Talking Telephone Numbers

Does anyone have a link?

It was originally on YouTube but unsurprisingly has been taken down.

I saved it at the time. It seems that the max resolution for it was 240p as I always save at least the 480p version of a YouTube video. Make sure to use your speaker settings to pan to the left for the on-air sound and right for talkback.

"There might be some transmitter problems in your area", if you can describe someone pressing fast forward on the VT twice as a transmitter problem.

And "oh, ****, he's going to get them right" on the first caller when they know they're underunning because of the fast forwarded video and wondering how the hell they'll fill the time if he does get the questions right. They must have been very thankful the first two callers failed.

That video's been discussed to death more than once but I wonder why they were worried about the first caller getting the right answers. They were instructed to take three calls, and I would've assumed they vetted the callers and got their answers before they went to air, otherwise how could they determine how many callers to have?

And as for the "transmitter problems", you can tell by Philip's expression and his quips about going off in fast-forward later on that it was an explanation the viewers weren't going to buy.

Is that really a strop? Taking a step back to calm down and reflect rather than going off on one is surely a professional way of dealing with the situation.

At one point he says, while smiling, 'This programme is going to kill me!'

Remember that the format of the programme was that if there was no winner it rolled over. The fact that that episode was won by the third and last caller was a coincidence


The three calls was what they had time for. As mentioned in the video that the production team mention the possibility of getting the correct answer first time and what they'd do. Fill presumably

Makes me want to see the master tape of the programme, as presumably that will have the video from the studio after they've gone off air, so we'd be able to see Phillip's expression as he talks about "five f**king minutes".

Thanks for this. Seemed pretty hectic so I can understand why he'd swear like that.

I'm amazed the press haven't caught on to that clip yet for another dig at Phil

When I went to a recording of The Cube he seemed pleasant enough, was happy to chat to the audience between takes and explain some of the tech behind the filming, plus the fact he still does a tap on his earpiece during Dancing On Ice means he is still in my good books anyway!

I was more hypnotised by the counting during the Human League performance!

I’m not sure why they couldn’t spool back to the start of Richard Digence’s act the first time VT cocked up - unless that would have meant coming off air for a longer period of time and risk over-running.

As for “transmitter problems” I wonder if Philip misheard and was meant to say “transmission problems” (which was an accurate enough description of the “fault”). It was pretty obvious what the issue was and Phil’s apology seemed to do more harm than good if the intention was to confirm they were indeed live.

I would love to see how other regions handled it. Carlton were quick to put a caption up but other regions would have had a clean feed and may not have been as quick. Would Carlton pres have updated the other regions about the fault as it took place or would the others be effectively “winging it” and guessing when to rejoin the programme?

(Sorry, I know this is off-topic but I don’t recall answers to these questions in the other thread).