Winning Lines
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Winning Lines was a National Lottery game show produced by Celador that premiered on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 13 June 1999, originally hosted by Simon Mayo. From series 3 (June 9, 2001 onwards) Phillip Schofield presented instead of Mayo. The last edition was broadcast on October 16, 2004.
Contents |
[edit] UK Version
| Winning Lines (UK) | |
|---|---|
| Format | Game show |
| Presented by | Simon Mayo (1999-2000) Philip Schofield (2001-2004) |
| Country of origin |  United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 6 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Celador |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC One |
| Picture format | 16:9 |
| Original run | June 13, 1999 – 16 October 2004 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Talking Telephone Numbers |
[edit] Round One
49 contestants took part in this round, but only six would move on to round two. The host reads a question that can be answered by a number from 1 to 49. Anyone who thinks that their own number is the answer buzzes in. If the owner of that number buzzed, he or she moves on to round two. Anyone who buzzed but was wrong is eliminated. If the owner didn't buzz, but should have, s/he is out. This process repeats until 6 people qualify for the second round.
The last digit from each of the winner's numbers are shown at the end of the show. If all 6 numbers match the last 6 digits of your phone number in any order then you can call in to try and appear on the next show.
In series two onwards, this changed to the host asking the 49 contestants a question with a number for an answer. The contestants use keypads to enter their answers, and whoever is correct in the fastest time moves on to the second round. Contestants do not have to play a question and wrong answers eliminates all those who give them. This continues until six have qualified for the next round. All of the remaining contestants are eliminated.
[edit] Round Two - Looking After Number One
Each contestant carries their number from round one with them to round two. Schofield (or Mayo) asks questions that can be answered by one of the six numbers in play. Contestants buzz in to answer the question. A right answer means that the owner of that number is eliminated, unless the person who buzzed in had the number; in that case no one is eliminated. If the contestant is wrong, he or she is eliminated. This goes on until one contestant is remaining. The winner plays the Wonderwall for a grand prize trip.
[edit] Wonderwall
The champion is asked as many questions as possible in three minutes, the answers to which appear on three projection screens. Each answer wins a better trip as follows, and twenty correct answers wins a three-week-long around the world holiday. During Philip's years, the winner of the grand prize would then play the Wonderwall again. This time, right answers were worth £200, with a possible £4,000 at stake. There were no pit stops (the regular bonus round had two, though).
| Correct Answers | Prize |
|---|---|
| 20 | Round the World |
| 19 | Australia |
| 18 | Barbados |
| 17 | Hawaii |
| 16 | Texas |
| 15 | African Safari |
| 14 | Caribbean Cruise |
| 13 | Mauritius |
| 12 | USA |
| 11 | Hong Kong |
| 10 | New York |
| 9 | Italy |
| 8 | Majorca |
| 7 | Monte Carlo |
| 6 | Paris |
| 5 | Amsterdam |
| 4 | Ireland |
| 3 | Scottish castle |
| 2 | London |
| 1 | Spaghetti Junction |
[edit] External links
- Winning Lines at UKgameshows.com
- Winning Lines at Celador
[edit] US Version
| Winning Lines (US) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Quiz show |
| Directed by | Jim Yukich |
| Presented by | Dick Clark |
| Composer(s) | Keith Strachan |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
David G. Stanley Scott A. Stone Paul Smith |
| Editor(s) | Scott T. Miller |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | CBS |
| Original run | January 8, 2000 – February 18, 2000 |
| External links | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Starting from January 8, 2000, the show also had a short run on CBS in the United States. It was hosted by Dick Clark (which turned out to be his last game show currently) and directed by James Yukich. It was produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment.
[edit] Round One
Host Clark asks the 49 contestants a question with a number for an answer. The contestants use keypads to enter their answers, and whoever is fastest moves on to the second round. Six questions are played in this way. The other 43 contestants are eliminated.
[edit] Round Two
The "Sudden Death" Round as Clark called it. As in the British version, each contestant carries their number from round one with them to round two. Clark asks questions that can be answered by one of the six numbers in play. Contestants buzz in to answer the question. A right answer means that the owner of that number is eliminated, unless the person who buzzed in had the number; in that case no one is eliminated. If the contestant is wrong, he or she is eliminated. This goes on until one contestant is remaining. That contestant wins $2,500, the others win $1,000 each.
[edit] Wonderwall
The winner has three minutes to answer as many questions as possible, using 49 answers as displayed on three projection screens. Each right answer earns more money as follows, with 20 right answers earning $1 million:
| Correct Answers | Prize |
|---|---|
| 20 | $1,000,000 |
| 19 | $500,000 |
| 18 | $400,000 |
| 17 | $300,000 |
| 16 | $200,000 |
| 15 | $100,000 |
| 14 | $90,000 |
| 13 | $80,000 |
| 12 | $70,000 |
| 11 | $60,000 |
| 10 | $50,000 |
| 9 | $40,000 |
| 8 | $30,000 |
| 7 | $25,000 |
| 6 | $20,000 |
| 5 | $15,000 |
| 4 | $10,000 |
| 3 | $7,500 |
| 2 | $5,000 |
| 1 | $2,500 |
Like the British version, the player has to call out number and answer, and has the right to freeze the monitor two times for fifteen uncounted seconds (called "Pit Stops"). A player could pass two questions. However, in a bit of drama which differentiated the US and UK versions, if a contestant gave an incorrect answer, or was unable to answer within 15 seconds, he/she received a strike. Upon a player's second wrong answer, or when less than fifteen seconds remained in the game, a "bailout" button began to glow. A contestant could hit this button at any time and leave with whatever money they had earned to that point; however, running out of time or picking up a third strike without "bailing out" resulted in the player leaving with only the $2,500 which he or she won earlier.
Instead of the three screens in the studio, home viewers were shown a screen that continually scrolled from side to side and automatically jumped to the right place when a correct answer was given.
The show's biggest winner was Catherine Rahm, who on the first show won $500,000, after answering 19 questions correctly.
The US version offered an at-home game similar to the British version. The 'ones' digit from each of the round one winners' numbers and the 'ones' digit from the number of the final correct answer given during the Wonderwall were shown at the end of the show. Home viewers who could make up their own phone number from those seven digits were eligible to enter a drawing for $50,000 cash.
After dismal ratings, CBS canceled the show after ten episodes, one of which was unaired.
[edit] French version
France 2 adapted a third version of this game called Le Numéro Gagnant, which was aired in 2001 to 2002. French radio and TV presenters Nagui was the host. The game's rules are nearly similar than the British version.
