Finders Keepers (2)

Host

Andrew O'Connor (non-broadcast pilot)

Neil Buchanan (1991-96) (and Diane Youdale in 1996)

Jeff Brazier (2006)

Co-hosts

Voiceover: Jeremy Stockwell (1991-6)

Broadcast

World Wide International Television in association with TVS for ITV, 12 April 1991 to 1 April 1992 (26 episodes in 2 series)

As Celebrity Finders Keepers as part of Motormouth, TVS for ITV, 1991 (5 episodes)

World Wide International Television in association with Scottish Television for ITV, 23 March 1993 to 6 August 1996 (47 episodes in 4 series)

The Foundation for CITV, 6 January to 14 April 2006 (14 episodes in 1 series)

Synopsis

"Whose house is it?"

FINDERS KEEPERS!

"Scottish Television's House!"

And here is the owner of the Finders Keepers house...

...is what children didn't cry during the ultimate kids fantasy gameshow.

...Neiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil Buchanan!!!

In the studio is a huge house, and hidden inside each of the rooms is an object. Two teams of kids have to find the objects causing as much mess as possible whilst machines blow around lots of paper and fake snow and stuff. A memorable recurring object from the show is the big blue arrow that was shown on the screens to the audience to indicate the location of the item to be found.

Yes, you're looking at the item I'm pointing at right now. Now, get it and stop complaining!

One of the rooms in the house was the "Fantasy Room" this room changed every week, usually a laboratory, a castle dungeon, a pirate ship, that sort of thing. The team who got to play in that room had to play "Jeremy's Joker" which usually ment raiding the room while wearing a silly costume, if they found the object, they'd win a special star prize.

Don't ask! We know what they're doing.

In early series kids use to have to play for rooms by playing a memory game. For the final series of the original run, (when Diane Youdale was co-host) the kids had to find things in 'The Garage' first, which involved wading through a thick pool of "motor oil" to find mechanics' tools to match up on the wall. (The 2006 revival has reverted back to the original game.)

Have a look at the numbers on the board and tell me which table you want.

The team that did the best went through to the Supersearch, a sort of Treasure Hunt throughout the eight rooms in the house and if they can find all eight objects within four minutes (three minutes in the first 3 series and the 2006 version) they usually win a trip to Alton Towers or something. If not, at least the losers go home with a Finders Keepers Goodie Paaaaaack!

It's Goodie, It's Moody, It's the Finders Keepers Goodie Paaaaaack!!!

Catchphrases

"It could be anywhere!" (Obvious statement, really.)

"Look high, look low!"

"Let's raid the room!" - 1991 to 1996

Host: "Whose house is it?" Audience: "Our House!"

Host: "What time is it?" Audience: "Room-raiding time!"

Announcer: "And here is the owner of the Finders Keepers house...Neil Buchanan!"

Inventor

Based on the US Nickelodeon show of the same name.

Theme music

1991-6: Simon Etchell.

2006: Mr Miller and Mr Porter.

Trivia

Production moved north in 1996 for the final series when Nigel Pickard, who had been head of children's programming at TVS, jumped the sinking ship to join STV, taking Art Attack, How 2 and Finders Keepers with him. When the show was moved from Maidstone to Glasgow for the final series in 1996, all they did was dismantle the set, pack it up, place it onto lorries, and take it up north. The only problem was that the studio in Glasgow was about 2ft lower, meaning... well, you can guess. STV finally dropped the series in 1996 because it was too much like home grown classic Fun House.

Even though the show stopped production in 1996, repeats of Series 4-6 were shown on CITV until 1998.

The 2006 revival not only didn't last, but was moved around everywhere. At first, it started at a simple 4.30pm Friday slot on ITV1, but before long was moved to Saturday Showdown, a show where somehow Jeff Brazier got to appear every week as 'special guest'. Then after just a few episodes, it got moved to the digital graveyard of the CITV Channel, before finally disappearing altogether.

A non-broadcast pilot hosted by Andrew O'Connor on the the set of the US version, was filmed in 1988.

Five celebrity specials were aired in 1991 as part of the final series of Saturday morning show Motormouth which was also made by TVS. The shorter version of the game featured two sets of a celebrity paired up with a child and the two teams had two minutes to raid four rooms each. The winner was simply the one who had scored the most rooms in the two minutes. Celebrity contestants included Steve Johnson, Andrew O'Connor, Gaby Roslin, Pat Sharp, Frank Bruno, Alex Langdon, Andy Crane, Daniella Westbrook and Timmy Mallett who was joined by Sonia - not the singer but his Auntie Sonia! After this short run Mousetrap took its place.

Merchandise

A board game was produced, which for some reason used the logo from the American version on the box.

Videos

Web links