Wheel of Fortune (2)
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Possibly the first ever show to use male models ("Prize Guys") to display the prizes. | Possibly the first ever show to use male models ("Prize Guys") to display the prizes. | ||
| - | + | Unlike the original American version, instead of cash prizes, successful spinners from each round were rewarded with a choice from three prizes which might include household appliances, a holiday, etc. In 1988 the prizes for the final were a trip, a new car, or a cash jackpot at £2,000. In 1989, the cash value increased to £4,000. The cash prize was, for a while, the highest jackpot on British television, the previous highest amount having probably been (albeit briefly) the £3,200 offered on [[Lingo]], but the £5,000 record was beaten in 1990 by [[The 64,000 Dollar Question|The $64,000 Question]]'s £6,400. When the IBA's restriction on gameshow winnings was dropped in 1993, the prize fund went up to £5,000, then in 1994 the prizes were changed to a car and £10,000, which was increased to £20,000 from 1995-1998, with the winning contestant randomly selecting his/her prize by choosing one of two sealed envelopes. | |
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| + | During the daytime series, winners of each round were able to chosen from an array of prizes laid out in the studio, such as a CD player, dishwasher etc. The cash prize for the final was dropped to £2000. | ||
Tracy Shaw did a one week stint as co-host to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Coronation Street. | Tracy Shaw did a one week stint as co-host to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Coronation Street. | ||
Revision as of 18:21, 14 November 2013
Contents |
Host
Nicky Campbell (1988-96)
Bradley Walsh (1997)
John Leslie (1998-2001)
Paul Hendy (2001)
Co-hosts
Angela Ekaette (1988)
Carol Smillie (1989-1994)
Jenny Powell (1995-2001)
Tracy Shaw (2000, stand-in)
Terri Seymour (2001)
Announcer: Steve Hamilton
Broadcast
Scottish in association with Action Time for ITV, 19 July 1988 to 31 December 1989 (27 episodes in 2 series + 5 specials)
Scottish for ITV, 4 June 1991 to 21 December 2001 (12 series)
Synopsis
Everyone likes Hangman, right? Everyone likes spinning carnival wheels also, right? Some idiot genius came up with the idea of combining the two for this worryingly seminal word game.
A wall of lit boxes indicated the lengths of the words in the phrase that must be guessed, and a clue was given to what sort of phrase was to be guessed. Players took turns consisting of spinning the wheel to generate a random number of points, guessing a consonant that may have appeared in the puzzle and earning the spun sum of points for each appearance their chosen consonant made, until they spun "Lose A Turn", "Bankrupt" (which also lost them all their points for that round) or pick a letter which didn't appear, all turn-ending crimes. Vowels in the puzzle could also be revealed, but this costed the players points instead of generating them.
On their turn, players had the choice to also attempt to divine the nature of the phrase, a correct guess ending the round and winning a prize, chosen from three alternatives. Repeat four times (double points in the later two rounds, the last round eliminating all that tiring spinning to save time) and the top scorer got the chance to solve a puzzle with just the appearances of five chosen consonants and one selected vowel revealed. On solving the end puzzle, the contestant won £2,000. Previously when the show was transmitted in peaktime (moving to daytime in 1999) the option was £20,000 or a car (decided by the choice of a sealed envelope picked by the contestant).
The brilliant piece of cunning behind this game is that it was in players' interests to keep spinning and accumulating points for as long as possible before guessing what the phrase was to win the round. In this way it looked like the players didn't know what the phrase actually was; viewers at home almost certainly would have got the answer before the contestants on-screen and could enjoy happy minutes and seconds shouting out at it.
Campbell's corner
Most people will associate the game most firmly with fellow Scot Nicky Campbell, whose easy-going gentle nature brought the show high ratings. The role of the letter-turner (which, incidentally, went to semi-automatic on the US show in 1997) has also earned some degree of celebrity (or should that be notoriety?) from their roles - in particular, former model Carol Smillie is now a mega-celeb thanks to the Wheel and the recently British appetite for DIY makeover shows.
Carol Smillie and Nicky CampbellBrad's Box!?
When Campbell left to pursue other interests, mainly going back to his DJ roots, seaside-comedian-type Bradley Walsh was introduced to the show in 1997. A few innovations were added to the format, such as Brad's Box - a special on-the-spot prize (for landing on a certain square) which was in... er... a box.
Bradley Walsh and Jenny PowellThe Leslie generation
John Leslie became the host in 1998, after Bradley left to become a father. Brad's Box became Leslie's Luxury! He'd come a long way since his game show hosting debut (Scavengers).
Jenny Powell and John LeslieThe programme's final host was Paul Hendy.
Key moments
One out-take concerned John Leslie forgetting a contestant's name:
John Leslie sees the funny sideA female contestant in the Walsh era getting a puzzle right after just one letter had been revealed.
One man managed to spin the wheel the wrong way. It ruined the mechanism and the studio technicians spent hours trying to get it to work again.
Catchphrases
Sign off towards the break - "We'll see you in the spin of a wheel" followed by that hand movement.
At the end of the show: "We'll see you next time around!"
"One spin of this wheel could mean a possible fortune!"
"Let's call up the bank..."
"It's time to leave this wheel behind and go for a possible fortune!" This was later shortened to: "Let's go for that fortune!"
At the beginning of the show, originally: "Wheeeeel o-o-of Fortune!" followed by: "Your host - Nicky Campbell!" or, in later series: "With Nicky Campbell and Carol Smillie!"
Inventor
From the original US game Wheel of Fortune, devised by Merv Griffin.
Theme music
The theme is called Spin to Win by David Pringle and Bobbie Heatlie.
The opening titles from 1988 B.C. (Before Carol)
Trivia
Possibly the first ever show to use male models ("Prize Guys") to display the prizes.
Unlike the original American version, instead of cash prizes, successful spinners from each round were rewarded with a choice from three prizes which might include household appliances, a holiday, etc. In 1988 the prizes for the final were a trip, a new car, or a cash jackpot at £2,000. In 1989, the cash value increased to £4,000. The cash prize was, for a while, the highest jackpot on British television, the previous highest amount having probably been (albeit briefly) the £3,200 offered on Lingo, but the £5,000 record was beaten in 1990 by The $64,000 Question's £6,400. When the IBA's restriction on gameshow winnings was dropped in 1993, the prize fund went up to £5,000, then in 1994 the prizes were changed to a car and £10,000, which was increased to £20,000 from 1995-1998, with the winning contestant randomly selecting his/her prize by choosing one of two sealed envelopes.
During the daytime series, winners of each round were able to chosen from an array of prizes laid out in the studio, such as a CD player, dishwasher etc. The cash prize for the final was dropped to £2000.
Tracy Shaw did a one week stint as co-host to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Coronation Street.
Surprisingly, the final series with Paul Hendy was repeated on ITV1 during the 2004 christmas period.
Merchandise
Waddingtons produced a tie-in board game, which rather bizarrely didn't actually mention that it was based on the TV show.
The Waddingtons board gameAn LCD handheld game was also available.
Web links
Pictures
Oh, it's them again! What were their names?Videos
An episode from 1989
