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Winner Takes All (game show)

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Winner Takes All
GenreGame show
Created byGeoffrey Wheeler
Presented byJimmy Tarbuck (1975–86)
Geoffrey Wheeler (1987–88)
Bobby Davro (1997)
StarringVicky McDonald (1987–88)
Voices ofGeoffrey Wheeler (1975–86)
Gaynor Barnes (1997)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series14 (ITV)
1 (Challenge TV)
No. of episodes248 (inc. 3 specials) (ITV)
65 (Challenge TV)
Production
Running time30 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companyYorkshire Television
Original release
NetworkITV
Release20 April 1975 (1975-04-20) –
28 June 1988 (1988-06-28)
NetworkChallenge TV
Release5 May 1997 (1997-05-05) –
1997 (1997)

Winner Takes All is a game show that aired on ITV from 20 April 1975 to 28 June 1988, first hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck from 1975 to 1986 and then hosted by Geoffrey Wheeler from 1987 to 1988. The show then returned to the screens in 1997, this time on Challenge TV hosted by Bobby Davro.

Gameplay

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The two contestants started with 50 points each (30 points when it became a daytime show in 1988) and were asked multiple choice questions with six possible answers but each answer had some odds (Evens (removed by 1986), 2–1, 3–1, 4–1, 5–1 & 10–1) and after each question was asked, the contestants were asked how many points they would like to bet (up to 50 (30 in 1988)) and then, they selected the odds that corresponded to the answer they thought was correct, if they got the correct answer, they won the points the odds were worth, if they gave a wrong answer, they lost the points. After five questions, the contestant with the most points would go through to the final while the loser left the show with nothing. In later series, the losers took home a filofax (except the 1988 series where they took home an encyclopedia). In the Challenge TV version, the losers took home an assortment of games, a watch, and a paperweight. Then, they played again with two different contestants and the winner of that met the winner of the first game.

The two winners played for cash in the final and only the winner took the money home while the loser took home a consolation prize of £100. Until 1981, up to £1,000 could be won. The winning contestant was given the option of returning on the next show to add to his or her winnings, but if they returned and lost they would lose all but £100 of their winnings. By 1979, a defeated champion lost half the winnings.

In 1997, the final was played for points and the winner could accept a prize and leave the show or return for the first semifinal on the next show in an attempt to win a more valuable prize. Any champion who won five days in a row won a holiday in Las Vegas.

Production

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From 1980 until 1987, Winner Takes All started with an alternative version of the Yorkshire Television ident where the chevron would spin toward the screen revealing the four contestants who appeared on that week's edition. The final ITV series in 1988 was a Television Techniques production for Yorkshire Television.

The Challenge version was recorded at the former TVS studios at Vinters Park in Maidstone, but was produced by Yorkshire Television.

During his run as host, Jimmy Tarbuck would at the start of some editions come out carrying a briefcase containing £1,000 in £1 notes which was the top prize on Winner Takes All.

In 1989, Iorworth Hoare was jailed for rape after being identified from a photo he submitted to the show when applying to be a contestant.[1]

Transmissions

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ITV era

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Series

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Series Start date End date Episodes
1 20 April 1975 13 July 1975 13
2 14 May 1976 6 August 1976 13
3 1 July 1977 23 September 1977 13
4 14 April 1978 7 July 1978 13
5 16 March 1979 11 November 1979 22
6 16 May 1980 29 August 1980 16
7 5 June 1981 4 September 1981 14
8 11 June 1982 10 September 1982 14
9 1 July 1983 7 October 1983 14
10 25 May 1984 24 August 1984 14
11 26 May 1985 25 August 1985 14
12 25 May 1986 24 August 1986 14
13 20 July 1987 4 September 1987 14
14 11 April 1988 28 June 1988 60
  • Series 1: The series was not fully networked, with Granada, HTV and LWT not broadcasting the series. LWT started broadcasting the series on 22 August 1975.
  • Series 14: Grampian and Scottish started on 20 April, but Scottish Television finished on 7 July 1988, while Grampian completed the series on 15 July 1988; a number of episodes were held back.

Specials

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Date Entitle
23 December 1977 All Star Special
26 December 1979 All Star Special
28 December 1986 Christmas Special

Challenge TV era

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Series Start date End date Episodes
1 5 May 1997 1997 65

References

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  1. ^ Blackstock, Colin (11 August 2004), "Rapist serving life term wins lottery £7m", The Guardian, London, retrieved 19 June 2009.
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