UKGameshows.com
Encyclopedia
UKGameshows.com is a website
dedicated to British
game show
s. The site currently provides information on more than 1,500 British game show formats from 1938 to the present day, over 500 mini-biographies of hosts, along with numerous other background articles.
UKGameshows.com is particularly well-known for the weekly news and reviews column "Weaver's Week", written by Iain Weaver, which launched in 2001. A complete archive of back issues is available on the site.
As of 7 August 2009, the site claims a total of 3000 articles, of which "over 1500" are entries for individual shows (the balance is made up mostly of biographies and "Weaver's Week" columns).
From October 1998, game show consultant and puzzle writer David J. Bodycombe
co-founded with Dickson a fuller version of the site, using a list compiled by TV fan Jez Rogers as a basis. The site was updated manually using standard FrontPage
software.
With the explosion in the popularity of game shows, and rapid increase in the number of British digital TV channels, the site was relaunched using MediaWiki
software in 2004 so that volunteer editors could keep the database up-to-date.
. Imported programmes are not included unless they have significant UK input, such as the Eurovision Song Contest
. The site's definition of "game show" is wide-ranging, taking in such diverse styles as pre-school observation games (e.g. The Shiny Show
), traditional quizzes and panel games, reality television
, and talent shows such as New Faces
and Opportunity Knocks. Regional shows (including those made in languages other than English) are included, though typically in less detail than those broadcast nationwide. The oldest programme featured is Spelling Bee
from 1938, which is believed to be the world's first television game show.
Traditionally the site has included only television shows, but this has now changed and a number of the more notable radio shows are included as well.
In August 2009, the Reading University Student Television
production Accumulate! was the subject of the site's 3000th article, thereby becoming the first webcast
game show to be featured.
was voted "greatest UK game show of all time" and Bruce Forsyth
was named "greatest host of all time".
was voted "greatest UK game show of all time" and Bruce Forsyth
was named "greatest host of all time".
was voted "greatest UK game show of all time" and Bob Monkhouse
was named "greatest host of all time".
was voted as the worst and Deal or No Deal was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
was voted as the best new format of 2007, while For the Rest of Your Life
was voted as the worst and Deal or No Deal was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
was voted as the best new format of 2008, while The Kids Are All Right
was voted as the worst and Only Connect
was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
was voted as the best new format of 2009, while The Colour of Money
was voted as the worst and The Cube and Only Connect
were voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
was voted as the best new format of 2010, while 101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow
was voted as the worst and Only Connect
was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
The website has been cited in UK newspapers including The Guardian http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2005/09/05/moustache_9_let.html and The Times http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/whats_on/listings/article708077.ece.
In 2006, a screenshot from the sitehttp://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Who_Wants_to_be_a_Millionaire%3F was altered and used in a piece on the satire site BS News http://bsnews.org/articles/135 which was also widely circulated as a spoof email http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/gameshows/millionaire.asp, in which it was purported to show a contestant named Kathy Evans on the US version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
failing to answer a simple $100 question. In fact the screenshot pictured 1999 UK contestant Fiona Wheeler answering a different (and harder) question. Far from failing at the first question, Wheeler won £32,000.
In the 2005 book ITV Cultures, published by the Open University Press, UKGameshows.com is used as a case study in the chapter Who Wants to be a Fan of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" by Matt Hills. Hills discusses the site's methodology at length, and uses the site (in particular its entry for Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and the results of its 2002 poll) as an example to support his argument that big money game shows can be appreciated on an aesthetic as well as a commercial level.
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
dedicated to British
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...
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...
s. The site currently provides information on more than 1,500 British game show formats from 1938 to the present day, over 500 mini-biographies of hosts, along with numerous other background articles.
UKGameshows.com is particularly well-known for the weekly news and reviews column "Weaver's Week", written by Iain Weaver, which launched in 2001. A complete archive of back issues is available on the site.
As of 7 August 2009, the site claims a total of 3000 articles, of which "over 1500" are entries for individual shows (the balance is made up mostly of biographies and "Weaver's Week" columns).
History
The UKGameshows.com website was originally called The UK Game Show Page, a small section of game show fan Chris M. Dickson's personal website. This was set up in 1996 as a spin-off from his popular email discussion list, ukgs-l (since succeeded by a Yahoo Groups list). The page consisted of rules sheets for some game shows of the time, as well as "Chris Compares" programme reviews and various links of interest.From October 1998, game show consultant and puzzle writer David J. Bodycombe
David J. Bodycombe
David J. Bodycombe is a puzzle author and games consultant. He is based in London, and his work is read by over 2 million people a day in the UK, and is syndicated to over 300 newspapers internationally...
co-founded with Dickson a fuller version of the site, using a list compiled by TV fan Jez Rogers as a basis. The site was updated manually using standard FrontPage
Microsoft FrontPage
Microsoft FrontPage was a WYSIWYG HTML editor and web site administration tool from Microsoft for the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. It was branded as part of the Microsoft Office suite from 1997 to 2003...
software.
With the explosion in the popularity of game shows, and rapid increase in the number of British digital TV channels, the site was relaunched using MediaWiki
MediaWiki
MediaWiki is a popular free web-based wiki software application. Developed by the Wikimedia Foundation, it is used to run all of its projects, including Wikipedia, Wiktionary and Wikinews. Numerous other wikis around the world also use it to power their websites...
software in 2004 so that volunteer editors could keep the database up-to-date.
Scope
As its name suggests, the site covers game shows made in the United KingdomUnited 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...
. Imported programmes are not included unless they have significant UK input, such as the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. The site's definition of "game show" is wide-ranging, taking in such diverse styles as pre-school observation games (e.g. The Shiny Show
The Shiny Show
The Shiny Show is a British children's television programme shown on CBeebies and BBC2, aimed for children aged 2-7. The show features a quiz with 6 questions, and stars the three characters: Tigs the Tiger, Mukka the monkey and Dogsby the dog. In each edition of the show the quiz is based around...
), traditional quizzes and panel games, reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, and talent shows such as New Faces
New Faces
New Faces was a British television talent show popular in the 1970s and 1980s, presented originally by Derek Hobson. It was produced by ATV Network Limited for the ITV Network. The first run of the show was from 29 September 1973 to 2 April 1978 and was recorded at the ATV Centre, Birmingham...
and Opportunity Knocks. Regional shows (including those made in languages other than English) are included, though typically in less detail than those broadcast nationwide. The oldest programme featured is Spelling Bee
Spelling bee
A spelling bee is a competition where contestants, usually children, are asked to spell English words. The concept is thought to have originated in the United States....
from 1938, which is believed to be the world's first television game show.
Traditionally the site has included only television shows, but this has now changed and a number of the more notable radio shows are included as well.
In August 2009, the Reading University Student Television
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
production Accumulate! was the subject of the site's 3000th article, thereby becoming the first webcast
Webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
game show to be featured.
Gameshow General Election
UKGameshows.com has polled its readers on the subject of the greatest British game shows and game show hosts on a four-year cycle.2002
In the first poll, held in 2002, The MoleThe Mole (UK TV series)
The Mole was a 2001 reality television series in the UK which was broadcast on Channel 5. Part of The Mole television series franchise it was hosted by Glenn Hugill.-Series 1:...
was voted "greatest UK game show of all time" and Bruce Forsyth
Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
was named "greatest host of all time".
2006
In the second poll, which took place in 2006, The Crystal MazeThe Crystal Maze
The Crystal Maze was a British game show, produced by Chatsworth Television and shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 15 February 1990 and 10 August 1995. There was one series per year, with the first four series presented by Richard O'Brien and the final two by Ed Tudor-Pole, who made...
was voted "greatest UK game show of all time" and Bruce Forsyth
Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
was named "greatest host of all time".
2010
In the third poll, that was made in 2010, The Crystal MazeThe Crystal Maze
The Crystal Maze was a British game show, produced by Chatsworth Television and shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 15 February 1990 and 10 August 1995. There was one series per year, with the first four series presented by Richard O'Brien and the final two by Ed Tudor-Pole, who made...
was voted "greatest UK game show of all time" and Bob Monkhouse
Bob Monkhouse
Robert Alan "Bob" Monkhouse, OBE was an English entertainer. He was a successful comedy writer, comedian and actor and was also well known on British television as a presenter and game show host...
was named "greatest host of all time".
Poll of the Year
Two futher polls were carried out in 2006 asking readers to select the best and worst new game shows of the previous year. Another poll was added a year later, dubbed "The Golden Fiver", for the best game show of the year overall (not restricted to new formats).2005
In the first poll, created in January 2006, Deal or No Deal was voted as the best new format of 2005, while Celebrity Love Island was voted as the worst.2006
In the second poll, created in January 2007, PokerFace was voted as the best new format of 2006, while The MintThe Mint (game show)
The Mint was a live, late night, interactive quiz show with celebrity guests and live studio contestants filmed in a large extravagant set designed to look like the inside of a mansion. The programme, which was dogged by criticism that its questions were ambiguous and arbitrary, aired on ITV and...
was voted as the worst and Deal or No Deal was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
2007
In the third poll, created in Jaunary 2008, Golden BallsGolden Balls
Golden Balls was a British daytime game show on the ITV network, presented by Jasper Carrott. It was filmed at the BBC Television Centre. From 25 February 2008 to 13 February 2009, the show was sponsored by ITV Bingo ; and from 2 November to 18 December 2009, the show was sponsored by Carpet Right...
was voted as the best new format of 2007, while For the Rest of Your Life
For the Rest of Your Life
For the Rest of Your Life was a British game show on ITV, hosted by Nicky Campbell. It was produced by Initial, a company of Endemol.-Round One:...
was voted as the worst and Deal or No Deal was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
2008
In the fourth poll, created in Jaunary 2009, DuelDuel (UK game show)
Duel was an ITV game show based on a format by Francophone production company French TV, hosted by Nick Hancock, broadcast on Saturday evenings. It ran from 19 January 2008 to 5 April 2008.-Format:...
was voted as the best new format of 2008, while The Kids Are All Right
The Kids Are All Right
The Kids Are All Right is a television game show made by Initial, an Endemol UK company, for the BBC. An eight-episode series was ordered by the BBC, and is presented by John Barrowman. The first episode was broadcast on 12 April 2008. It is recorded at BBC Pacific Quay in Glasgow.It shares some...
was voted as the worst and Only Connect
Only Connect
Only Connect is a quiz show programme first shown on BBC Four on 15 September 2008, presented by Victoria Coren. In the series, teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Radio Timess listings usually describe it as "a game of patience and lateral...
was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
2009
In the fifth poll, created in Jaunary 2010, The CubeThe Cube (game show)
The Cube is a BAFTA Award–winning British television game show which first aired on ITV on 22 August 2009. Presented by Phillip Schofield, it offers contestants the chance to win a top prize of £250,000 by completing challenges from within a 4x4x4 metre Perspex cube...
was voted as the best new format of 2009, while The Colour of Money
The Colour of Money (TV series)
The Colour of Money was a British game show, broadcast on ITV between 21 February and 11 April 2009. The programme was produced by 12 Yard Productions, and hosted by Chris Tarrant and Millie Clode...
was voted as the worst and The Cube and Only Connect
Only Connect
Only Connect is a quiz show programme first shown on BBC Four on 15 September 2008, presented by Victoria Coren. In the series, teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Radio Timess listings usually describe it as "a game of patience and lateral...
were voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
2010
In the sixth poll, created in Jaunary 2011, The Million Pound DropThe Million Pound Drop
The Million Pound Drop Live is a BAFTA-winning quiz show which broadcasts live on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. The show began in May 2010 with Davina McCall having presented the show's five series to date...
was voted as the best new format of 2010, while 101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow
101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow
101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow is a British quiz show produced by Endemol for the BBC, hosted by Steve Jones and Nemone. The show sees eight contestants compete to be the winner of a £10,000 prize by picking the right answers to general knowledge questions...
was voted as the worst and Only Connect
Only Connect
Only Connect is a quiz show programme first shown on BBC Four on 15 September 2008, presented by Victoria Coren. In the series, teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Radio Timess listings usually describe it as "a game of patience and lateral...
was voted as "The Golden Fiver" award.
Recognition
UKGameshows.com was one of five websites shortlisted in the "TV" category of Yahoo UK & Ireland's "Finds of the Year 2005" awards http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/finds2005/tv.html.The website has been cited in UK newspapers including The Guardian http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2005/09/05/moustache_9_let.html and The Times http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/whats_on/listings/article708077.ece.
In 2006, a screenshot from the sitehttp://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Who_Wants_to_be_a_Millionaire%3F was altered and used in a piece on the satire site BS News http://bsnews.org/articles/135 which was also widely circulated as a spoof email http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/gameshows/millionaire.asp, in which it was purported to show a contestant named Kathy Evans on the US version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a television game show which offers large cash prizes for correctly answering a series of multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty. The format is owned and licensed by Sony Pictures Television International. The maximum cash prize is one million pounds...
failing to answer a simple $100 question. In fact the screenshot pictured 1999 UK contestant Fiona Wheeler answering a different (and harder) question. Far from failing at the first question, Wheeler won £32,000.
In the 2005 book ITV Cultures, published by the Open University Press, UKGameshows.com is used as a case study in the chapter Who Wants to be a Fan of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" by Matt Hills. Hills discusses the site's methodology at length, and uses the site (in particular its entry for Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and the results of its 2002 poll) as an example to support his argument that big money game shows can be appreciated on an aesthetic as well as a commercial level.
External links
- UKGameshows.com - current site
- Chris Dickson's original page from 1998 - from archive.org