Telly Addicts
| Telly Addicts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Game show |
| Starring | Noel Edmonds |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 13 (Main series) 1 (Champion of Champions series) |
| No. of episodes | 196 (inc. 25 specials) (Main series) 8 (Champion of Champions series) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Unique Television (1997–1998) |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC1 |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Original run | 3 September 1985 – 29 July 1998 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | As Seen on TV |
Telly Addicts is the name of a BBC1 game show hosted by Noel Edmonds, broadcast from 3 September 1985 until 29 July 1998 and produced at the BBC's Pebble Mill Studios. All questions were based on television programmes past and present, and generally took the form of a short clip being shown followed by a series of questions either specifically about the clip or more generally about the programme from which it had been taken. Two teams sat opposite each other on sofas. The final series in 1998 had three teams of two players.
Contents |
[edit] Formats
[edit] 1985–1986
The original format had two teams of four people with a winner-stays-on format. The challengers had to try to beat the champions to win and return as the champions in the next show, whilst the champions were simply playing to retain their title.
[edit] 1987–1996
The format changed to a tournament format. It involved 16 teams in eight qualifying heats. The eight winning teams of the qualifying heats would go on into the Quarter-Finals; the four winning teams of the Quarter-Finals would go into the Semi-Finals; the two winning teams of the Semi-Finals would proceed to the Grand Final, and the winning team of the Grand Final became the champions.
[edit] 1997–1998
There was no series in 1997. The show returned in 1998 with a massive revamp with new rounds and rules. Instead of two teams, there were now three teams of two players and the tournament format was dropped. These changes were first exhibited in special Christmas edition in 1997 before a full series commenced the following year.
[edit] Rounds in the 1998 version
- TV Clip: The only round to be retained in its original format for the new series. Each team was given a classic TV clip and had to answer 3 questions related to the clip with 1 point for each correct answer.
- 10 Things Associated With...: Someone who worked on a classic TV show (e.g. a writer or actor), was asked what would be the 10 best things that summed up the programme. Each team had 60 seconds to guess as many as they could, scoring a point for each.
- In The Box: A mystery celebrity is concealed inside a multi-coloured box and answering general knowledge TV questions correctly allowed for a small panel to be opened. Each question was worth 1 point and 3 points for managing to correctly guess the mystery celebrity. If a team got the celebrity guess wrong, they are frozen out for the rest of the round. Following the reveal, the celebrity guest would ask a bonus question in return for a small prize, such as a board game. After this round, the team with the least points was eliminated.
- The Pyramid: One member from each of the two remaining teams had to stand in a small pyramid and answer question on a particular subject on TV. 1 point for each correct answer.
- World TV: Teams were shown a small film documenting the kind of TV shown in a foreign country (e.g. Spain, New Zealand) and then took in turns answering questions on what they saw. 1 point for a correct answer but incorrect answers saw the question passed onto the opposition.
- Raiders Of The Lost Archive: Taking in turns, the teams selected a category from a grid of nine and were asked a question from it, either worth 1, 3 or 5 points. The lowest scoring team after this game was eliminated.
- Stairway Of The Stars: The last remaining team were given a series of clues related to a celebrity, by moving onto their name space on the stairway, if they were right, the questions continued but if it was wrong, they move down a level. The team had 60 seconds to get to the top, if they did, they won a holiday, usually to the location shown in the World TV round but if they failed, they just won a portable TV.
This new style show received praise from some viewers but many others, especially media critics, believed it was drastic mistake making all of those changes. The programme was axed after the 1998 series, due to low ratings.
[edit] Spin offs
The Telly Addicts format was re-used in 2002 for the UK subscription TV channel Challenge in the form of quiz show Soap Addicts, hosted by Malandra Burrows and Richard Arnold. However, the programme was not recommisioned after its 2003 series.
Three Interactive DVDs based on the Telly Addicts show have been produced so far, featuring original presenter Noel Edmonds. The first was released in Autumn 2005[1], the second in Autumn 2006[2] and the third in Autumn 2007.[3]
A Telly Addicts Video Game for Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PSP and PS2 was published by Ubisoft on November 9, 2007.
In 2009, the TV trivia show As Seen on TV was launched, hosted by Steve Jones. Edmonds' company Unique Broadcasting was acknowledged on the credits.
[edit] Transmissions
[edit] Original series
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 September 1985 | 17 December 1985 | 16 |
| 2 | 9 September 1986 | 9 December 1986 | 14 |
| 3 | 12 September 1987 | 19 December 1987 | 15 |
| 4 | 30 August 1988 | 6 December 1988 | 15 |
| 5 | 4 September 1989 | 11 December 1989 | 15 |
| 6 | 3 September 1990 | 10 December 1990 | 15 |
| 7 | 2 September 1991 | 9 December 1991 | 15 |
| 8 | 8 September 1992 | 15 December 1992 | 15 |
| 9 | 6 September 1993 | 13 December 1993 | 15 |
| 10 | 12 September 1994 | 19 December 1994 | 15 |
| 11 | 4 September 1995 | 11 December 1995 | 15 |
| 12 | 2 September 1996 | 16 December 1996 | 15 |
| 13 | 2 March 1998 | 29 July 1998 | 16 |
[edit] Champion of Champions series
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 January 1995 | 27 February 1995 | 8 |
[edit] Specials
| Date | Entitle |
|---|---|
| 24 December 1985 | Christmas Special |
| 6 September 1986 | Celebrity Special |
| 16 December 1986 | Series 1 & 2 Champions Special |
| 23 December 1986 | Christmas Special |
| 26 December 1987 | Series 2 & 3 Champions Special |
| 29 December 1987 | Christmas Special |
| 13 December 1988 | Series 3 & 4 Champions Special |
| 23 December 1988 | Christmas Special |
| 18 December 1989 | Series 5 Champions & Celebrities Special |
| 24 December 1989 | Christmas Special |
| 17 December 1990 | Series 6 Champions & Celebrities Special |
| 29 December 1990 | Christmas Special |
| 16 December 1991 | Series 7 Champions & Celebrities Special |
| 26 December 1991 | Christmas Special |
| 22 December 1992 | Fast Forward Special |
| 28 December 1992 | Christmas Special |
| 20 December 1993 | Series 9 Champions & Celebrities Special |
| 29 December 1993 | Christmas Special |
| 5 September 1994 | 10 Years of Telly Addicts Special |
| 28 December 1994 | Christmas Special |
| 18 December 1995 | Series 11 Champions & Celebrities Special |
| 28 December 1995 | Christmas Special |
| 4 November 1996 | Celebrity Special |
| 23 December 1996 | Christmas Special |
| 29 December 1997 | Christmas Special |
