Sale of the Century (UK game show)
Encyclopedia
Sale of the Century was a UK game show based on a US game show of the same name
. It was first shown on ITV
from 1972 to 1983, hosted by Nicholas Parsons
. The first series was aired in the Anglia region only, but it rolled out to other regions from early 1972 and achieved full national coverage by the end of 1975, at which point it was one of the most popular shows on the network - spawning the often-mocked catchphrase "and now, from Norwich, it's the quiz of the week."
It has twice been revived: first, on Sky One
from 1989 to 1990 hosted by Peter Marshall
; second, on Challenge TV from 1997 to 1998 hosted by Keith Chegwin
.
Also, an "Open Sale" was offered just before the commercial break, in which a number of smaller gifts were offered for less than £5 each. In this situation, more than one player could buy a given gift, and a player could buy any or all of the prizes on offer. They could even buy two or more of some items.
The Challenge version kept the rules of the ITV version, except there was no "Open Sale", and players were spotted £15 to start. There were five rounds with questions being worth £1 in round one, £3 in rounds two and three, and £5 in rounds four and five. Finally, the game ended with 60 seconds of £5 questions. The player in the lead at the end of this round was declared the champion.
There were only three "Instant Sales" (renamed Instant Bargains), and only the player in the lead could buy.
The biggest change was the "Fame Game": Here, a succession of increasingly larger clues were given to the identity of a famous person, place, or event. In this round, players could buzz-in and answer at any time, with the player shut out for the remainder of the question if they gave an incorrect answer.
If one of the players buzzed-in and answered correctly, the contestant chose from a game board with nine squares. If all three contestants failed to come up with a right answer, then nobody got to pick. Once chosen, the space selected would be spun around to reveal either a relatively small prize (typically appliances or furniture valued at around a weekly wage) or a bonus money card, which added to the player's score.
There were £10, £15, and £25 bonuses added each round; in addition, in the third round was a "Wild Card", which offered the choice of £100 or a chance to pick again.
The game ended with the Speed Round where the host would ask as many questions as possible within 60 seconds. The player with the most money when time ran out won the game.
If there was a tie for the lead after the Speed Round, another question was asked of the tied players. Answering this question awarded £5 and the win; missing the question deducted £5 and lost the game.
On the 1989 & 1997 versions, there were a series of prizes and as the contestant's score built up, it applied to the next highest prize, with a car again being the top prize, which was available for £585 (dropped to £500 in 1997). Like Australia, they could buy the prize and leave or risk it and come back. However, unlike the Australian and American versions, there was no cash jackpot up for grabs or chance to buy all the prizes on stage.
On all versions, losing contestants kept the money and prizes earned.
Sale of the Century (US game show)
Sale of the Century is an American television game show which debuted in the United States on September 29, 1969, on NBC daytime. It was one of three NBC game shows to premiere on that date, the other two being the short-lived Letters to Laugh-In and Name Droppers. The series aired until July 13,...
. It was first shown 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...
from 1972 to 1983, hosted by Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas Parsons OBE is a British actor and radio and television presenter.-Early life:...
. The first series was aired in the Anglia region only, but it rolled out to other regions from early 1972 and achieved full national coverage by the end of 1975, at which point it was one of the most popular shows on the network - spawning the often-mocked catchphrase "and now, from Norwich, it's the quiz of the week."
It has twice been revived: first, 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...
from 1989 to 1990 hosted by Peter Marshall
Peter Marshall (UK broadcaster)
Peter Marshall is an Irish broadcaster, educated at St. Columb's College in Derry.-Early life:Having originally intended to train as a teacher, he started his working life as an actor, studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.-Television:In 1967 he became an announcer at...
; second, on Challenge TV from 1997 to 1998 hosted by Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...
.
Rules (1972-1983; 1997-1998)
The ITV and Challenge versions followed the rules of the original American version. Three contestants start off with £15. Questions are worth different values starting with £1, later increasing to £3, and finally £5. The question is asked and players can buzz in at any time. Correct answers add the money to their score and incorrect answers subtract the money from their score with only one player allowed to buzz in on each question.Instant Sale
At six points during gameplay, all contestants would be offered the opportunity to purchase merchandise at a bargain price. The first player to buzz in after the prize was revealed purchased that prize. (In so doing, a "losing" contestant might not advance to go shopping at the end of the show, but could leave the show with a considerable haul for one day's play.) In the early days, the prices of all prizes offered were expressed much as one would hear in a department store, and would increase as the show progressed (e.g., £7.95, £11.95, £14.95, £21.95). All prize values were rounded up to the nearest pound before being subtracted from the score of the player who purchased the prize (later on, prizes were in full pounds, like £8, £12, £15, £22). Each instant bargain was hidden behind a curtain; the announcer would mention the price, and then the curtain would open as the prize was revealed. If a contestant buzzed in before the curtain opened, it was declared "No Sale", the contestant would have the price deducted from his/her score (but not win the prize), and the other contestants could then buzz in.Also, an "Open Sale" was offered just before the commercial break, in which a number of smaller gifts were offered for less than £5 each. In this situation, more than one player could buy a given gift, and a player could buy any or all of the prizes on offer. They could even buy two or more of some items.
The Challenge version kept the rules of the ITV version, except there was no "Open Sale", and players were spotted £15 to start. There were five rounds with questions being worth £1 in round one, £3 in rounds two and three, and £5 in rounds four and five. Finally, the game ended with 60 seconds of £5 questions. The player in the lead at the end of this round was declared the champion.
Rules (1989-1990)
The Sky One version had rules that were based on Australia's 1980-1988 format, with better prizes than before.There were only three "Instant Sales" (renamed Instant Bargains), and only the player in the lead could buy.
The biggest change was the "Fame Game": Here, a succession of increasingly larger clues were given to the identity of a famous person, place, or event. In this round, players could buzz-in and answer at any time, with the player shut out for the remainder of the question if they gave an incorrect answer.
If one of the players buzzed-in and answered correctly, the contestant chose from a game board with nine squares. If all three contestants failed to come up with a right answer, then nobody got to pick. Once chosen, the space selected would be spun around to reveal either a relatively small prize (typically appliances or furniture valued at around a weekly wage) or a bonus money card, which added to the player's score.
There were £10, £15, and £25 bonuses added each round; in addition, in the third round was a "Wild Card", which offered the choice of £100 or a chance to pick again.
The game ended with the Speed Round where the host would ask as many questions as possible within 60 seconds. The player with the most money when time ran out won the game.
If there was a tie for the lead after the Speed Round, another question was asked of the tied players. Answering this question awarded £5 and the win; missing the question deducted £5 and lost the game.
Shopping
The winning contestant would be given the opportunity to spend their cash total on at least one of several grand prizes at the "Sale of the Century"; the grand prize being a new car. Champions could buy more than one prize, but they could never buy every prize at less than the total of all of the sale prices. Towards the end of the run, the car was eliminated as a buyable prize; now the champion, provided they won the game with £140 or more, could choose to shop or answer a possible four of five questions, with no risk, to win the car.On the 1989 & 1997 versions, there were a series of prizes and as the contestant's score built up, it applied to the next highest prize, with a car again being the top prize, which was available for £585 (dropped to £500 in 1997). Like Australia, they could buy the prize and leave or risk it and come back. However, unlike the Australian and American versions, there was no cash jackpot up for grabs or chance to buy all the prizes on stage.
On all versions, losing contestants kept the money and prizes earned.