The first TV game show landed on our screens more than fifty years ago, although only a handful of those early titles managed to survive the test of time. Many of those that have since disappeared followed the same fundamental quiz show format, but every now and then, a new show and format appears and for whatever reason becomes a recognisable part of British culture. Here are some of the most iconic British game shows and how they’ve stuck around.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Launching in 1998, it’s fair to say that Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is one of the U.K.’s biggest television exports. While the original British version with Chris Tarrant has stayed at home, there have been over one hundred different versions created in countries around the world, as well as plenty of inspired titles in places like the online casino world.

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Aside from having a string of successful slot games directly licensed under the brand name, Millionaire has inspired dozens of other titles, such as the Millionaire Rush slot featured in the best slots on Betfair and many other casino providers. The format has proven recognisable and flexible enough to allow for so many adaptations, and when you add in all the ways fans have been able to adapt it at home as well, it’s no wonder it has stuck around for so long.

Deal Or No Deal

This title is more of an import than an export, brought to British shores around five years after it originally launched in the Netherlands in 2000, but it is a British classic regardless. It is still running today despite original iconic host Noel Edmunds being replaced in a 2023 reboot by Stephen Mulhern, with that original run going on for over 10 years straight.

Mastermind
At the other end of the scale from Deal or No Deal is the ultra-intense quiz show Mastermind. It has been on British screens since 1972 and is iconic because it is the only quiz that takes place 1-on-1 with the host. Set in a dark room with only the contestant and host present, it is an incredibly serious and dramatic production.

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The draw of this show has always been seeing how far real experts on subjects can push their knowledge, and Mastermind‘s brutal questions are now legendary. Despite this, generations of Brits have enjoyed challenging themselves with the same questions, and the bare-bones presentation of the show has meant that it can be easily replicated for fun or even community charity events with ease.