Cash Cab

Host

John Moody

Co host

Annabel Raftery (voiceover)

Broadcast

Lion TV for ITV1, 13 June 2005 to 29 June 2006 (12 episodes in 2 series + 8 unaired)

Synopsis

Unwitting and lucky contestants take a unique taxi ride that pays them if they can answer questions right en route. They start with five questions worth £10 each, then five worth £50 each. After that, seven questions are worth £100 followed by the biiiig money £500 questions. But three wrong answers means they're dropped wherever they are. As the opening montage promises, the contestants can phone whoever they like, and even get the help of random passers-by, which gives a bit of variety to the show, and a slight feeling that anything could happen (within strictly-defined parameters).

With the benefits of a well-judged level of jeopardy, a likeable host (who actually is a genuine certified hackney carriage operator) and the difficulty of the questions pitched just about right, this straightforward quiz proved a surprise hit with the tastemaking denizens of the UKGS mailing list and has spawned a horde of international remakes. Unfortunately, ITV plc seems to have lost interest in the show: a second series was produced, but vanished from our screens after just two episodes. The show later got picked up and repeated on Challenge, but we have been unable to confirm whether the missing episodes aired as part of that run.

Catchphrases

"If you lose your third life, I will politely, but firmly, ask you to leave..."

"You're on super super sudden death now!"

Inventor

Adam Wood

Theme music

Augustin Bousfield

Trivia

The Cash Cab's registration is Y974 CGP. The support car's is V262 KGT. There appeared to be additional support vehicles in the first programme, but maybe he just got stuck behind the same car all day.

The most won so far in a single trip is £5,800, by an employee and his boss.

Glenn Hugill, former host of The Mole, was one of the producers in series one.

Cash Cab is the latest British format to make waves around the world. It's already been sold to Denmark, France, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany (where it is called Quiz Taxi, truly our favourite foreign retitling), Norway (where Endemol are making it as a prime time show), Australia, Romania, Serbia and the USA.