As a finger on the pulse kind of guy I have to inform you of a brand new game show that has just come out on television. It is on at two o’clock in the morning on Challenge, a channel devoted to game shows. Why it’s on at such a silly time is beyond me, because if one of the main channels broadcast it (maybe say ITV1) on a Saturday night it would be huge.
The contestants have to guess phrases from a high tec, up to the minute computer simulation for big money prizes. For some reason I can’t work out, maybe I missed the first episode, they have to do the guessing while wearing fancy dress outfits from the 1980s.
The name of the show is Catchphrase. And let me tell you it is brilliant.
The host, an up and coming young comedian called Roy Walker, (you heard his name here first readers, he will be the next big thing) has the patience of a saint. He needs it too, because some of the contestants are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Roy Walker, as I’ve already mentioned, has the patience I could never have. If they get an obvious answer wrong, he just says “It’s good but it’s not right”. I’m sorry, but if it isn’t right that makes it wrong. What’s so good about that?
Maybe I’ll write in and suggest a new line for him. Something along the lines of “Oh for fucks sake, a picture of an elephant next to a castle. It’s obviously ‘ELEPHANT AND CASTLE’.
The prize is a trip to up to eight destinations. Today the woman won a trip to Singapore, Australia and ‘six more hot destinations’. I want to apply to go on this hot new show, but unfortunately they didn’t display an address to write to at the end of the show. But I will be a contestant on Catchphrase one day. And I’ll get to meet the next big thing in comedy before he becomes too big.
Such is his professionalism, he didn’t laugh when the woman accidentally said “crap” while trying to say “fair crack of the whip”. I pissed myself at that. Not literally!
The voiceover is provided by Ted ‘Den Perry’ Robbins, the host of The Slammer. He astounded me by getting through the entire show without mentioning the fact that he is Paul McCartney’s cousin!
Here is a clip of the show’s computerised mascot, Mr Chips. In this hilarious excerpt he looks like he’s enjoying himself a little too much.
Catchphrase is on at two o’clock every morning on Challenge. Watch it. Please.
I’m going to buy some 1980s clothes so they’ll let me on.
