Quizmania
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- For the Australian version of the show, please see Quizmania (Australia)
| Quizmania | |
|---|---|
 Quizmania logo |
|
| Genre | Live phone-in television quiz |
| Creator(s) | Chuck Thomas, Debbie King, Simone Thorogood |
| Starring | Several presenters |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | FremantleMedia |
| Running time | 10.00-01.00 (weeknights) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ITV Play |
| Original run | 12 August 2005 – 15 January 2007 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | My Games Fever |
Quizmania was a British television interactive gameshow which showed on ITV Play. The show was created by Chuck Thomas, Debbie King, and Simone Thorogood (formerly of 9Live and Bowling For Bucks). In a similar vein to other premium-line call-in shows such as Quiz Call, viewers were encouraged to phone a premium-rate number in order to provide an answer to a quiz question.
Quizmania's final broadcast was made on 14 January–15 January 2007, with the last broadcast being presented by Greg Scott and Debbie King. The show finished with a montage of memorable moments and an emotional farewell from Scott and King.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
Quizmania was broadcast from 22.00 to 01.00, weeknights on ITV Play. Whether the show will move to a different channel or return for another series is uncertain. In order to win money, viewers had to ring in at a cost of 75p from a BT landline (previously 60p). If they were successful they would be placed on hold, then transferred live to the studio if they were lucky, where they went on to deliver their answers. Prizes usually ranged from £50 to £25,000. The biggest prize to be won was £28,000 on March 22, 2006. Once £100,000 was available as a prize, but no-one won it.
According to an article in The Times, Quizmania earned ITV over £1.2million during the first two weeks of transmission on ITV1. Part of this is believed to be down to the shows ever growing cult status of students, insomniacs and those returning from a night out all taking part.[citation needed]
Quizmania originally began broadcasting on 12 August 2005 on Sky channels 139 (Life Showcase) and 181 (Information TV) and completed a three-month run on terrestrial channel ITV1 from December 16, 2005 to March 30, 2006. After its last show on March 31, 2006, the show became solely shown on ITV as it disappeared from the schedules of the two Sky channels. It began airing nightly on ITV2, where for the first time it contained ad-breaks, and from May 26, 2006, Quizmania rejoined ITV1's weekend lineup airing three nights a week from 00.00. The show also appeared on ITV Play and Men & Motors during weekday afternoons from 15:00 until 18:00. On 27 August 2006, Quizmania stopped showing late-nights on ITV1 and from the week beginning 4 September 2006, Quizmania was available exclusively on ITV Play in the evening between 22:00 and 1:00, and continued until January 14, 2007. It may return in the future, if it meets standards which are expected to govern television programmes similar to Quizmania.[citation needed]
[edit] Confusion
Because of the premium rate phone number similarity, occasionally viewers would phone the show thinking that they had got through to The Mint on ITV1. They would proceed by giving an answer for another game, and were often given a second chance by the Quizmania presenters. This could have been now less frequent as Quizmania was assigned a new phone number on July 29, 2006.[citation needed]
[edit] Crew
[edit] Presenters
- Debbie King
- Greg Scott
- Lee Baldry
- Chuck Thomas
- Nigel Mitchell
- Kirsty Duffy
- Lottie Mayor
- Tim Lichfield
- Lee Clark
- Stuart Headlam (a.k.a. "Producer Stu")
Chuck Thomas and Stuart Headlam presented rarely, because they also sometimes produced the show. Chuck Thomas's voice could sometimes be heard speaking or giving away clues, when invited by a presenter.
On the night of 9 November 2006, Greg Scott announced live on-air that Kirsty Duffy had moved on to other things. Although at first it was believed poor health was the reason for Kirsty's disappearance from our screens.
[edit] Technical crew
Flash, the cameraman, was the most popular and spent a lot of time in front of the camera. From May 2006 he did not appear in front of the camera for four months for reasons unknown. In compromise, Zool (Flash) is often heard by acting out studio made props (such as Michael Jackson and Morgan Freeman cutouts) and hand puppets sent in by fans of the show. He has since returned and was heard playing a character called "Zool" with his face covered by a cape, and operates camera two. On the night of his return he was called the Emperor and not mentioned by the name Flash. The next night his name was changed to "Zool". In recent times, he has been referred to as the "Mystery Guest". However, on the evening of September 21, 2006, Flash at last reappeared in front of the camera, referred to again as Flash.
Flash and Sky are both members of a rock band called King Lizard, a fact which was often mentioned on the show.
The female voice often heard singing "It's a Speed Round!" during the show is that of Lottie Mayor. The male voice also heard singing "It's a Speed Round!" in a deep voice is in fact presenter Greg Scott. Camera operator Flash provides the voice of the strange laugh sound effect, and the "b-b-b-b-bonus!" noise. Lee Baldry provides the voice for the "Triple Money" sound effect. A caller named Linda was asked if she wanted to make a jingle for Chuck A Duck and she sang the words and it was used as a Jingle.
Nigel Mitchell has recorded a jingle which says "Make a Word With These Letters" and and another which says "The game that takes ages that doesn't take ages".
[edit] Producers
The producers interacted with the presenters live on air, through a microphone link from the control room. They were responsible for the games, and the sound effects that appeared in-game.
- Stuart Headlam (aka "Producer Stu")
- Sky
- Simone Thorogood
- Chuck Thomas
[edit] Players
One of the show's unluckiest players, "Tornado Tom", made it through to the studio on 97 consecutive shows without a single win. He eventually broke his losing streak with a £75 win on 12 December 2006.
On the other hand ,regular player "Rob from Norwich" became the first big money winner, winning £6,700 on 14 January 2006.Youtube video Some fifteen months later he went on Sky News to defend the whole format during the massive backlash against these channels.Youtube video
[edit] Studio set
The Quizmania studio reflects the show's main colour theme, bright pink with elements of blue. In main section of the studio is a very large door, that is set in a low-angled pink wall. This door is normally where the presenters enter the show from at the start, and when another presenter arrives to take over.
From the viewer's perspective, to the left of the studio is a bar section, with various odds and ends on it. Going further to the right is a large noticeboard-like wall, which has a large gold frame (nicknamed "Quizframia") where viewer submitted photographs are pinned up. Also in the left section is a flat screen TV, where the animated Quizmania logo is displayed for most of the show. When special events happen in the show (e.g. Double money, speed round) large text is normally displayed on the screen. The screen is also used to display video clips as part of some games.
To the right of the main section, is another main bar section with a flat-screen television in the background, which displays the same picture as the other TV. The bar has traditionally had a gumball machine on it, and a large selection of random props and items that viewers have sent in. It also has two picture frames, for the "King and Queen of Quizmania". The bar also has some things underneath it that the presenters often get out, but the actual back of the bar has never been seen by viewers. Going further right, there is a 'podium of love' (a nickname started by Debbie) that the presenter will normally 'mount' when a speed rounds happens. The podium has a backdrop of large white bulb lights on a black background, and the lights are often flashing.
On July 31, 2006, the studio was redesigned into a summer theme. Items like the large door were painted yellow, the left side of the studio was turned into a seaside-like setting, complete with deckchair, bucket and spade, some artificial palm trees, a barbecue etc. Meanwhile, the right side has also be changed, with the bar becoming a different colour, and the frame around the TV repainted yellow. The podium/speed round area of the studio has received new blue and red lights and newly painted podium. Additionally, a large jukebox was placed at the back of the main studio area.
In December 2006, the set was changed again into a snowy theme which was the last last theme for QuizMania's run on ITV Play
[edit] Quizmania in different countries
Quizmania is also shown in other countries, such as:
- Australia (see Quizmania (Australia))
- Poland — it was shown on Polsat, originating from the same studio used in the British version. Polsat has since replaced Quizmania with another program, Halo Kasa.
