Friends Like These

(→Videos: Put the breaks after the comment, not before)
(→Trivia)
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== Host ==
== Host ==
[[Ant McPartlin|Ant]] &amp; [[Declan Donnelly|Dec]] (1999-2000)
[[Ant McPartlin|Ant]] &amp; [[Declan Donnelly|Dec]] (1999-2000)
-
[[Ian Wright]] (2001-3)
+
[[Ian Wright]] (2001-03)
 +
 
 +
[[Vernon Kay]] and [[Alison Hammond]] (non-broadcast pilot)
== Co-hosts ==
== Co-hosts ==
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== Broadcast ==
== Broadcast ==
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BBC One, 6 November 1999 to 1 March 2003 (50 episodes)
+
BBC One, 6 November 1999 to 20 September 2003 (pilot + 50 episodes in 6 series + 3 specials)
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</div>
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Don't worry, this synopsis is going to come round to ''Friends Like These'' in a second.
Don't worry, this synopsis is going to come round to ''Friends Like These'' in a second.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTNosebleed.jpg|400px]]''Nosebleed's at the ready...''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTInvasion.jpg|400px]]''OH MY GOD! IT'S THE INVASION OF YOUNG WOMEN! EVERYBODY DUCK AND COVER!''</div>
Now then, the BBC, which is funded by the licence payers (as opposed to ''Who Wants To Be a Millionaire'' which is, in a roundabout way, also funded by licence payers) cannot afford to give away the millions of pounds worth of cash and prizes because otherwise there would be no money to fund News 24. That means they're going to have to rely on drama to make a show.
Now then, the BBC, which is funded by the licence payers (as opposed to ''Who Wants To Be a Millionaire'' which is, in a roundabout way, also funded by licence payers) cannot afford to give away the millions of pounds worth of cash and prizes because otherwise there would be no money to fund News 24. That means they're going to have to rely on drama to make a show.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTJapan.jpg|400px]]''Ant & Dec plan their Saturday Night Takeaway undercover on Coronation Street.''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTApproach.jpg|400px]]''Ant & Dec approach up to the teams.''</div>
The 'jeopardy' genre insists that to be interesting and dramatic there should be an element of risk. The BBC can't risk cash, so now they're trying to break friendships instead.
The 'jeopardy' genre insists that to be interesting and dramatic there should be an element of risk. The BBC can't risk cash, so now they're trying to break friendships instead.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTWalk.jpg|400px]]''"We got a dead man walking here."''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTDetermined.jpg|400px]]''A contestant is determined to do what we think he's doing.''</div>
So, what we have here is a combination of ''[[You Bet!]]'', ''[[The Crystal Maze]]'', ''[[Mr and Mrs]]'' and ''Jerry Springer'' and you have surprisingly compelling (and cheap!) television.
So, what we have here is a combination of ''[[You Bet!]]'', ''[[The Crystal Maze]]'', ''[[Mr and Mrs]]'' and ''Jerry Springer'' and you have surprisingly compelling (and cheap!) television.
-
Hosted by those cheeky chappies Ant and Dec (who host it in a surprisingly mature and professional manner) two teams of close friends, one made up of five lads and one made up of five ladettes (inevitably) battle it out for a holiday. To do this, they must each take part in a challenge. The challenge is explianed first and then each team decides who they'll put forward for it.
+
<div class="image">[[File:FLTSucceed.jpg|400px]]''...And he succeeds!''</div>
-
I think it's time to make a comparison with Cilla's ''[[The Moment of Truth]]'' here in that the challenges are generally innocuous enough but become the hardest thing ever when done in competitive conditions and with the fate of the rest of your mates on your back. For example, you might have to thread a thread through five progressively smaller needles in a race against your opponent. By rights it should make for crap television. Instead: it doesn't.
+
<div class="image">[[File:FLTRace.jpg|400px]]''A thread race in progress.''</div>
 +
 
 +
Hosted by those cheeky chappies Ant and Dec (who host it in a surprisingly mature and professional manner) two teams of close friends, one made up of five lads and one made up of five ladettes (inevitably) battle it out for a holiday. To do this, they must each take part in a challenge. The challenge is explained first and then each team decides who they'll put forward for it.
 +
 
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTJump.jpg|400px]]''The women win this round as they jump for joy. (Get used to it folks. There's a lot of that in this show.)''</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTScore.jpg|400px]]''The scores before the decider round begins.''</div>
 +
 
 +
Compare and contrast with Cilla's ''[[The Moment of Truth]]'' here in that the challenges are generally innocuous enough but become the hardest thing ever when done in competitive conditions and with the fate of the rest of your mates on your back. For example, you might have to thread a thread through five progressively smaller needles in a race against your opponent. By rights it should make for crap television. Instead: it doesn't.
 +
 
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTKnock.jpg|400px]]''A successful skittle knockdown.''</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTDance.jpg|400px]]''I see you baby, shaking that ass.''</div>
For each challenge won the team win a point. There are four challenges in this way.
For each challenge won the team win a point. There are four challenges in this way.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTReady.jpg|400px]]''One final ball to win the game.''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTBang.jpg|400px]]''A complete demolition.''</div>
Because each person can only be in one challenge that leaves one person left from each team in what's known as The Decider. This would be a task where there would be many points on offer so any team can win but it favours the team in front.
Because each person can only be in one challenge that leaves one person left from each team in what's known as The Decider. This would be a task where there would be many points on offer so any team can win but it favours the team in front.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTYEAH.jpg|400px]]''"HELL YEAH!!! WE WIN SUCKERS!!!"''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTCuddle.jpg|400px]]''...And the losers cuddle for 3 hours, knowing that this'll be the last time they'll be friends together again.''</div>
So then, that's four rounds worth one point each and the final round that's worth five. How very Leahyesque. At this point we should be slagging the show off no end, shouting things like 'Aaah! You're crap!' and such like and yet we're not, because it's here the show succeeds in what it sets out to do and that is put enormous pressure on these two players and the rest of the teams. Not only do you throw away a lead for yourself but you throw away a lead for everybody. It's horrible viewing, and yet fantastic and exciting.
So then, that's four rounds worth one point each and the final round that's worth five. How very Leahyesque. At this point we should be slagging the show off no end, shouting things like 'Aaah! You're crap!' and such like and yet we're not, because it's here the show succeeds in what it sets out to do and that is put enormous pressure on these two players and the rest of the teams. Not only do you throw away a lead for yourself but you throw away a lead for everybody. It's horrible viewing, and yet fantastic and exciting.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTEndgame.jpg|400px]]''The end game in progress.''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTTubes.jpg|400px]]''Ten see through tubes pop up.''</div>
But that's not all because the winning team then have another surprise waiting for them. While there are five tickets to the holiday destination, each person has to earn them... for another mate. This is the ''Mr and Mrs'' bit. Before the show the team fill out a questionnaire so that 10 questions can be made up about them. Each person selects a mate to help win them their ticket and their mate picks one of the ten questions at random. These can be horribly obscure, "What colour are your Mum's favourite undergarments?" and such like but both people write down their answer. If they match then the player goes on holiday and if not then they don't. Simple and harsh as that. Each person can only answer one question so the choices as to whom can be picked get less with each question.
But that's not all because the winning team then have another surprise waiting for them. While there are five tickets to the holiday destination, each person has to earn them... for another mate. This is the ''Mr and Mrs'' bit. Before the show the team fill out a questionnaire so that 10 questions can be made up about them. Each person selects a mate to help win them their ticket and their mate picks one of the ten questions at random. These can be horribly obscure, "What colour are your Mum's favourite undergarments?" and such like but both people write down their answer. If they match then the player goes on holiday and if not then they don't. Simple and harsh as that. Each person can only answer one question so the choices as to whom can be picked get less with each question.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTRead.jpg|400px]]''Ant attempts to decrypt the see through tube.''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTReveal.jpg|400px]]''Just enough time to draw a smiley face.''</div>
BUT! Then the show throws up another surprise. The people who have won holidays can fly out the next day. Or, they can gamble the holidays that they've won on an all or nothing question: if they're right then everyone goes on holiday and if not then none of them do. The odds should be in their favour as it's everybody who hasn't won collectively answering a question on one of the people who have won the holiday, but then of course the winning players don't have to give up their holidays. Ah.
BUT! Then the show throws up another surprise. The people who have won holidays can fly out the next day. Or, they can gamble the holidays that they've won on an all or nothing question: if they're right then everyone goes on holiday and if not then none of them do. The odds should be in their favour as it's everybody who hasn't won collectively answering a question on one of the people who have won the holiday, but then of course the winning players don't have to give up their holidays. Ah.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTRevealpucker.jpg|400px]]''Pucker up, you're right.''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTRed.jpg|400px]]''At the end of that round, only one person is off to Malaysia. But there's still a chance to gamble it all and take your friends with you (Even though they know nothing about each other).''</div>
Nice set too, quite futuristic-y, lots of ''Millionaire''-style lights and music so if they can't have the money they can at least nick the style. And it's got a mechanical walkway. Fab!
Nice set too, quite futuristic-y, lots of ''Millionaire''-style lights and music so if they can't have the money they can at least nick the style. And it's got a mechanical walkway. Fab!
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTWait.jpg|400px]]''Huddle up, huddle up, huddle up.''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTBoom.jpg|400px]]''Is that the same answer what you got?''</div>
Shame there's no Wonkey Donkey though, but it least it makes up for the travesties of "Our Radio Rocks" and "Let's Get Ready To Rhumble", so that's all right then.
Shame there's no Wonkey Donkey though, but it least it makes up for the travesties of "Our Radio Rocks" and "Let's Get Ready To Rhumble", so that's all right then.
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTCelebrate.jpg|400px]]''Yes it is. And that can only mean one thing...MORE JUMPING FOR JOY!!!''</div>
 +
 +
<div class="image">[[File:FLTBounce.jpg|400px]]''This isn't what Eddie Van Halen had in mind when he wrote that song.''</div>
In 2001, Ant and Dec defected to ITV on a bilateral trade agreement with Ian "Wright wright wright" Wright who did the opposite journey. He's OK and fairly quick-witted but some of the banter is missing when there's only one presenter on their own.
In 2001, Ant and Dec defected to ITV on a bilateral trade agreement with Ian "Wright wright wright" Wright who did the opposite journey. He's OK and fairly quick-witted but some of the banter is missing when there's only one presenter on their own.
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"Let a mate decide your fate"
"Let a mate decide your fate"
-
 
-
"If the chair stays white, you're right"
 
"Take up your challenge"
"Take up your challenge"
"Here come the beeps"
"Here come the beeps"
 +
 +
"If the chair stays white, you're right"
== Inventor ==
== Inventor ==
Line 74: Line 129:
== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
-
The 2001 Christmas Special aired on BBC One four days before Steps's split.
+
Steps appeared on the 2001 Christmas Special, which aired on BBC One four days before their split.
 +
 
 +
A non-broadcast pilot was made at Dock10 in March 2022 with [[Vernon Kay]] and [[Alison Hammond]] as hosts but went no further than that.
 +
 
 +
== Web links ==
 +
 
 +
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02m46x3 BBC programme page], which includes a 2000 episode as part of a game show collection.
 +
 
 +
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends_Like_These Wikipedia entry]
== Videos ==
== Videos ==
-
<div class="video"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pDicr5_DIMY?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pDicr5_DIMY?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>''It's Simon Says, Friends Like These style.''</div><br><br>
+
<div class="video"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jp1K9Q4_T1o?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jp1K9Q4_T1o?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br>''Part 1 of the 2001 Christmas Special.''</div>
-
<div class="video"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jp1K9Q4_T1o?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jp1K9Q4_T1o?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>''Part 1 of the 2001 Christmas Special.''</div><br/>
+
[[Category:Family Game]]
[[Category:Family Game]]

Revision as of 21:07, 20 May 2023

Contents

Host

Ant & Dec (1999-2000)

Ian Wright (2001-03)

Vernon Kay and Alison Hammond (non-broadcast pilot)

Co-hosts

Voiceover: Mitch Johnson

Broadcast

BBC One, 6 November 1999 to 20 September 2003 (pilot + 50 episodes in 6 series + 3 specials)

Synopsis

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? is an undeniable success: its combination of drama and big money has done well for it all over the world. In America particularly several networks have tried to come up with a show that beats the pants off it. And they've failed. Why is this? Let's have a look shall we? Yes!

What Millionaire has is big money and drama. The personailty of the contestants is as important and interesting as the amount of money being played for. Sadly, just playing a normal show and giving it huge amounts of prize money doesn't always make for good viewing, and it's telling that when other Prime Time game shows go up against it they lose miserably without fail. Not necessarily because they're bad shows more because Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is, well, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Don't worry, this synopsis is going to come round to Friends Like These in a second.

Nosebleed's at the ready...
OH MY GOD! IT'S THE INVASION OF YOUNG WOMEN! EVERYBODY DUCK AND COVER!

Now then, the BBC, which is funded by the licence payers (as opposed to Who Wants To Be a Millionaire which is, in a roundabout way, also funded by licence payers) cannot afford to give away the millions of pounds worth of cash and prizes because otherwise there would be no money to fund News 24. That means they're going to have to rely on drama to make a show.

Ant & Dec plan their Saturday Night Takeaway undercover on Coronation Street.
Ant & Dec approach up to the teams.

The 'jeopardy' genre insists that to be interesting and dramatic there should be an element of risk. The BBC can't risk cash, so now they're trying to break friendships instead.

"We got a dead man walking here."
A contestant is determined to do what we think he's doing.

So, what we have here is a combination of You Bet!, The Crystal Maze, Mr and Mrs and Jerry Springer and you have surprisingly compelling (and cheap!) television.

...And he succeeds!
A thread race in progress.

Hosted by those cheeky chappies Ant and Dec (who host it in a surprisingly mature and professional manner) two teams of close friends, one made up of five lads and one made up of five ladettes (inevitably) battle it out for a holiday. To do this, they must each take part in a challenge. The challenge is explained first and then each team decides who they'll put forward for it.

The women win this round as they jump for joy. (Get used to it folks. There's a lot of that in this show.)
The scores before the decider round begins.

Compare and contrast with Cilla's The Moment of Truth here in that the challenges are generally innocuous enough but become the hardest thing ever when done in competitive conditions and with the fate of the rest of your mates on your back. For example, you might have to thread a thread through five progressively smaller needles in a race against your opponent. By rights it should make for crap television. Instead: it doesn't.

A successful skittle knockdown.
I see you baby, shaking that ass.

For each challenge won the team win a point. There are four challenges in this way.

One final ball to win the game.
A complete demolition.

Because each person can only be in one challenge that leaves one person left from each team in what's known as The Decider. This would be a task where there would be many points on offer so any team can win but it favours the team in front.

"HELL YEAH!!! WE WIN SUCKERS!!!"
...And the losers cuddle for 3 hours, knowing that this'll be the last time they'll be friends together again.

So then, that's four rounds worth one point each and the final round that's worth five. How very Leahyesque. At this point we should be slagging the show off no end, shouting things like 'Aaah! You're crap!' and such like and yet we're not, because it's here the show succeeds in what it sets out to do and that is put enormous pressure on these two players and the rest of the teams. Not only do you throw away a lead for yourself but you throw away a lead for everybody. It's horrible viewing, and yet fantastic and exciting.

The end game in progress.
Ten see through tubes pop up.

But that's not all because the winning team then have another surprise waiting for them. While there are five tickets to the holiday destination, each person has to earn them... for another mate. This is the Mr and Mrs bit. Before the show the team fill out a questionnaire so that 10 questions can be made up about them. Each person selects a mate to help win them their ticket and their mate picks one of the ten questions at random. These can be horribly obscure, "What colour are your Mum's favourite undergarments?" and such like but both people write down their answer. If they match then the player goes on holiday and if not then they don't. Simple and harsh as that. Each person can only answer one question so the choices as to whom can be picked get less with each question.

Ant attempts to decrypt the see through tube.
Just enough time to draw a smiley face.

BUT! Then the show throws up another surprise. The people who have won holidays can fly out the next day. Or, they can gamble the holidays that they've won on an all or nothing question: if they're right then everyone goes on holiday and if not then none of them do. The odds should be in their favour as it's everybody who hasn't won collectively answering a question on one of the people who have won the holiday, but then of course the winning players don't have to give up their holidays. Ah.

Pucker up, you're right.
At the end of that round, only one person is off to Malaysia. But there's still a chance to gamble it all and take your friends with you (Even though they know nothing about each other).

Nice set too, quite futuristic-y, lots of Millionaire-style lights and music so if they can't have the money they can at least nick the style. And it's got a mechanical walkway. Fab!

Huddle up, huddle up, huddle up.
Is that the same answer what you got?

Shame there's no Wonkey Donkey though, but it least it makes up for the travesties of "Our Radio Rocks" and "Let's Get Ready To Rhumble", so that's all right then.

Yes it is. And that can only mean one thing...MORE JUMPING FOR JOY!!!
This isn't what Eddie Van Halen had in mind when he wrote that song.

In 2001, Ant and Dec defected to ITV on a bilateral trade agreement with Ian "Wright wright wright" Wright who did the opposite journey. He's OK and fairly quick-witted but some of the banter is missing when there's only one presenter on their own.

New host, Ian Wright

Catchphrases

"Put your faith in a friend"

"Let a mate decide your fate"

"Take up your challenge"

"Here come the beeps"

"If the chair stays white, you're right"

Inventor

Devised by David Young.

Trivia

Steps appeared on the 2001 Christmas Special, which aired on BBC One four days before their split.

A non-broadcast pilot was made at Dock10 in March 2022 with Vernon Kay and Alison Hammond as hosts but went no further than that.

Web links

BBC programme page, which includes a 2000 episode as part of a game show collection.

Wikipedia entry

Videos


Part 1 of the 2001 Christmas Special.
Retrieved from "http://ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Friends_Like_These"

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