Poll of the Year 2019

Current revision as of 06:30, 10 January 2022

Does 15 count as a noteworthy thing? No matter, welcome to the 15th annual running of the UKGameshows/Bother's Bar Poll of the Year, this time regarding the year of 2019.

As ever a large amount of fans, pundits and industry insiders have given us their opinions. In each category a voter could vote for up to five different shows as they saw fit, nobody is obliged to use all their votes and in many instances they didn't. But which shows came top? It's time to find out.

Watch (a recording of) the live broadcast!

Hall of FAME 2019

We think it's fair to suggest that 2019 had plenty of decent formats but few which had everyone really sitting up and taking notice. Where is the next properly big hit going to come from?

You voted for 36 different shows (actually one fewer than last year) and these are the ones you liked the most.

10= Head Hunters, RuPaul's Drag Race

9- Supermarket Sweep

8- In for a Penny

7- Wonderball

6- Quizmaster

5- The Family Brain Games

Dara O'Briain watched on as families battled it out over a series of intelligence based tests over a two week period. It's not coming back for a second run, but you liked it nonetheless.

"If we’re not going to get a proper version of The Krypton Factor then this is a good substitute for the mental rounds, at least. Not convinced by the strange tournament structure – using 4/8 episodes to eliminate just 2/8 teams seemed a bit of a waste of time."
"A very wholesome competition, Family Brain Games felt part puzzle book, part science lecture, and part family documentary. On their own, none of these pieces would be particularly enticing, but together they make a show that feels like a celebration of teamwork and intellect without being preachy or arrogant. Family Brain Games was an unexpected treat in 2019."
"I enjoyed this a lot. The games were well designed and the perfectionism of some of the younger contestants made me wince in recognition. The presentation was appropriately generous, even if Twitter occasionally wasn't. Dara O'Briain also excellent."
"Measured-but-passionate tone smuggles on some of the best puzzle content we've seen on UKTV in ages."
"Some games were better than others but it was generally a consistent fun watch. Wondering what it would be like if it were more of a weekly thing rather than all in one go"

4- Catchpoint

One of our favourite types of shows this - the one that sounds a bit rubbish on paper but ends up being an entertaining (if not a must) watch. Paddy McGuinness brings plenty of fun testicle related gags for the Saturday night family audience whilst contestants try to be the best at estimation and hand-to-eye coordination. Will be returning for a second series. You said:

"Catchpoint was never a show I expected to like, and by and large, I found a lot of it a bit contrived. However, what made Catchpoint really shine was how it allowed for styles of question you would never see on another quiz show. One real standout was about BBC One idents and asking about events that would have happened during the time this ident was being used. On that basis alone, Catchpoint managed to hook me in."
"A “just silly enough” concept that is really helped by a quick pace and a half hour edit."
"I wanted to hate it, but it was actually a rather pleasing watch."
"I really like the mechanic here of figuring out where to stand, and the varied questions. Paddy McGuinness hosts well. Lose points for picking ball colours that are hard to distinguish for colourblind folk!"
"Nice game but the endgame really needs work. Will Paddy's blue balls joke ever get old? Yes."

2= The Hit List, Race Across the World

It's been a fair while since we last had a decent mainstream music quiz and also a fair while since we had a show fronted by a married couple. The Hit List has its faults (frankly it could be glacial at times, and watching 50-year-olds hi-five the audience whilst running to their podiums remains an uncomfortable watch), but the quiz material is well thought out and fun to playalong with. Could do with ten minutes knocked off or slightly longer/additional rounds really. You said:

"Came to the party late for this one but once I started watching I was hooked. Not too hard to follow and like Rochelle and Marvin as hosts. Also another good factor is you can play along at home too!"
"As a music nerd, love playing along, am almost better than the studio contestants at times! A good mix of era and genre represented, rather than the Heart/Capital acts the hosts would suggest."
"It's slow as anything, but they've understood that 'guess the song' is fun and served up a solid 40 minutes of that."
"Yes, it's just Name That Tune. But despite being extremely vanilla (and even with a couple of format flaws), it's still hugely watchable and enjoyable. The viewing figures don't lie."
"A cute little show! Good for those that like this quiz genre."
"Good format, Marvin and Rochelle have good chemistry (well they are husband and wife!), nice range of songs from different eras and genres. A welcome edition to Saturday nights, and nice to have a music quiz back on the TV as there hasn't been one since Buzzcocks."

With regards to Race Across the World, if we classed all the votes that had it down as Race Around The World as a different show it probably wouldn't have finished so high. But still, a sleeper hit for BBC2 with some great camerawork and some great stories, it feels a bit too soon to move it to BBC1 but that's what is happening anyway. Pairs raced from London to Singapore across land and sea with only the money it would take to do it by air in their back pockets - a very stripped back reality show, reminded us mostly of Lost more than anything, but all the more likable for it.

"Nice to see an adventure show do well as there are so few of them these days, particularly in the UK. Well executed, if needing slightly more in the way of openness about jobs/the rules."
"For me, nothing else comes close this year (partly due to a poor year, but this would likely be miles ahead most years). A format that is confident within itself, well edited and hit the ground running. Fingers crossed the format doesn't burn out with a multiple series commission, and celeb specials on BBC One."
"Outstanding show of the year, the scale was great and you grew to like all the main teams as they went through. Intrigued to see what they'll do next."
"Genuinely brilliant to watch, and also proof that old-skool, organic "reality" can be a popular hit. Love it."
"At first I thought it was "The Unamazing Race", but something about it kept me watching and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. I surprisingly like the focus on travel administration and development of relationships though the episodes, rather than just on challenges like The Amazing Race."
"Not the most original concept, but a triumph of casting and production."
"This blows 'Amazing Race' away in my opinion, although a former flatmate of mine did put a slight dampener on it when they asked me if I had been watching 'Extreme Public Transport'"

1- The Wall

Five minutes. For five minutes the nation basked in the hilarity of the stunt casting of cockney hard man actor Danny Dyer and his fairly unconventional hosting style, but gradually and quickly he won people round with his mixture of working class charm and lack of guile, and his apparent sincerity in wanting the contestants to do quite well. He remains Not A Natural Gameshow Host, but he gels very well in this UK version of LeBron James' relationship testing game of knowledge and luck which will be coming back for a second series later in the year. You said:

"If you don’t take this too seriously, it’s great fun, especially with Danny “Parody of Himself” Dyer in charge. Give us a second series, ya mugs!"
"Danny Dyer is extremely well cast in this, and the question writing is quietly well judged. If only they'd find a better way to do that final reveal."
"Who knew Danny Dyer could host a game show? Speaking of which they seems to be an odd trend of hosts thinking they should work but don't while the ones that you think wouldn't work do. Anyway the show I think is better [than the US original] due to the lower amounts and slightly longer runtime."
"It's entirely shouting at numbers, but it's been 14 years since we last had a great new shouting at numbers show, so why not?"
"There will be people putting this in the Hall Of Shame with tired variations on "Drop 'em/it" but they will be wrong. A solid format that's a much more bearable watch than its American predecessor."
"A show which looks a million dollars. A great host. A format that delivers drama every time. Yes please."
"Injected a lot of fun into Saturday evenings without being silly."
"Danny Dyer was inspired choice of host. Feels big and impressive. Shame it's on the BBC where prize money can't be as Wow as it would be on ITV."
"Against all expectations, The Wall was enjoyable, I think mostly due to a refreshing choice of host. Danny seemed to work with it pretty well. The faff at the end with the contract was a turn-off, though."

Hall of SHAME 2019

"I feel bad answering this at all because the quality of the worst formats this year is so far ahead of where it was ten years ago. It's mostly "this didn't quite work" rather than "this was an absolute disaster"."

A great comment and difficult to disagree with really - the high notes are not as high as they have been in the past, but if these represent the worst of the genre over the past year then it's not doing too badly we reckon. Hopefully they'll be some big risky failures (and successes!) in 2020, for interest's sake if nothing else.

Forty different shows were nominated (actually one more than last year), some interesting names here, these were the ones you were the most upset about:

9= Supermarket Sweep, The Hangover Games

7= The Greatest Dancer, The Hit List

6- The Wall

5- In for a Penny

Curiously because fewer votes were cast for the Hall of Shame than the Hall of Fame this year this actually got more positive votes than negative ones, but whilst it wasn't enough to make it into the top 5 good shows it is enough to get into the top five bad ones. Stephen Mulhurn gallivants around the UK meeting the Great British public and offering them cash and prizes for playing silly games. Traditionally this sort of thing doesn't tend to work, but this spin-off show has been successful enough that we're getting more.

"It might have been ok for a ten minute segment on Takeaway but some of the games were a bit random."
"Perhaps a bit harsh, but Mulhern is too cheesy for me and was already the weakest part of SNT. Know many that loved it!"

4- Hey Tracey

This poll is a constant surprise - if there's a good show outside of the main terrestrial channels then word of mouth works and they can become successful, however if a show doesn't work it's pretty easy to ignore and sink without trace - there are many bigger shows more deserving of putting effort into disliking. This is the first digital show to make the top bottom five since The Love Machine all the way back in 2012.

Joel Dommett invotes ITV2 celebrities to ring up baffled public services and businesses trying to find the answers to unusual general knowledge questions, with Tracey, the Wigan-based AI assistant offering ideas of who they can ring up. Members of the public win prizes depending on how their celeb teammates do.

"I really wanted to like this show. I just couldn't get into it, it just all felt stupid."
"Basically just prank calls with a shiny floor."
"Might have been good fun on Dave or the like, but on ITV2 it was an irritating mess."
"You can see the love behind Hey Tracey, the team clearly has a solid vision of what they wanted to make, the opening sequence and graphics package all have a very clear tone. However, this was entirely diluted by being lumbered with ITV2’s talent catalogue. The format played second fiddle to a cast who were trying to out-joke one another to little success, and as such the gameshow Hey Tracey was supposed to be instead morphed into a half-baked ITV2 panel show with no purpose, no theme, and contestants who may as well have not been there."

3- Head Hunters

Rob Beckett fronts evidently too smart for its own good afternoon quiz with some interesting ideas but not really enough time or TV nous to explore them properly.

"Any show that makes contestants actively seek out to not win has some serious format flaws. And a real shame lots of Rob's banter was cut out."
"an overly complex format that didn't deliver on drama and failed to feel in any way 'special'. The second big miss for BBC Daytime Quiz. Surely they can do better?"
"Rob Beckett couldn't salvage this confusing mess of numbers."
"Head Hunters has a premise which itself has some merit: building a quiz team by splitting the jackpot. However, the route to get there through the show is a painful and mostly baffling one. The contestant selection process being reduced to a 10 second montage, most of the player pool being redundant, and Rob Beckett’s poor hosting make for a show that is difficult to care about. This is a shame, as the style of questions is something you likely wouldn’t see on any other show, almost Jeopardy-esque, but it’s marred by so many layers of faux-strategy and number blindness."
"Worst rules to fun ratio in ages."

2- The Switch

Four people play effectively two different games under the same umbrella, one to earn money, one to avoid elimination. Sanjeev Bhaskar a good choice on paper (a quickwitted comic not new to television, but new to quiz show hosting) but came across surprisingly dry, and a set that screams Challenge TV more than it did ITV. Although that's probably a bit unfair on Challenge TV.

"A pretty repetitive, bland question answering session. Bhaskar was very good at asking the questions but surprisingly less good at the shtick."
"It failed to deliver on it's speedy question style. Compared to The Chase where, even though there are apparently less questions, it feels as though they come more regularly instead of long drawn out multiple choice questions with separate buzz in questions.
"I don't care how solid the format was, it looked like they spent about £20 on the show and that simply must be discouraged."
"Felt the format is pretty repetitive and boring, Sanjeev Bhaskar clearly not the right person to front this."
"Cheap, poor host, format flaws and some lousy, lazy questions."

1- Small Fortune

AKA Small Audiences, the big big Saturday night show with the small small games of skill. You can see why it might have looked good on paper though - Dermot O' Leary's a popular, safe pair of hands (ironically) fronting a high tension big money game of The Cube-esque digital dexterity, but it all felt repetitive and flat and we lost interest in the gorgeous mini-sets created quite quickly. And let us not forget the rip-off tie-in app which offered extra lives for the low low price of 79p a go.

"The Cube’s lesser brother, Small Fortune’s little models were indeed very fun, but couldn’t hold this show up with Dermot O’Leary feeling like a spare part, Brian Blessed doing a shouty monologue every few minutes, and a reverse-press-your-luck mechanic that made the show glacially slow."
"Small games for big money felt like a proper “event” on The Cube, but here the effort required compared to the scale of the prize felt completely off kilter. £100,000 for throwing a paper plane and tiddling a wink – don’t mind if I do! The practising element, while a novel idea, is prime fast-forward territory and the tone was all over the place – dramatic lighting one minute, pop songs to introduce the games, the next."
"Flicking a marble through a gap on Saturday night entertainment is like something Peter Serafinowicz would come up with. Kudos to whoever managed to chuck Richard Madely into episode three hoping it would beef up the numbers."
"A cool idea that missed its mark. Interested to see how the Americans do their version though."
"Another harsh one as a lot of work clearly gone into a format that is a ten minute bit from a better show."
"Found it too overhyped, and a bit too much of The Cube, Friends Like These and Minute To Win It all rolled into one. And Brian Blessed's booming voice didn't exactly help much either..."

NEW MEDIA FIVE 2019

We're still experimenting a bit with this, but it's great to see a much higher take-up in your votes this year. The *intention* is to highlight new formats that are being made specifically for the online community that's legitimately viewable in the UK - be that Youtube, other streaming services and podcasts - that's why we said don't bother voting for Ben Justice's terrific Top 100 UK Gameshows of All Time on Youtube (which wins our special mention of Online Thing To Watch 2019) as it's not really a format, but then you all started voting for things like Fingers on Buzzers and Retroquizzical and Popmaster and Fighting Talk for it's podcast extra segment... it's a bit of a minefield.

We also had people vote for Jeopardy as it was legitimately on Netflix for the first time, but fails the "first run hasn't been broadcast on television" test.

The conclusion we've reached is that we're happy to accept online shows *about* formats and quiz as well as actual formats and quiz as that's the direction you're pushing us, but we're not having "radio shows with extra bits", you just have to vote for them in the Golden Five and the Radio category we'll do every couple of years. Also it's highly likely Ben has been unjustly robbed of the top spot here and will just have to do another series. Bother's Bar will have a complete list of legitimately voted shows for you to explore at your leisure.

Without further ado though, here are your top five:

5- The Birthday Game (Podcast)

Endemol's opening foray into formatted podcasting sees Richard Osman ask comics if they can guess the age of people who have birthdays during the upcoming week. Effectively a three minute radio segment lasting half an hour, there's enough good natured banter (mainly about Osman being allowed to say a brand name now it's for a commercial outfit) that it's worth a listen on your commute into work.

"Fun and funny game to play along with, even if a few of the episodes are a little longer than they really need to be."

4- Hyperdrive (Netflix)

Really rather good driving skills challenge where people with their own custom cars put their skills to the test in a legitmately cool looking industrial + neon setting, aiming for a The Fast and Furious look with tasks that seemed genuinely impressive to see done well, the highlight being The Leveller - a huge bridge they had to balance with their car, which granted probably had too much weight towards a driver's time but would frequently bring a hold-your-breath tension to table. Throw in some dangerous water based obstacles, some hardcore drifting and the occasional crash and you've got an unexpectedly entertaining hour. However points off for ending episodes on a cliffhanger when you can just watch the result straightaway and then stop and pick up where you left off next time.

"Genuinely huge fun, my favourite technical reality in ages. The course was clever and resourceful, and the aesthetic approach spot on."
"Best thing Netflix have done to date. It feels big, it looks great and the challenges are fun. Everything The Getaway Car should have been."

3- Awake: The Million Dollar Game (Netflix)

Solid physical format where players spend 24 hours counting quarters then in their tired state play games of skill and dexterity, with the worst leaving each time unless they can survive a Poker Face style buy-out process. Winning the big money doesn't involve having counted the most money in the twenty-four hours (although counting the *least* money is an early elimination), but having survived the games and having kept track accurately. Quite regular six figure wins, the final gamble for the million doesn't seem worth it. Still though, some slick television, and no game repeats in its first series.

"I hope this gets some votes, it was an inelegant but entertaining, clever, and lavish show."
"What a SHOW. The format is slightly imperfect, but is solid enough to bypass that. Making it important to know your coin total, while forcing you to have a high coin total, is SO GOOD."

2- Fingers on Buzzers

Lucy Porter and Chaser/Celeb X Factor finalist Jenny Ryan's podcast about all things quiz returned with an excellent second series with some excellent guests. The ladies are about to start their very own Fingers on Buzzers live show. Who knows where it will all go in 2020?

"Lucy and Jenny's podcast gets all the best guests, including current Only Connect competitors, and gave a history of the television quiz."
"A really enjoyable podcast for quiz fanatics."

1- The Game Garage (Youtube)

Six potential new formats filmed in a garage for our delectation and delight (and possible sale) from the minds of Tom Scott and David Bodycombe. Well done boys, although we had several comments asking for another series of Lateral so get on that.

"How has Tom Scott still not been snapped up by TV proper? The dream team of Scott x Bodycombe gave us another lovely triage of low-fi gameshow pilots. The clear standout for my money was 'Keep It or Dump It', but I'm willing to argue about it."
"It's so wonderful that we have a top tier "Internet celebrity person" constantly piloting and creating new formats, seemingly just for fun. More please."
"Enjoyed Games Garage - 'Above Average' probably the strongest."
"Tom and David’s efforts show you don’t need a big budget to create an entertaining game."
"Tom Scott's Game Garage series has tried out some fun ideas, some of which (e.g. Personal Best) I can see working in a weekend mid-evening ITV slot in the Small Fortune mould."

THE GOLDEN FIVE for 2019

And so we come to the Golden Five, the award that's open to any show that has had a first run broadcast in the UK in 2019, and we can chart popularity over the long term. Also where we get to find out if our pollsters still have anything to say about Only Connect and The Chase after all these years.

5- Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Interesting year for the show with the first million pound questions on offer - we feared when we first knew it was coming back we'd be getting loads of £8,000 winners and nothing else, but to be fair it's been giving out big figures fairly regularly. It also feels like Jeremy Clarkson has become a bit less Jeremy Clarkson over the year, for worse or better, certainly it initially seemed to feel more unpredictable. Can't argue with leading a worldwide revival of sorts, though. A non-mover on last year.

"Now that it's found its feet and lost the novelty, nu millionaire is a surprisingly well-judged and brisk big money show."
"Gripping TV years on."

4- Richard Osman's House of Games

This has basically taken over the Eggheads slot seemingly for good and has found quite a following. Genuinely amusing play-at-home cash-in book released last year as well. This is up three places on last year.

"Some very nice new games, including some that are a bit more “outside the box” keep this a firm favourite."
"Pushes a lot of the same buttons as both Only Connect and Taskmaster, but in much more accessible wa
"Some of the questions are challenging, but it is done in a relaxed, friendly environment thanks to the host and guests."
"One of those very few TV shows, let alone game shows, over the past few years where I've thought it so good, I have NEVER missed an episode. And with plenty of new games added this past year as well, that's better still (my personal favourite new game is Win When They're Singing)."
"Lovely to play along with and perfectly scheduled."

3- Taskmaster

Alex Horne and Channel 4 can say it won't change all they like, we know the truth, even if it really doesn't. So let us enjoy the show's justifiably high position whilst we still can. This is up a place on last year.

"2019 was Taskmaster's final year at home with its parents, as we got news it was moving out to live in Leeds, with the rest of Channel 4's roster. While we'll have to wait until later in the year to be assured C4 won't tamper with the winning formula, Taskmaster gave Dave a fantastic swansong with two series that continued to delight. Series 8 and 9 had some of the most diverse casts of the show's history, series 8 being a particular standout (ITV1 and 2 being well repped by Paul Sinha and Iain Stirling)."
"This year's second series giving the Bob Mortimer series a run for it's money with how good the panel gelled. Not too worried about it going to C4, as many seem to be. Think the show might initially benefit from only one series this year, as 20 eps per year has seen us generally have one OK series and one great series. This year was no different."
"Still some inventive tasks even after so many series – hope the move to Channel 4 doesn’t harm it."
"It's still great, It's still casting in extremely surprising but brilliant directions, and it still has the flair to pull things like the phone number or the apple pattern."
"Best of luck at Channel 4 for this show."

2- The Chase

2019 was a fine year for The Chase, but 2020 looks especially exciting with a new Chaser and the show's first spin-off, Beat the Chasers launching. A non-mover on last year.

"Have we finally hit peak Chase this year? Think I ask that every year, but it feels it was never off ITV over Christmas, with the celeb, blooper specials etc, and more spinoffs to come. Still a good value watch though."
"Remains consistently good, looking forward to seeing who the new chaser is too."
"We're agreed that Bradley Walsh is a national treasure, right?"
"Had a brilliant year, some very exciting games."
"Ten years later and it's still the highlight of weekday television."

1- Only Connect

Which means with crushing predictability your favourite show of the last year overall was Only Connect. Congratulations!

"The lateral juggernaut continues marching on, still thriving with it's own unique style. Audiences appear to have transitioned from confusion and fear of OC's more baffling traditions (such as VCMs postmodern introductions and the live musical flares of the final) to confusion and mild delight. There will always be fears of the question pool drying up for OC, but even now, over a decade on, it's still finding new ways to baffle an unwitting public."
"Victoria and her wit, and the question writing, which has improved significantly this year, not that it was bad before, make this one of the most challenging and entertaining half hours on television."
"How are you meant to ever get "The One Thousand Five Hundred and Twenty One Steps" for "Book Titles Squared" in the missing vowels?"
"Still making me yell at my telly in frustration."
"Intellectual fun as usual."
"IMO OC is slowly shifting from a quiz to a puzzle show. Still love it."

Bubbling under: 6- !mpossible, 7- Tenable, 8- Pointless, 9= The Circle, Race Across the World

GOLDEN MOMENTS of 2019

And we finish with some of your favourite moments, in no particular order.

"The aptly-named Tim Champion conquering Mount Midoriyama and therefore becoming a true Ninja Warrior."

"John Robinson winning £500,000 on Millionaire, the highest amount won in the Clarkson era."
"WWTBAM £500,000 win - what a shame it was spoiled and so un-tense as a result."
"John Robinson reaching the million pound question on Millionaire."
"John Robinson's £500k win on Millionaire, the biggest win on any UK gameshow in many years."
"A fantastic year for WWTBAM? as after a drought of no-one winning £250,000 or more since John Gallantry in May 2007, we get 3 £250k wins AND 2 £500k wins in the same year! And to think last year, only one person managed to get just £125k! Fantastic, hope we see more brave souls like those 5! Clarkson really is surprising me as well, thought he would be absolutely crap as host but actually he's really very good!"

"Judith's solo £70,000 The Chase win."
"Judith on the Chase winning £70,000."
"Judith wins £70k on The Chase."

"On Hunted - if there is the opposite of a golden moment, the absolute garbage trick of the extraction point on this year's civillian series being an enclosed car park that made it impossible to enter/exit once the hunters got there. Poor end to a strong run."
"HQ finally winning on Hunted. The level of rage that is only usually seen for contestants who take the lower offer of the Chase saw a petition go to OFCOM that the last man standing should have won by default. It was delicious."

"The woman shouting Chris Pine at her partner on The Wall, and she was wrong."
"Hannah on The Wall screaming to her partner (even though he was in isolation and couldn't hear her) that Chris Pratt played Captain America, then finding out it was Chris Evans."

"For the Christmas special of Top Class, one of the teacher's getting stuck on a train, unable to make it to studio, meaning the host, Susan Calman, had to step in and answer questions on his behalf. Quite a fun role reversal."

"And obviously, a contestant is murdered by a giant stone penis on Killer Camp , in what might be the most audaciously ITV2 moment ever."

"The highest ever score on Countdown being beaten twice - firstly Zarte Siempre beating it in January, achieving 150 (beating 146), then exactly 4 months later, Elliott Mellor beating Zarte's 150 by 2 points, getting 152."
"Long standing record score on Countdown finally being toppled, and then again just a few months later."

"The best moment of the year is undoubtedly Ed Gamble's meltdown on Taskmaster as a result of David Baddiel's incompetence in the drawing task."
"Ed Gamble working together with David Baddiel on Taskmaster."
"Jo and David stopping mid-task to have a sandwich and cup of tea was truly beautiful to watch."
"Jo Brand and David Baddiel making a cup of tea and having a chat during the very timed Choose Your Own Adventure task."

"Best editing to The Crystal Maze for somehow making Gemma Collins breakdown into less than 3 minutes in the Knightmare Maze."

"This only just qualifies as the episode was on the penultimate day of the year, but one of the sequences being the order Victoria said her words in the opening link of the show was just delightful!"
"The Only Connect picture sequence about Home Nations as seen from the Isle of Man. So devious, so simple."
"The unbelievably mean meta-question in one of the Only Connect specials. Surely there's a format somewhere in questions and answers that change depending on the situation? Or not. Just thinking about it is making my head hurt."

However the most popular clip wasn't even from 2019 at all, it was very early in the New Year 2020, but we'll include it here now because otherwise everyone will have forgotten it by next year:

"Paxman's Pantomime Dame cameo has to make it."
"Paxman dressing as a panto dame for a question on University Challenge."
"Jeremy Paxman out of the blue appearing dressed as Widow Twanky on Christmas University Challenge."
"Paxman dressing up for a panto on a recent episode of Christmas University Challenge (technically 2020)."
"That moment in Christmas University Challenge wear Paxman momentarily became a Panto dame and the entire nation thought they were on a bad acid trip."

So there we are. Thanks for everyone's contributions.

That's it for another year

Thanks to everyone for your voting, we couldn't do it without you! Turn to Bother's Bar now for the afterparty with all the stats and slightly longer lists with, I don't know, Roman Kemp or someone. See you in 2021!

Feedback

@@ Line 238: / Line 238: @@
 * ''"IMO OC is slowly shifting from a quiz to a puzzle show. Still love it.''"
-Bubbling under: 6- [[Impossible]], 7- [[Tenable]], 8- [[Pointless]], 9= [[The Circle]], [[Race Across the World]]
+Bubbling under: 6- [[!mpossible]], 7- [[Tenable]], 8- [[Pointless]], 9= [[The Circle]], [[Race Across the World]]
 == GOLDEN MOMENTS of 2019 ==
@@ Line 274: / Line 274: @@
 * ''"Jo Brand and David Baddiel making a cup of tea and having a chat during the very timed Choose Your Own Adventure task.''"
-* ''"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ERV9kgerY Best editing to [[The Crystal Maze]] for somehow making Gemma Collins breakdown into less than 3 minutes in the [[Knightmare]] Maze."''
+* ''"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ERV9kgerY Best editing to [[The Crystal Maze]] for somehow making Gemma Collins breakdown into less than 3 minutes in the [[Knightmare]] Maze.]"''
 * ''"This only just qualifies as the episode was on the penultimate day of the year, but one of the sequences being the order Victoria said her words in the opening link of the show was just delightful!"''