God's Gift (TV series)
Encyclopedia
God's Gift was a British
television game show
broadcast for 2 series (1995/1996). It was produced by Granada Television
and presented from the studio floor by Davina McCall
(series 1) and Claudia Winkleman
(series 2). Stuart Hall provided the voiceover for both series. Jimmy Savile
voiced on some later editions in series 2.
Each week five male contestants would vie with each other to win the affections and votes of a female audience by participating in a series of facetious games designed to "test" their sex appeal. The winner's prize would be to take an audience member of his choice out on a date, which was then filmed for broadcast in the following week's show.
Two editions in the first series in 1996 featured an audience of gay men and a contestant on one of them was the 1993 winner of Mr Gay UK
Anthony Morley
, who was later convicted of murder
and cannibalism
. One of the audience members of that edition was his future victim Damian Oldfield. Oldfield was a contestant of another edition of the show in October 1996.
The series was broadcast in the early hours of a Thursday morning and was usually repeated in the early hours of Sunday morning on ITV
, although not every region took the series. The second series was axed after fewer regions decided to broadcast it.
A series with a similar theme Man O Man
was shown around the same period, but the latter was broadcast at peak time and was, accordingly, much less risqué. Both series came in for criticism about their objectification of men, the broadcasters being accused of double standards in that they would never commission similar programmes with female contestants.
The show's title came from the phrase "God's gift to women", i.e. an ironic
description of a would-be Casanova.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
broadcast for 2 series (1995/1996). It was produced by Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
and presented from the studio floor by Davina McCall
Davina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
(series 1) and Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Anne I. Winkleman is an English television presenter, film critic, radio personality and journalist.- Early life and family :...
(series 2). Stuart Hall provided the voiceover for both series. Jimmy Savile
Jimmy Savile
Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile, OBE, KCSG was an English disc jockey, television presenter and media personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim'll Fix It, and for being the first and last presenter of the long-running BBC music chart show Top of the Pops...
voiced on some later editions in series 2.
Each week five male contestants would vie with each other to win the affections and votes of a female audience by participating in a series of facetious games designed to "test" their sex appeal. The winner's prize would be to take an audience member of his choice out on a date, which was then filmed for broadcast in the following week's show.
Two editions in the first series in 1996 featured an audience of gay men and a contestant on one of them was the 1993 winner of Mr Gay UK
Mr Gay UK
Mr Gay UK is a British annual beauty contest for gay men, with regional heats held in gay nightclubs with a grand final usually at a gay venue. The contests is owned and promoted by gay entrepreneur Terry George....
Anthony Morley
Anthony Morley
Anthony Morley is an English former model and convicted murderer. He won the first Mr Gay UK contest in 1993. In 2008 he was imprisoned for the killing, dismemberment and partial consumption of his lover, magazine executive Damian Oldfield....
, who was later convicted of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
. One of the audience members of that edition was his future victim Damian Oldfield. Oldfield was a contestant of another edition of the show in October 1996.
The series was broadcast in the early hours of a Thursday morning and was usually repeated in the early hours of Sunday morning on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, although not every region took the series. The second series was axed after fewer regions decided to broadcast it.
A series with a similar theme Man O Man
Man O Man
Man O Man was a game show created in Germany. The show was loosely in the format of a beauty pageant but with male contestants. An all-female audience voted for the winner via a series of elimination rounds...
was shown around the same period, but the latter was broadcast at peak time and was, accordingly, much less risqué. Both series came in for criticism about their objectification of men, the broadcasters being accused of double standards in that they would never commission similar programmes with female contestants.
The show's title came from the phrase "God's gift to women", i.e. an ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
description of a would-be Casanova.
Series guide
- Series 1: 50 editions including 2 best of compilations , first shown from 3 January 1996
- Series 2: 25 editions, first shown from 26 July 1997
External links
- God's Gift at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...