Games World
Encyclopedia
Games World was a British computer games
-based television programme, made by Hewland International and broadcast on Sky One
each weekday from 1993-98. The overall concept of Games World was similar to Hewland International's GamesMaster
.
Bob Mills
was the presenter for the show's original run from 1993–95, along with "GamesAnimal" Dave Perry
, Jeremy Daldry and Tim Boone.
The original show also had different formats during the week, called The Peep Parlour, which was a computer-designed peep-parlour where videogamers would ask for advice from "The Games Mistress" related to their video game playing queries, and featured Diane Youdale
, better known as Jet from Gladiators, and a selection of other characters. This feature also had "master classes" presented by the various Videators in which they would guide viewers through particular parts of a selected video game. The show became the highest rated British produced TV show on Sky One - beaten only by The Simpsons
and WWF Wrestling
.
The Peep Parlour was dropped for the second series and replaced by Barry's Joypad starring the Videator Big Boy Barry. It featured video game reviews, cheats, features, as well as being a comedy show for the Big Boy Barry character. This segment of the show had David Walliams
in his first appearance on TV playing the part of Lesley Luncheonmeat, Barry's sidekick.
There was also an interactive phone-in show where callers would play video games live on the air, against other members of the public, with a celebrity guest at the controls while the viewer gave directions. The games were specially designed for the series, but from the mid-point of series two technological advances were brought in that allowed players to press the buttons on a touch tone phone to control the games, and were from this point games that could be found on the high street.
The theme was then slightly changed so there were two teams involved in this format of the show, with players on telephones and players on telephones in their home shown live on TV cameras. The contestants playing on the phone but not seen on the show would normally win. The contestants shown live on the show would be picked at random on the street and a filming recorded earlier in the day of the production crew selecting them down would be shown.
By the third series this format had the added twist of forfeits if the challenger in the home would lose a game. One forfeit involved a boy having to rip a poster of Pamela Anderson
off his bedroom wall, after losing on Super Street Fighter II
. Barry's Joypad was renamed Barry TV or BTV for the third series.
An unaired episode from 1994 was leaked onto YouTube
. Sky refused to air the show as it contained a feature on GamesWorld magazine, which was published by a rival company to Sky's News group.
A fourth series was scheduled to air in 1995/1996 but never materialised. Hewland decided to cease any plans for series four until 1998, when the show ultimately returned under Hewland's penative new title of New Games World. Bob Mills
was replaced by Andy Collins
and the set became an Aztec-themed jungle environment. Dave Perry
remained as the last of the original on-screen team though he left towards the end of the series, reportedly disillusioned with the new format and setting.
Series 1 saw the emergence of Big Boy Barry, who became the series' most popular character. Other characters over the first year included Master Moriarty - a stuck-up schoolboy, The Games Messiah, Letty Edwards, the Ninja and The Executioner; the latter 3 were all dropped for Series Two. Barry won the majority of his games (primarily Sonic 2) as did Moriarty.
Series 2 saw the return of Barry, along with Master Moriarty and the Games Messiah (now played by a different actor). The most notable new Videators were Mr Mathers, who after a shaky start found his feet and went on a winning streak, and Persian Prince of Perfection, who was inundated with fan mail. Videators such as Combat Kal, the Violet Blade and others tended to lose most of their games and all but one were dropped by the next series .
Series 3 saw the return of Barry, Moriarty, the now-established Mathers and the Violet Blade. New Videators were Trixie Belle, Colin the Console Cowboy, Ragga D, and Electric Eddie. A recurring theme in this series saw Colin the Console Cowboy and the Violet Blade feuding with each other.
Series 4 was rumoured to have Barry, Mathers and Eddie returning as the domineering characters of the show (Mathers and Eddie moreso as players, Barry as the figurehead). Another aborted plan for series four involved a Videator named Big Boy Benny, to be promoted as either a "dark side" alter-ego to Barry or a hapless comic foil, parodying a popular angle from the wrestling world.
Computer Games
"Computer Games" is a single by New Zealand group, Mi-Sex released in 1979 in Australia and New Zealand and in 1981 throughout Europe. It was the single that launched the band, and was hugely popular, particularly in Australia and New Zealand...
-based television programme, made by Hewland International and broadcast on Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
each weekday from 1993-98. The overall concept of Games World was similar to Hewland International's GamesMaster
GamesMaster
GamesMaster was a British television show, screened on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998, and was the first ever UK television show dedicated to computer and video games.-Origins:...
.
Format
The main body of the show took place on Mondays and Wednesdays, and was an elimination contest between several youngsters over several different video games, where winners would go on to Friday's edition. Every Friday, a single winner from the previous day staked points on various matches at differing games, and would go up against various cartoonish characters known as "Videators". Winners received a Games World bomber jacket, whilst the overall series winner would receive an arcade machine.Bob Mills
Bob Mills (comedian)
Robert Edward "Bob" Mills is a British comedian, notable for his appearances in cult TV series such as In Bed with Medinner and The Show, the latter an attempt to do a non-fictional British version of The Larry Sanders Show.Born in Chester, after a very short spell training for the Merchant Navy,...
was the presenter for the show's original run from 1993–95, along with "GamesAnimal" Dave Perry
Dave Perry
Dave Perry was co-commentator on the UK computer and video games television shows GamesMaster and Games World.He was responsible for launching many games magazines, including Games World, Play, PowerStation, X-Gen, STATION and Mega Power...
, Jeremy Daldry and Tim Boone.
The original show also had different formats during the week, called The Peep Parlour, which was a computer-designed peep-parlour where videogamers would ask for advice from "The Games Mistress" related to their video game playing queries, and featured Diane Youdale
Diane Youdale
Diane Youdale , is an English television personality, who is best known for her role as "Jet" on the television series Gladiators.-Biography:...
, better known as Jet from Gladiators, and a selection of other characters. This feature also had "master classes" presented by the various Videators in which they would guide viewers through particular parts of a selected video game. The show became the highest rated British produced TV show on Sky One - beaten only by The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and WWF Wrestling
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.
The Peep Parlour was dropped for the second series and replaced by Barry's Joypad starring the Videator Big Boy Barry. It featured video game reviews, cheats, features, as well as being a comedy show for the Big Boy Barry character. This segment of the show had David Walliams
David Walliams
David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
in his first appearance on TV playing the part of Lesley Luncheonmeat, Barry's sidekick.
There was also an interactive phone-in show where callers would play video games live on the air, against other members of the public, with a celebrity guest at the controls while the viewer gave directions. The games were specially designed for the series, but from the mid-point of series two technological advances were brought in that allowed players to press the buttons on a touch tone phone to control the games, and were from this point games that could be found on the high street.
The theme was then slightly changed so there were two teams involved in this format of the show, with players on telephones and players on telephones in their home shown live on TV cameras. The contestants playing on the phone but not seen on the show would normally win. The contestants shown live on the show would be picked at random on the street and a filming recorded earlier in the day of the production crew selecting them down would be shown.
By the third series this format had the added twist of forfeits if the challenger in the home would lose a game. One forfeit involved a boy having to rip a poster of Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
off his bedroom wall, after losing on Super Street Fighter II
Super Street Fighter II
is a head-to-head fighting game produced by Capcom originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1993. It is the fourth game in the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games, following Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting...
. Barry's Joypad was renamed Barry TV or BTV for the third series.
An unaired episode from 1994 was leaked onto YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Sky refused to air the show as it contained a feature on GamesWorld magazine, which was published by a rival company to Sky's News group.
A fourth series was scheduled to air in 1995/1996 but never materialised. Hewland decided to cease any plans for series four until 1998, when the show ultimately returned under Hewland's penative new title of New Games World. Bob Mills
Bob Mills
Bob Mills is the name of:* Bob Mills , British comedian and radio presenter* Bob Mills , Canadian politician- See also :* Robert Mills * List of people named Mills...
was replaced by Andy Collins
Andy Collins (television)
Andy Collins is a British television personality. -Career in brief:Andy Collins was an active member of the British Army.During the 1990s, he presented Game Over, a show on BSkyB's short-lived computer & technology channel .tv...
and the set became an Aztec-themed jungle environment. Dave Perry
Dave Perry
Dave Perry was co-commentator on the UK computer and video games television shows GamesMaster and Games World.He was responsible for launching many games magazines, including Games World, Play, PowerStation, X-Gen, STATION and Mega Power...
remained as the last of the original on-screen team though he left towards the end of the series, reportedly disillusioned with the new format and setting.
The Videators
The Videators were the most prominent characters of the series.Series 1 saw the emergence of Big Boy Barry, who became the series' most popular character. Other characters over the first year included Master Moriarty - a stuck-up schoolboy, The Games Messiah, Letty Edwards, the Ninja and The Executioner; the latter 3 were all dropped for Series Two. Barry won the majority of his games (primarily Sonic 2) as did Moriarty.
Series 2 saw the return of Barry, along with Master Moriarty and the Games Messiah (now played by a different actor). The most notable new Videators were Mr Mathers, who after a shaky start found his feet and went on a winning streak, and Persian Prince of Perfection, who was inundated with fan mail. Videators such as Combat Kal, the Violet Blade and others tended to lose most of their games and all but one were dropped by the next series .
Series 3 saw the return of Barry, Moriarty, the now-established Mathers and the Violet Blade. New Videators were Trixie Belle, Colin the Console Cowboy, Ragga D, and Electric Eddie. A recurring theme in this series saw Colin the Console Cowboy and the Violet Blade feuding with each other.
Series 4 was rumoured to have Barry, Mathers and Eddie returning as the domineering characters of the show (Mathers and Eddie moreso as players, Barry as the figurehead). Another aborted plan for series four involved a Videator named Big Boy Benny, to be promoted as either a "dark side" alter-ego to Barry or a hapless comic foil, parodying a popular angle from the wrestling world.
Presenters
- Bob MillsBob Mills (comedian)Robert Edward "Bob" Mills is a British comedian, notable for his appearances in cult TV series such as In Bed with Medinner and The Show, the latter an attempt to do a non-fictional British version of The Larry Sanders Show.Born in Chester, after a very short spell training for the Merchant Navy,...
(as himself, presenter (Series 1-3)) - Andy CollinsAndy Collins (television)Andy Collins is a British television personality. -Career in brief:Andy Collins was an active member of the British Army.During the 1990s, he presented Game Over, a show on BSkyB's short-lived computer & technology channel .tv...
(as himself, presenter (Series 4))
Co-commentators
- Dave PerryDave PerryDave Perry was co-commentator on the UK computer and video games television shows GamesMaster and Games World.He was responsible for launching many games magazines, including Games World, Play, PowerStation, X-Gen, STATION and Mega Power...
(as himself, presenter (Series 1-4)) - Tim Boone (as himself, co-commentator (Series 1-3))
- Jeremy Daldry (as himself, co-commentator (Series 1-2))
Videators
- Big Boy Barry (played by Alex Verrey)
- Electric Eddie (played by Rob J Nathan)
- Colin the Console Cowboy
- The Executioner (played by Gary Harrod)
- Radion Automatic (played by Edward Laurence)
- Letty Edwards "The Gaming Granny"
- Combat Cal (played by Cal Jones)
- Mr. Mathers (played by Martin Mathers)
- The Violet Blade (played by Rik Henderson, also the series producer/writer)
- The Persian Prince of Perfection (played by Hussain Ghafoor)
- Ragga D "The Games M.C." (played by Cecil Dyer)
- Master Moriarty (played by Tristan Moriarty)
- Trixie Belle "The Minx from Hell" (played by Pushpa Chopra)
- The Game Messiah (played by Doug Johns)
- Eddie Essex (played by Jason Kilshaw, who went on to work on Gamer.tvGamer.tvGamer.tv was a weekly television show produced by the company of the same name, that ran from 2002 to 2008. Each half-hour episode mixed topical video game news, reviews, previews and features. The series aired on a number of networks around the world including Bravo in the UK and Starz in North...
and PlayrPlayrPlayr is a TV show about video gaming that airs weekly in a number of locations around the world, including the UK, Canada, South America, Spain, South Africa and across Asia. The show mixes in-depth previews, news, reviews and features on video games and is notable for its entertaining approach to...
) - Sir Marshall Mathers (played by Martin Mathers)
- Metro
Barry's Joypad
- Big Boy Barry (played by Alex Verrey)
- Lesley (played by David WalliamsDavid WalliamsDavid Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
) - Charlene (played by Sarah Phillys)
- The Games Mistress (played by Diane YoudaleDiane YoudaleDiane Youdale , is an English television personality, who is best known for her role as "Jet" on the television series Gladiators.-Biography:...
)