Brits love a TV game show and down the years there have been tons that have graced our screens, some good, some bad. Very, very bad.
Today, it feels like there’s a golden age for British TV game shows, with some shown on our screens every teatime, while others are prime time on a Saturday night. But what are the best currently on our screen today?
It’s a difficult question, with so many currently on our screens, but we put our heads together to unveil our favourite game shows on British television today…
Pointless
Pointless first graced our screens in 2009 and has been a hit ever since. It’s a quiz show concept that is sort of the opposite to family fortunes, where you not only need to get a correct answer, but the least obvious one.
Each question is asked to a sample of 100 people and if the player can answer with a correct answer that nobody has said it’s pointless. In order to win, pairs must go through a series of rounds before getting to the final, with a pointless answer required to win the jackpot.
We’ve seen many celebrity editions down the years too, which have always enjoyed excellent viewing figures, but it’s the relationship between presenters Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman that really makes the show.
The Wheel
With the rise of casino online over the last few years, and thousands of players now getting into the likes of online roulette, it’s no surprise to see a quiz show based around the concept of a roulette wheel doing well.
There are elements of chance in the game, just like roulette, but in order to actually win money it tests your knowledge against a series of categories, almost like Trivial Pursuit.
Celebrities guide players through the questions, while host Michael McIntyre keeps things jovial. It’s a relatively new show that has really taken the UK by storm and millions tune in every Saturday night to see how it plays out.
The Chase
Again, with The Chase it’s all about the host, and Bradley Walsh’s relationship with the Chasers is something else. It’s a show full of humour, but ultimately the crux of the show is answering more questions correctly than the quizzing experts – the Chasers.
The Chasers themselves are stars in their own right, with the likes of Paul Sinha, Mark Labett, Anne Hegerty and Jenny Ryan always funny, snappy and desperate to win.
There have been some hilarious questions and answers on The Chase down the years, always going viral, so it’s no surprise to see this up there with our favourites.
University Challenge
Onto the serious stuff now, and University Challenge which is a bona fide national treasure of a show. Hosted by Jeremy Paxman today, it puts the knowledge of two universities to the test each week, with progressions to knockout stages and a yearly final to be crowned University Challenge champion.
The great thing about the show is the playing along at home element, and the gratification of getting just one question correct, given how intensely hard the questions actually are.
Mastermind
And finally. We’ve started so we’ll finish, Mastermind is another British institution and you’ll often find that it is broadcast just before University Challenge on Monday evenings.
The show has seen many classic hosts down the years, with Clive Myrie taking the reins most recently. The format is simple, four contestants, two minutes on their specialist subject, followed by a round of general knowledge. Again, it’s a competition that runs through the series, with a Mastermind champion crowned at the end.