Britain / What Do You Know | 1592 |
Tipping Point | 1592 |
Blockbusters | 1586 |
100% | 1546 |
A Question of Sport | 1431 |
Round Britain Quiz | 1427 |
Mastermind | 1426 |
Y Talwrn | 1410 |
Masterchef Goes Large | 1202 |
Brainteaser | 1200 |
Just a Minute | 1065 |
Four in a Bed | 1058 |
Going for Gold / One to Win | 1058 |
Call My Bluff | 1047 |
The News Quiz | 1041 |
Dickinson's Real Deal | 1025 |
Sale of the Century | 912 |
Antiques Road Trip | 905 |
Twenty Questions | 867 |
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! | 846 |
Fighting Talk | 835 |
The X Factor | 834 |
Top of the Form | 833 |
Mr and Mrs / Sion a Sian | 808 |
Today's the Day | 753 |
Wheel of Fortune | 752 |
Love Island | 746 |
Great British Menu | 741 |
Family Fortunes | 717 |
Mallett's Mallet | 700 |
Let the Peoples Sing | 695 |
The Brains Trust | 691 |
Can't Cook, Won't Cook | 685 |
Through the Keyhole | 678 |
Supermarket Sweep | 654 |
ITV Play | 650 |
You've Been Framed | 650 |
What's My Line? | 640 |
Coach Trip | 630 |
Have I Got News for You | 613 |
Hold Your Plums | 600 |
The Price is Right | 600 |
Puzzle Corner | 600 |
Games World | 590 |
Catchphrase | 583 |
Richard Osman's House of Games (3) | 582 |
Going for a Song | 569 |
Have a Go | 567 |
Take Your Pick | 567 |
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | 557 |
Opportunity Knocks | 553 |
My Music | 524 |
Criss Cross Quiz | 508 |
Quote... Unquote | 505 |
Fame Academy | 500 |
Even if Countdown were to come off air this week, and even if Popmaster were to continue making episodes every weekday, it wouldn't take the lead for over nine years. Teletext quiz Bamboozle is clear in third, with Big Brother and Deal or No Deal back in production to fight off The Chase.
Primetime episodes
Show | Episodes |
Big Brother | 4173 |
Strictly Come Dancing | 1644 |
A Question of Sport | 1420 |
Mastermind | 1384 |
University Challenge | 1212 |
Masterchef Goes Large | 1025 |
Sale of the Century | 912 |
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! | 816 |
The X Factor | 798 |
Love Island | 746 |
Who Wants to be a Millionaire | 678 |
You've Been Framed! | 650 |
Family Fortunes | 647 |
Treasure Hunt (Westward) | 625 |
Have I Got News for You | 611 |
Puzzle Corner | 600 |
Take Your Pick | 567 |
Opportunity Knocks | 553 |
Call My Bluff | 542 |
Catchphrase | 531 |
Twenty Questions | 480 |
The Price is Right | 476 |
Double Your Money | 470 |
Great British Menu | 469 |
The Apprentice | 468 |
Only Connect | 463 |
Juke Box Jury | 461 |
What's My Line? | 437 |
Come Dancing | 431 |
The Generation Game | 425 |
Sky Star Search | 424 |
Top Club | 420 |
Blind Date | 416 |
The Brains Trust | 416 |
Top of the Form | 416 |
Love at First Sight | 400 |
Games World | 390 |
Have a Go | 390 |
Britain's Got Talent | 383 |
Bullseye | 369 |
The Great British Bake Off | 368 |
Blockbusters | 366 |
Mr and Mrs / Sion a Sian | 361 |
It's a Knockout / Jeux Sans Frontieres | 340 |
The Golden Shot | 339 |
Pointless | 329 |
QI | 327 |
ITV Play | 321 |
Blankety Blank | 320 |
Never Mind the Buzzcocks | 301 |
Pot Black | 297 |
The Krypton Factor | 295 |
SM:TV Live | 286 |
Celebrity Juice | 271 |
Stars In Their Eyes | 270 |
Dragons' Den | 269 |
Play Your Cards Right | 264 |
Winner Takes All | 253 |
Big Break | 252 |
The Weakest Link | 252 |
Fame Academy | 251 |
Young Musician of the Year | 245 |
Mock the Week | 244 |
Dinner Date | 242 |
One Man and His Dog | 236 |
8 Out of 10 Cats | 232 |
Telly Addict | 229 |
Round Britain Quiz | 226 |
Jacpot | 223 |
Ask the Family | 221 |
Criss Cross Quiz | 220 |
Noel's House Party / Saturday Roadshow | 217 |
The Voice | 214 |
Strike it Lucky | 213 |
Wheel of Fortune | 212 |
Celebrity Squares | 210 |
Spot the Tune | 210 |
New Faces | 205 |
Wife of the Week | 205 |
A League of Their Own | 201 |
What Do You Know? | 200 |
Masterchef | 200 |
Through the Keyhole | 197 |
Take Me Out | 194 |
Scrapheap Challenge | 190 |
Dancing on Ice | 189 |
Spellbound | 185 |
World's Strongest Man | 183 |
Looks Familiar | 180 |
Takeshi's Castle | 180 |
Robot Wars | 177 |
Artist of the Year | 175 |
Going for a Song | 175 |
In It to Win It | 172 |
The Sky's the Limit | 169 |
Face the Music | 166 |
The Chase | 163 |
Eggheads | 160 |
Gladiators | 160 |
Thank Your Lucky Stars | 160 |
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | 157 |
3-2-1 | 154 |
They Think It's All Over | 154 |
3-2-1 | 154 |
Name That Tune | 152 |
Joker's Wild | 150 |
Pull the Other One | 150 |
BBC New Comedy Award | 149 |
Taskmaster | 147 |
Whittle | 147 |
Every Second Counts | 142 |
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | 141 |
Cardiff Singer of the World | 141 |
That's Showbusiness | 141 |
Jet Set | 139 |
Would I Lie to You? | 139 |
Britain's Next Top Model | 138 |
The $64,000 Question | 137 |
Whose Line is it Anyway? | 137 |
The Million Pound Drop Live | 136 |
Laughlines | 135 |
Night Fever | 135 |
Regional Round | 134 |
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral | 131 |
Jeopardy! | 130 |
Gamesmaster | 129 |
Take a Letter (Bob Holness) | 128 |
Tell the Truth | 127 |
Ninja Warrior (Challenge channel) | 125 |
The Crystal Maze | 124 |
Flying Start | 123 |
Do I Not Know That? | 121 |
Superscot | 120 |
Bob's Full House | 117 |
Treasure Hunt (Channel 4) | 114 |
Eurovision Song Contest | 112 |
Your Face or Mine? | 111 |
Ask Me Another | 109 |
Who Dares Wins | 107 |
Pencil and Paper | 105 |
The Superstars / Superteams | 105 |
You Bet! | 105 |
Busman's Holiday | 103 |
TV Scrabble | 103 |
Winning Lines | 103 |
Top Town | 100 |
Big Brother is number one by a mile, with Strictly Come Dancing passing A Question of Sport, and two regulars from BBC2's quiz block completing the top five.
Phew! This has been a labour of love, it's gone on somewhat longer than we expected, and we hope it'll be a useful guide to the most important game shows in the genre's first century.
The rules in a nutshell: We've included all shows transmitted on television or radio to the end of 2023. "All episodes" requires 500 episodes at any time of day or night. "Primetime" requires 100 episodes from the primetime schedules, which we've defined as between the early evening news and midnight (or similar on channels that don't have an early evening news bulletin). Radio shows can be counted as "primetime" up to the end of 1959. A few of the numbers in these lists are approximate figures, see each individual entry for the assumptions we've made and how inaccurate we might be. Other exceptions are covered in the individual entries.
In other news
It's still number one! Countdown held its semi-annual Finals Week. Chris Kirby was the top seed, he came through a tough challenge from Neil Holland in the quarters, and from numbers specialist David Roe in the semi-final. Second seed Fiona Wood took her place in the final, beating Helen McGivern with some superb letters spots, and Terence Newnham with "Endorsing".
All four semi-finalists had won matches on Countdown in the past – Chris Kirby won a pair in 2009, Terence Newnham won one game in 2007, David Roe won five when making the quarter-finals in 2001, and Fiona Willis (as she was) won six games and made the semi-finals in summer 1990, and returned for the Championship of Champions in 1993.
Fiona Wood's first declaration in the final – "waspier" – was disallowed. In the second period, Chris's offers of "cuttie" and "promotee" were also declined; the latter had been legal until a bundle of obscure words were deleted from the Countdown dictionary during the summer. But Chris did get the one winning word, "Routeing", and there was nothing between the players on the numbers.
Throughout the Finals Week, not one conundrum had been solved correctly – there had been scarcely a buzz from anyone. And with a three-point lead, Chris had the advantage. Fiona had to solve the conundrum. Fiona did solve the conundrum, spotting "Lassitude".
Which means Fiona Wood becomes the champion of Countdown series 90. She's the first woman to win a series since Kate Ogilvie in 1998, and the first person from Scotland to win since the unrelated Stuart Wood in summer 2001.
Quizzy Mondays
BBC Brain had its last semi-final. Tim Hall starts off with a generous adjudication – asked for the cyclist, the answer is "Kenny"; "Lady Kenny" when pressed further. "Laura Kenny" the answer on the card, and perhaps the hawks at UC would have raised the spectre of her husband Jason. Anyway, Tim Hall progresses with Five In A Row And A Bonus Mark, which gives a substantial lead.
A strong run from any of the other players will help to narrow that lead, and Alan Eeles pulls some ground back, only for Tim to pick up lots of bonuses. Caroline Latham and Sarah Thornton are the other two players, neither has any luck with the questions until the final round. Tim Hall ends up winning by seven points; he'd picked six from other players' questions, which shows the quiz gods were not displeased.
Here is some placeholder text. We'll publish a brief review of the final here during Monday.
Phil Nowek won Mastermind, another episode where specialist subjects were quite low and the game was won on general knowledge. C'mon, we watch the specialist rounds to see people getting things right, and perhaps to learn a bit about the subject in passing. His round was on the books "A Song of Fire and Ice" by George RR Martin.
Crunchers took Only Connect by the scruff of the neck, recognising songs about baddies, people married to Blake, a gorgeous picture sequence coding traffic lights through Red Rum and Amber Rudd. And a Five Point Sequence, going from "A: pension tax simplification" through to "D: invade Normandy". The Uisge Beathas were rather frozen out in this round, and leave the tournament with their heads held high.
Bristol added another quarter-final appearance on University Challenge, dominating Exeter by 290-35. Bristol answered fifteen of the first sixteen questions correctly, and finished with 71% of the questions right for the second game running. Exeter were a great side in the heat, but were comprehensively outbuzzed by the side from up the A38; they join LSE as a good side beaten by an even better one.
Coming attractions
Sunday has The Chase and Bullseye and You Bet! on the ITV network, and the BBC Brain final (Radio 4).
Monday has a sneak preview of Pictionary (ITV), and Sally Lindsay takes over The Big Quiz (2). Channel 4's got the Junior Taskmaster final. BBC2 has a quizzy quad-play: House of Games (3), Celebrity Mastermind, Only Connect (2), University Challenge every night this week and next week (except Christmas Day, but there are editions on Sunday the 29th).
Christmas Eve gives us Christmas Bake Off (C4) and a celebrity edition of Dubhlain DIY, BBC Alba's entertaining show about assembling flat-packed furniture.
Christmas Day has the traditional Strictly Come Dancing special, celebrities tackle The Weakest Link (both BBC1), and Channel 4 gives us The Piano at Christmas. Following an inexplicable booking, Alexander Armstrong is on The Chase (ITV).
Boxing Day brings us Blankety Blank (BBC1), The Great Pottery Throw Down (C4), and The 1% Club (ITV) – and that's just at 9pm. We've also another episode of Pictionary (ITV), quizzes on RTÉ Radio 1 and 2, and The Masked Singer (VM1 and ITV) to uncrack.
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (C4) gets a clear run on Friday night. The Challenge channel has bought some episodes of Bob's Full House and Bruce Forsyth's The Generation Game, which we haven't seen in donkey's years.
Saturday has specials of Wheel of Fortune (ITV) and The Weakest Link (BBC1). Sunday the 29th brings us Taskmaster's Bit Between Christmas And New Year's Treat (C4), and a new series of Counterpoint (Radio 4).
We'll publish the Review of the Year before the end of the year. Until then, we wish you a happy, peaceful, and pleasant time of year.
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