Thursday, 10pm, Channel 4
Of course we’re not expecting this to be a “serious” game show, but we’re very interested to see what Vic and Bob do with this, a show that’s set to be a sort of sequel to the long-running, popular (and axed) celebrity TV quiz Shooting Stars. Expect a lot of sketches and laughs.
Tipping Point IS BACK! Contestant call details on UKGameshows.com.
Don’t forget on your application to casually mention how much you dislike ghost drops.
I don’t tend to do these much because I’m a very cold person. But this time I will make an exception because it stars everybody’s favourite Big Brother’s Bit On The Side Sweaty Boxer Ian Symes.
I’ve actually known Ian for about ten years in various forms on messageboards and the like, and he used to come and play games of Weakest Link I would host on IRC. Nowadays he gets told off by Julian Clary for not ironing his shirt.
He’s come so far and I am proud of him. And soon he will be going 26.2 miles further for the Shine London charity walk for Cancer Research.
https://twitter.com/ianiansymes/status/238234518211948544
Do give generously.
I think it’s worth repeating because it’s a great blog, Friend Of The Bar VierkanteO has a blog about Dutch TV and formats and is currently reviewing all the new shows that have been broadcast recently, including the new series of De Gemene Deler (i.e. Divided) and their version of Chris Moyles’ Quiz Night. Very much worth your time.
ITV1,
Weekdays, 5pm
New relationship testing quiz with the usually awesome Tim Vine. Went to a recording, thought it was a bit meh although also thought the end game was quite fun, but you never know how it will all come across in the edit do you?
Saturday, 7:15pm and 9:15pm,
ITV1
Welcome back to Red or Black. The fact that it was ITV1’s highest rated new entertainment show of 2011 probably says more about the state of ITV1 than it does the quality of the show. The first series attracted a record amount of comments and discussion.
Still though, here we are. Last year it was apparently brilliant because “it’s just luck”, this time they’re playing down the luck aspect almost completely, highlighting it as a game of nerve, courage and skill. GONE is the centrepiece Red or Black wheel, which looked like it was encouraging gambling if you were thick, IN comes The Vortex, a high stakes game of timing.
I think we may have a slightly schitzophrenic show. Part one, which I would suspect will have most of the budget blown on You Bet! style challenges and will likely get fewer viewers, and part two which is likely a drawn out lottery draw-esque show with the end game and maybe something else which was cheaper to produce and will get loads more viewers. I may be wrong, time will tell.
I think it needs to clear 6m to avoid being a told-you-so laughing stock. I think it has a fair chance of that sandwiching The X Factor, but we’ve yet to see how The X Factor is going to hold up this year. They might end up dragging each other down!