Hello Gang, just a message/warning that during the Easter University term (now through to the middle of June) I’m working very long hours so I probably won’t have an awful lot of time to think about stuff to post (for smaller items/”fun” follow me on Twitter) – I’ll almost certainly be relaxing the “at least one post every three days” rule.

That’s not the same as there will be none! I’ll still be reading/posting comments and so on, but this is off-peak season – there’s not much worthwhile to cover at the moment anyway. In the next few weeks we have at least Taskmaster and Ben Justice videos (not this Friday as he’s been ill, unfortunately) to look forward to, as well as other stuff I’ve probably forgotten. We’ll try and get another Game Night in between the end of term and Fort Boyard season and maybe some Bother’s Bar Plays Badly.

We were discussing this on Twitter the other day.

Since Pointless, it has seemed impossible to get a quiz commissioned without a second host seemingly to provide facts and adjudication, which interestingly the host could absolutely do by themselves, and as someone to bounce off (which they can’t). Here at Bother’s Bar we call them “richardosmans” after Richard Osman.

But there were richardosmans before Richard Osman, but none have defined the genre in the same way.

Two very important questions: a) who was the first richardosman and b) can you still be a richardosman if you’re standing up and not behind a desk?

Some good names came up in the discussion – Tony Green from Bullseye and John Virgo on Big Break would seem to fill the role pretty well, but in standing up are they true richardosmans? Ditto Annette Lynton and Wincey Willis on Treasure Hunt (note: Anneka Rice NOT a richardosman). What about Eddie Waring and Arthur Ellis on It’s a Knockout?

So many questions, but what are the answers? Well done if you got them at home.

It’s your favourite time of the week! It’s time for another ten shows on Actual Real TV developer Ben Justice’s Top 100, from 40-31. This week featuring Luna the cat in full-on richardosman mode.

Last month, a really interesting selection of stories which invited a lot of comment.

This month? Er…

As ever, only the writer and the people involved know the truth, let us try and sort the wheat (truth) from the chaff (lies).

• Hearing rumours that the Survivor UK revival may have found a host – Rylan has been in negotiations for some time. (Two things of note here: there’s a Survivor UK revival? Secondly, as much as I love Rylan, I can’t see “‘ere, you’ve just won immunity babes!” flying. I call BS.)
• After the success of Ben Justice’s YouTube video countdown series – he and Luna Cat have been targeted as the new presenters of the Crystal Maze 😂 (Well it’s only taken six weeks but FINALLY we have our first piece of Ben Justice fanfic.)
• Very early stages, but I’ve heard whispers that Endemol are considering reviving Golden Balls – no words on Jasper Carrott returning. (Intriguing if true, although I’m not sure where it would go. ITV’s afternoon line-up is solid right now. Jasper Carrott is 74 years old.)
• Eggheads rumour appears to be true. The regular series producer has been casting around for a new job. (Not sure how I feel about this. Sure, it’s just Eggheads, but it’s been a solid around-a-million an ep since time immemorial. I mean it’s not as hip as Richard Osman’s House of Games but it probably could have been treated a bit more nicely.)
• Not looking good for a second series of WonderBall – averaged 11,000 viewers last week, and one episode in the run had fewer than 3,000. Not helped by generally low viewership for BBC Scotland, mind. (Bit of a shame that, although I haven’t gone out of my way to watch it since the first ep, so…)
• I can exclusively reveal the number 1 spot on “Ben Justice’s Top 100 UK Game Shows of All Time” will go to: Take on the Twisters. (That’s C21 FORMAT OF THE YEAR Take On The Twisters, to you.)
• Some significant money has been spent on the upcoming season of “The Crystal Maze“, which wouldn’t make sense if they knew it was their last season (in response to last month’s Stool Pigeon). (Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. Surprised there’s been no recommission press release from C4 about this.)
• Going off previous suggestion that Eggheads is to be cancelled, rumours are abound BBC is considering keeping on some of the Eggheads and is considering pitches for new intellectual formats starring them; though discussions are at an early stage. (Would make sense. Although if a space ever came up on The Chase…)
• The reason no one has seen Richard O’Brien in years is that he has been cryogenically frozen and stored beneath Disneyland next to Walt disney’s head. (Unless you’re in New Zealand where he’s been hosting a show that’s a little bit like Who Do You Think You Are?)
• From seeing posts on Twitter, celebrities confirmed to appear on Series 3 of HoG include; Kate Humble Ivo Graham Andi Oliver Phill Jupitus Kerry Godliman Radzi Chinyanganya Ebony Rainford-Brent Hal Cruttenden June Sarpong Dev Griffin Debbie McGee Alex Horne Rachel Parris Jay Blades Reverend Kate Bottley Susan Calman Judy Murray Rob Corp (looking forward to see what Alex Horne thinks of his format.)
• S4C deciding to ‘own the story’ after some unfortunate question writing. (I think this ‘works’ in English too.) (Heh. The correct answer is B by the way.)
• Supposedly, if you win the Impossible £10K, it’s in your account that day. (There’s a lot of having to put those pound coins in those plastic bags before the bank shuts though.)
• Say, wasn’t it this website’s birthday last week? Congratulations! How many years are you on now? (Hey you’re right! 19th April 2004, which makes us 15! Or if you work in television, 16 probably.)

So there we are.

I’m bored, send in your ANONYGOSS. Box closes and contents revealed around 8pm. It was really good last month so give us something juicy.

BOX CLOSED, results incoming.