Game for a Laugh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Game For A Laugh was a popular British TV light entertainment show which ran for 58 editions between 26 September 1981 and 23 November 1985, made by London Weekend Television for the ITV network.
The original format was called "Gotcha" and was designed as a BBC series to be presented by Paul Daniels, David Copperfield (the British comedian) and Pamela Stephenson. The pilot show was rejected, allegedly, for being 'too vulgar'. Jeremy Beadle then re-wrote the format - some say with British producer Michael Hurll in the US - and approached LWT, where producer and LWT Entertainment head Alan Boyd put the finishing touches to it. The show mixed elements of the US series "Candid Camera" and "Truth or Consequences", to which LWT bought rights.
The hosts for its first few series were Jeremy Beadle, Matthew Kelly, Henry Kelly (no relation) and Sarah Kennedy. When Kelly, Kelly & Kennedy left, the hosts were Jeremy Beadle, Martin Daniels (son of Paul Daniels), Rustie Lee, Lee Peck and Debbie Rix. The show revolved around a variety of practical jokes, either in game-type formats played out within the studio or as often elaborate set-ups on unsuspecting members of the public, either studio-based or shot on location. Each segment would end with the victim being made aware of the joke by a presenter, who would then announce that the person had proved to be "game for a laugh".
Critics attacked it, saying it was cruel and unfunny, and it is undeniable that the 'hidden camera' jokes went too far on occasion, perhaps most memorably when a man on his honeymoon was approached by a woman he had never seen before, who convinced his new bride that they were having an affair.
Although the other presenters went on to other different types of show, Jeremy Beadle went on to present several more practical-joke type shows, including "Beadle's About!" and became strongly identified with the genre in the UK.
The production team for the series overlapped with the later "Surprise, Surprise", which was originally a spin-off format from "Game For a Laugh", designed by Alan Boyd to comprise the 'surprising', bizarre and humorous 'real people' elements from "Game For a Laugh".
[edit] Trivia
- The series' (rather incomprehensible) catchphrase was spoken by the four presenters at the end of the show - "Join us next week when you'll be..." then each of the four would intone, one by one: "Watching us..." "Watching you..." "Watching us..." "Watching you!"
- Sarah Kennedy started her career as a newsreader for BBC Radio 1. She now presents a show on BBC Radio 2, The Dawn Patrol, which has a cult following.
- Henry Kelly went on to present the BBC's pan-European quiz Going for Gold. It was voted in 2001 as one of the worst programmes of all time.
- Matthew Kelly started his career as a stooge to Hylda Baker (see separate entry). Dressed in drag, he played Cynthia, who Hylda was always telling her to "be soon".
- Game for a Laugh was spoofed in "Not the Nine O'Clock News" and the sketch showed a man (Rowan Atkinson) returning home from work to find his wife had been chopped up with a large knife. He runs out into the street screaming before being approached by the crew who then shout "Game for a Laugh" before they all share the joke, despite the fact that the man's wife is dead.
