Games World
Contents |
Host
Bob Mills (1993-95)
Andy Collins (1998)
Co-hosts
Dave Perry
Commentators:
Jeremy Daldry (1993-94)
Tim Boone (1993-95)
Broadcast
Hewland International for Sky One, 1 March 1993 to 10 March 1995 (approx. 390 episodes in 3 series)
Hewland International for Sky One, 9 March to 2 October 1998 (150 episodes in 1 series)
Synopsis
Basically suspiciously like Gamesmaster, but stripped across a week.
The games element took two parts. On one day, it was an elimination contest between several youngsters over several different video games. On the next, a single winner from the previous day staked points on various matches at differing games against a WWF-style assortment of, er, "videators". These included such brutes as Big Bad Barry and Colin the Console Cowboy (with costumes and attitudes to match; where did they get them from?).
Bob Mills was unduly scathing throughout which brought about at least three charges of mental cruelty to impressionable children.
Tuesdays were normally given over to Barry's Joypad (a news, reviews and tips show in the style of a low-budget soap opera, but regularly starring a pre fame David Walliams as inept geek Lesley), whilst Thursdays were home to Games World Live, where you could ring in and take part in challenges using your touch-tone phone. Originally done in a manner not unlike T.I.G.S. (ending each week with the suspiciously titled Grab Your Nutz, a sort of Pac Man variant starring Mr Nutz), by series two this was set up as a sort of knock-out competition against a family of the week (who would also play on touch tone phones) with some sort of mega prize going to the weekly winner, and the opportunity to become the family of the week next week.
Key moments
The eight finalists lining up together, all dressed all in black and being scarily nearly indistinguishable.
The winning kid always managed to come from behind to win the biggest prize (arcade machine du jour) in the series final when a Gla - er - videator who has managed to remain undefeated all season mysteriously bottled out. Oh, Mr. Barry...
But on the other side of the coin, A Videator known as The Games Ninja appeared to be sacked by host Bob Mills half way through series one by virtue of not winning a single game!
In series 1, there was a entry into the tournament by the name of Matthew Mathers, who was so cocky it was unreal, but it was deserving as he made it to the final very easily. He was eliminated in the second round of the final, gave a brilliant post-game interview and stormed out to a huge round of boos. The show's production crew watched this guy (who was truly brilliant, he treated everyone with disrespect especially Mills), and signed him up immediately. He reappeared in Series 2 as Mr. Mathers, promptly destroying anyone who came up against him, and then would trash-talk the crowd.
Trivia
One kid managed to win an exclusive Games World jacket in honest competition then scored absolutely zero in a subsequent game. Bob Mills then offered the kid another chance at the same game, but only if he would bet the jacket on not scoring zero a second time. A second zero later, there were tears before bedtime.
Web links
Pictures
Second host, Andy Collins (centre), with Aztec helpers.