Consolation Prizes
Purpose
Parting is such sweet sorrow... and, on game shows, so very cheap too. Here's our list of the consolation "prizes" doled out by British game shows.
If there's something we've missed out, or you have an idea for a future Anorak Corner column, Contact us.
Listing
| Show name | Gift/Consolation prize |
| 3-2-1 | Ceramic dusty bin ("and you know how much they're worth"), also a photo of Ted Rogers in a silver frame. |
| Ask the Family | Printed mug |
| Big Break | Trophy and cue, possibly also a John Virgo waistcoat |
| Blankety Blank | Chequebook and pen |
| Blockbusters | Various, but usually included a gold-embossed Blockbusters Dictionary. In the 2012 Challenge version, an e-book reader. |
| Brainstorm | A large, old-fashioned light bulb |
| Bullseye | "Bendy Bully" toy, tankards, hand sewn badges (early series), darts and BFH (Bus Fare Home) |
| Carnal Knowledge | A spuriously-sculpted candle |
| Catchword | Bookmark |
| Countdown | "Goody bag", including books, board game, T-shirt, and (for returning champs only) tea pot. |
| Crackerjack | Pen and pencil set |
| Crosswits | Gold pen and pencil set |
| Cryptogram | Spellmaster gadget |
| The Crystal Maze | A crystal (with engraving "I cracked The Crystal Maze 199X") |
| Curiosity | "Worthless" teacups |
| Every Second Counts | Watches and wall clock |
| Family Catchphrase | Family Catchphrase sweatshirt |
| Family Fortunes | Photo of the families and host on the set (in early series, black and white for the losers, colour for the winners!) |
| Fluke | Golden Short Straw |
| Generation Game | Larry Grayson era, a door trophy. Jim Davidson era, Bendy bloke (wooden model man, used by artists for drawing) |
| Get Your Own Back | Jacket with the show's logo on the back |
| Gladiators | Medal |
| Going for Gold | Various prizes at the different stages of the competitions. Weekly winners would always win those bloody crystal glasses. |
| The Great Antiques Hunt | Godawful glass plate (later, sensibly changed to an antiques voucher) |
| Interceptor | Travel pack: consisting of compass, binoculars and a map of the area they played in. |
| The Jules and Lulu Show | "Golden" dog bowl and bone |
| Keynotes | Keynotes "memento" and t-shirt |
| Knightmare | Scrolls ("as proof of your quest") |
| Lucky Ladders | Ladder-themed trophy. Later series, a clock |
| Lucky Numbers | Stupid irritating ball-motif statue thing |
| Mechannibals | Toolbox |
| Memory Bank | Mug, pen and notepad |
| Move on Up | Notebook |
| Mr and Mrs | Carriage clock, or a candelabra on early HTV shows |
| Partners in Rhyme | "A pen from Len" (pen stand in the form of a Len Goodman figurine, plus pen) |
| Pass the Buck | T-shirt and mug |
| Popmaster | "One Year Out!" T-shirt (Radio 2), Popmaster mug (Greatest Hits Radio) |
| The Price is Right (Crowther era) | Medal and teddy bear |
| Push the Button | Salt and pepper set ("salt and pepper not included") |
| Raise the Roof | "Bob's Bungalow" teapot |
| Ready Steady Cook | Originally, a wooden spoon. Since 2008, a mug. |
| Saturday Night Takeaway | Toilet roll |
| Show Me the Money | Personalised mug |
| Strike it Lucky | Board game (which was also available to buy at the time) |
| Supermarket Sweep | Non-specific "parting gifts" |
| Take a Letter | Take a Letter polo shirt |
| Tenable | Tea towel |
| That's Your Lot | Gavel and block |
| Today's the Day | Copy of newspaper from the day you were born |
| Trivial Pursuit | A piece of the set to take home with them |
| Waffle | Toaster and waffles |
| Watching the Detectives | Magnifying glass |
| Wheel of Fortune | Watch and electronic game |
| Win, Lose or Draw | Easel trophy |
| Winner Takes All | Filofax (Geoffrey Wheeler era) |
| Wipeout | In the Daniels era, a paperweight, later changed to an umbrella. In the Monkhouse era, a paperweight for the third place player and champagne flutes for the second place player (also first if they lost the holiday), later changed to wine goblets. |
| XYZ | Mug tree |
| You Bet! | "Betsy" award. Later series, a trophy to a winner, a scroll to a loser. |
