6 Format Regenerations You Need to Know About

As ITV confirmed that Through the Keyhole would be returning for a second series, we were also excited to announce that the Festival will also be welcoming Keith Lemon back, to host a very special version of Controller Through the Keyhole.

Through the Keyhole is part of a literally-glittering lineage of quiz shows that have been regenerated, rejuvenated or reformatted across the years (and even across continents). Here are 8 more that you need to know about...




1. You Bet!


You Bet! was a staple of Saturday night British telly in the 80s and 90s, but the original German version is still running on channel ZDF, with the same core idea of celebrities making wagers on whether normal people will be able to complete difficult or bizarre tasks - including a blindfolded farmer recognizing his cows by the sound they made while chewing apples, or this cool character popping balloon by doing The Worm. Attracting top-ranking celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Karl Lagerfeld and Bill Gates, Wetten Dass is one of the most successful Saturday television shows in Europe.

2. University Challenge


Decidedly peppier than it's UK spin-off, the GE College Bowl was the predecessor to University Challenge. Where Bamber Gasgoine (and latterly Jeremy Paxman) have focussed on intense academia and a compact filming style that's led to generations of viewers thinking the show has a two storey set, the College Bowl had a far sportier style: all college pennants and meeting the "coaches" before the big game. The questions were just as hard though.

3. Mr & Mrs


Proving how well you know your respective partner is the foundation of many a good quiz show, but Mr & Mrs has it down to a fine art. The format originated in Canada, with the first British version being a Welsh language version called Siôn a Siân, which still runs on S4C. Subsequently hosted in English by the likes of Derek Batey, Nino Firetto and Julian Clary, the show's celebrity spin-off All Star Mr & Mrs is currently filming its sixth series.

4. 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown


Like retro Instagram filters and typewriter-style iPad keyboards, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown beautifully blends the old with the new, as Jimmy, Sean & Jon wreak comedy havoc whilst still actually playing Channel 4's longest running quiz (trivia fans will probably already know that Countdown was the first programme to be broadcast when Channel 4 launched), all under the watchful eyes of Rachel Riley and Susie Dent . We're also very excited that Rachel will be bringing some Countdown glamour to our We Love TV Quiz in May, which she'll be co-hosting with Mark Watson.

5. Catchphrase


Brought back to TV screens in 2013 with Stephen Mulhern, the revived version of Catchphrase retains all the charm and character of the Murray Walker era, just with whizzier graphics and more contestants. Mr Chips is still around and it would seem that there's still every opportunity for hilariously lewd-looking reveals, as Kimberley Walsh, David Walliams and Emma Willis found out on the most recent Mother's Day Special...

6. Through the Keyhole


And of course, we couldn't finish without having a closer look Through the Keyhole! With the ever-industrious Keith Lemon taking on the role of both host and tour presenter, the last series nosed around the houses of Mary Berry, Mel B and John Prescott, to name a few, and we're looking forward to many more in series 2, as well as finding out what going on through t'keyhole of some of TV's big decision makers in Controller Through the Keyhole.

GEITF delegates will be treated to home truths and juicy secrets at Controller Through the Keyhole on 21 August 2014 - the opening session for this year's Festival. To ensure your place, book now and get the discounted Early Bird rate too!

London Screening #2: The Job Lot

'Thank you for laughing’, writer Ian Jarvis politely added at the end of the evening. This hardly seemed necessary as the screening of episodes 1 and 2 of his and Claire Downes’ new comedy The Job Lot received a loud and lively reception from the Roundhouse audience on Monday. But for the writers of this comedy, their television debut, seeing strangers laugh at their jokes was clearly something to behold. ‘It’s nice to hear a live audience’s reaction’, Jarvis continued, explaining that they rely on their instincts as to whether something will get a laugh.

The panel take to the stage following the screening

The Job Lot is the work of Jarvis, Downes and Stuart Lane, who was unable to join us due in China (some people will do anything to get out of public speaking!). The set-up is simple – the action takes place in a job centre housed in a suitably grey block of a building somewhere in the Midlands. The centre’s staff are made up of characters we all recognise from our own office experiences – the jobsworth who is a stickler for procedure, the over-enthusiastic (but verging on the edge) boss, the couldn’t-care-less young office worker. And who knows what characters might walk through those doors, which is exactly what Downes admits drew her to the setting.

Sarah Hadland 

Following the screening our chair for the evening, Andrew Collins, was joined on stage by writers Downes and Jarvis, producer Hannah Pescod and the show’s two stars, Sarah Hadland and Russell Tovey. Downes and Jarvis talked about their inspiration (‘The line about swimming the Channel at the local baths is from my sister’, joked Downes) and the process of getting the series commissioned. After an initial knockback from their first script (which they weren’t bitter about, quipped Jarvis), a second go grabbed the attention of a lot of the major players and so began the talks (plus the wining and dining). With Big Talk Productions track record in comedies (Spaced, Rev), they seemed the obvious choice but sitting on a script of such quality meant production companies were vying for their attention. Downes joked that it was Big Talk’s biscuits that ultimately won them over.

Andrew concluded the evening by asking the panel about the worst jobs they’d ever had.  Tovey described life as a hairdressers’ junior washing old ladies’ wigs; Hadland spent two weeks as a magician’s assistant on a cruise ship (doesn’t sound so bad to us!); and Claire Downes earned £30 for two minutes spent provocatively draped over a tractor…. If that’s in her arsenal of inspiration then we can’t even begin to imagine what future episodes of The Job Lot might contain!

We still have limited tickets available for our next screening taking place at the Roundhouse, London NW1: 

Run  Monday 25 March

Premiere of Acme Film’s drama for Channel 4 and live Q&A with Olivia Colman

Information on how to purchase tickets can be found here.