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Challenge - June 2016 onwards

#ChallengeAccepted (June 2016)

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JO
Jon
It works both ways, here's a episode of Classic Millionaire that Challenge apparently haven't shown, though it may be obvious why:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_WbqzhZHb4

Although I suspect the play-along stuff isn't burnt in (see the credits) but may have been added live?

I think that’s different ‘Classic Millionaire’ to what Challenge use. That seems to be the series made for ITV daytime. I think was literally ‘classic’ as it was just the more interesting contestants/games. The edits for Challenge are just all the bits from Millionaire and not merely a repeat from this short lived ITV variant.
Last edited by Jon on 17 June 2019 2:29pm
JA
james-2001
That ITV Daytime version of Classic Millionaire was from the summer of 2003, I seem to remember.

Challenge have shown that episode of Millionaire (as well as all of the first 4 series) in its original format rather than the re-edited "classic millionaire" format they show later episodes in (albeit with recreated end credits due to the original having a contenstant appeal over them).

27 days later

VM
VMPhil
Challenge are currently showing Stake Out which I've never heard of, and on further research appears to be a Challenge original show made in 2001. One of the contestants is Mark Labbett aka "The Beast" from The Chase, other than that I'm not sure why it's been dragged out of the archive.

The presenter sounds like Joey in the episode of Friends when he auditions for the fake game show "Bamboozled".
BA
bilky asko
Challenge are currently showing Stake Out which I've never heard of, and on further research appears to be a Challenge original show made in 2001. One of the contestants is Mark Labbett aka "The Beast" from The Chase, other than that I'm not sure why it's been dragged out of the archive.

The presenter sounds like Joey in the episode of Friends when he auditions for the fake game show "Bamboozled".


You mean Stake Out, TV's ruthless quiz show?



It was a staple of 5:00am and 5:30am on Challenge for a long while, usually alternating with Defectors. Hosted by Anthony Davis, he was on LBC for a while and is currently doing a news podcast for some reason.

If you look at the credits, you'll spot the name "Katy Brand" as part of the Production Team - yes, it's that Katy Brand. Here she is talking about a show with Eamonn Holmes, after being reminded about Stake Out, that doesn't appear to exist:

(5:26)



The real question about Stake Out is who did the voiceover at the start. I always thought it was Mr Davis announcing himself, but others disagree. Can you solve the mystery?
VM
VMPhil
I bow down to your superior knowledge of all things Stake Out. I watched a few episodes earlier but the cheesy TV presenter voice really grated after a while. I assume, given his subsequent years on radio and as a voice actor, that he's improved since then.

I’m with you on the voiceover, it sounds to me like it’s Anthony Davis himself, makes sense given his work as a voice actor. His Wikipedia article lists him as a comedian and don’t a lot of comedians introduce themselves on stage?
JO
Johnr
The opening titles of that show make me want to nip down to the corner shop and buy a pack of fruit mentos

Just done some reading up on it too and it seems the initial plan was for the contestants to stake 250 quid of their own money but it ended up not being allowed due to gambling laws etc. so the production team had to bung them the 250 quid each and pretend!
bilky asko and VMPhil gave kudos
BH
BillyH Founding member
I remember an episode of either Stake Out or Defectors randomly doing brilliantly in the ratings a few years ago, gaining a top ten place for the week despite being on at about 2pm on a weekday and already about a decade old. My guess was that a handful of people with ratings boxes left the channel on after a more well-known programme (maybe Millionaire or Family Fortunes) which then got counted up as several hundreds of thousands of viewers.
IN
Interceptor
I remember an episode of either Stake Out or Defectors randomly doing brilliantly in the ratings a few years ago, gaining a top ten place for the week despite being on at about 2pm on a weekday and already about a decade old. My guess was that a handful of people with ratings boxes left the channel on after a more well-known programme (maybe Millionaire or Family Fortunes) which then got counted up as several hundreds of thousands of viewers.

It was Dirty Money (which was a Sky One original). I believe it had Blockbusters as a lead in.
BR
Brekkie
If I'm scrolling through the channels and find a show like this on that I've no memory of and wouldn't have been able to watch first time around I'm quite likely to stick with it out of curiosity, something I did indeed do with Stakeout a few weeks back then stuck with for the rest of the 3 or 4 episodes that were airing.
PF
PFML84
I remember Stake Out from when it was first broadcast. Awful then, still awful now.
RO
rob Founding member
The real question about Stake Out is who did the voiceover at the start. I always thought it was Mr Davis announcing himself, but others disagree. Can you solve the mystery?


Sounds like John Sachs.

KK
KolonelKlink
I’m with you on the voiceover, it sounds to me like it’s Anthony Davis himself, makes sense given his work as a voice actor. His Wikipedia article lists him as a comedian and don’t a lot of comedians introduce themselves on stage?


It's definitely him, and yes, he became a lot less wooden over the years.

Stake Out really was dreadful, wasn't it? The pretence of people bringing their own money to play the game, the horrendous graphics, Bontempi keyboard-style music and bodged-together set - it's not so easy to spot on YouTube but if you look closely enough you can see the cables powering the contestant monitors dangling down to the floor.

Surprising it was so bad, really - given the vastly better Defectors was commissioned at around the same time, and presumably on a similar budget. Like night and day.

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