Surprise, Surprise
Encyclopedia
Surprise, Surprise is a British
TV show hosted by Cilla Black
, produced by London Weekend Television
for ITV
. It ran for fourteen series from 6 May 1984 to 5 September 1997, after which four annual specials were produced between 1998 to 2001. The series shared a production team with LWT's other shows Game for a Laugh
and Blind Date, and shared format similarities with the BBC's Jim'll Fix It
.
, famous for his glove puppetry act Spit the Dog, while Gordon Burns and Tessa Sanderson
were also regular presenters.
The concept of the first series had been to film surprising and often unusual moments similar to those previously seen on Game for a Laugh, but the format was not successful. However, the final item in the last episode of the first series featured a successful surprise reunion, which led executive producer Alan Boyd to change the format slightly so that all items in subsequent series involved surprises, rather than just being surprising. The first series and some early episodes of the second series were televised live in their entirety, however, thereafter, all episodes were pre-recorded.
Over the years, the show had many special guests, some of whom appeared live, including Neil Diamond
. Many variety
acts were also featured on the show.
and was often imitated by Black impersonators, beginning "The more the world is changing, the more it stays the same...". The track was included on Black's 1985 album Surprisingly Cilla
, and as a single through Towerbell Records. A new song was written from series nine until the show's conclusion in 2001: "Reaching out, holding hands, reliving memories... Life is full, full of surprises...And the nicest surprise in my life is you!"
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...
TV show hosted by Cilla Black
Cilla Black
Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
, produced by London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
for 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...
. It ran for fourteen series from 6 May 1984 to 5 September 1997, after which four annual specials were produced between 1998 to 2001. The series shared a production team with LWT's other shows Game for a Laugh
Game for a Laugh
Game For A Laugh was a popular British TV light entertainment show which ran for 56 editions and 4 specials between 26 September 1981 and 23 November 1985, made by London Weekend Television for the ITV network.- Origins :...
and Blind Date, and shared format similarities with the BBC's Jim'll Fix It
Jim'll Fix It
Jim'll Fix It was a long-running British television show, broadcast by the BBC between 1975 and 1994. It was presented by Jimmy Savile. It was produced by Roger Ordish, who also worked on other BBC shows, including A Bit of Fry & Laurie...
.
Format
The show was hosted by Cilla Black, and filmed in front of a live studio audience. Its premise involved surprising members of the public with long-held wishes, setting up tricks to fool members of the public, prank phone calls to people and reuniting guests with long-lost loved ones. Black was assisted for eight series by Bob CarolgeesBob Carolgees
Bob Carolgees is a comedy entertainer who appeared on the Saturday morning TV series Tiswas and then later in its adult versions O.T.T. and Saturday Stayback. He is best-known for appearing with a puppet named Spit the Dog.-Career:In the early 1970s Carolgees ran a DJ and modelling school at 11A...
, famous for his glove puppetry act Spit the Dog, while Gordon Burns and Tessa Sanderson
Tessa Sanderson
Theresa Ione Sanderson CBE is a former British javelin thrower and heptathlete who competed in the javelin competition in every one of the six Olympics from 1976–1996 winning the Gold medal in 1984...
were also regular presenters.
The concept of the first series had been to film surprising and often unusual moments similar to those previously seen on Game for a Laugh, but the format was not successful. However, the final item in the last episode of the first series featured a successful surprise reunion, which led executive producer Alan Boyd to change the format slightly so that all items in subsequent series involved surprises, rather than just being surprising. The first series and some early episodes of the second series were televised live in their entirety, however, thereafter, all episodes were pre-recorded.
Over the years, the show had many special guests, some of whom appeared live, including Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
. Many variety
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
acts were also featured on the show.
Theme songs
Cilla Black introduced and closed each show by singing a theme song. The theme song from series one to eight was written by Kate RobbinsKate Robbins
Katherine Robbins is an English actress, comedienne and singer.-Biography:Robbins is a first cousin once removed of Paul McCartney and older sister of Amy Robbins . She attended Wirral Grammar School for Girls and won the Drama Prizes each year, notably with her monologue "All this glitters is not...
and was often imitated by Black impersonators, beginning "The more the world is changing, the more it stays the same...". The track was included on Black's 1985 album Surprisingly Cilla
Surprisingly Cilla
Surprisingly Cilla is the title of Cilla Black's twelfth solo studio album. It was a spin-off from her television series, Surprise, Surprise, and the opening track is the show's theme tune...
, and as a single through Towerbell Records. A new song was written from series nine until the show's conclusion in 2001: "Reaching out, holding hands, reliving memories... Life is full, full of surprises...And the nicest surprise in my life is you!"
Series
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Specials
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