NJ
Technically Celebrity Squares (the original 70s version) was all celebrity bar contestants
But otherwise, Bullseye were doing it as early as 1988, possibly earlier, as part of the Christmas specials - 1988 was Roy Walker, Bob Holness and Les Dennis all paired up with a high profile (at the time anyway) darts player.
Neil Jones
Founding member
I’ve been wondering if Big Brother was the first show to introduce a Celebrity version of the programme?
Keen to know if it was or if something came before it.
Keen to know if it was or if something came before it.
Technically Celebrity Squares (the original 70s version) was all celebrity bar contestants
But otherwise, Bullseye were doing it as early as 1988, possibly earlier, as part of the Christmas specials - 1988 was Roy Walker, Bob Holness and Les Dennis all paired up with a high profile (at the time anyway) darts player.
BR
One off celeb specials, usually only for Christmas or as part of charity telethons, were certainly around in the 90s and I suspect before then. Celebrity Big Brother started as a spin off for Comic Relief, whilst it's second series was I think for a few homeless charities, but I'm a Celebrity changed things when it launched in 2002 by actually paying celebrities to appear. Before that even for a week long event like Celebrity Big Brother the celebrities appearing in these shows usually did so for free.
Not 100% certain but I would guess All Star Mr & Mrs and All Star Family Fortunes were the first shows which had traditionally been for members of the public with the odd celeb special actually ditched the public completely.
Not 100% certain but I would guess All Star Mr & Mrs and All Star Family Fortunes were the first shows which had traditionally been for members of the public with the odd celeb special actually ditched the public completely.
NJ
Neil Jones
Founding member
Think its been mentioned before but the original Crystal Maze could have had celebrity teams (somebody somewhere tooted the idea) , but the production team thought it was an abomination of an idea and so it never happened.
Of course fast forward 30 years and now we're at a point where celeb editions of shows rate better than civilian episodes. Back in the day it was the other way round and hence why they only happened at Christmas or whatever. Now they're on pretty much weekly as far as Pointless Celebrities is concerned.
Did not 3-2-1 do celeb specials? Or am I thinking of the guest performers on that show?
Of course fast forward 30 years and now we're at a point where celeb editions of shows rate better than civilian episodes. Back in the day it was the other way round and hence why they only happened at Christmas or whatever. Now they're on pretty much weekly as far as Pointless Celebrities is concerned.
Did not 3-2-1 do celeb specials? Or am I thinking of the guest performers on that show?
BR
It's got to a point where shows like The Chase are reusing celebs two or three times too - and have repeated epsiodes so much you pretty much know them off by heart. Any show having to reuse celebs has clearly had too many specials.
The disclaimer on The Crystal Maze is interesting - clearly trying to point to the fact the celebs have been paid to appear and the prize money goes to SU2C because they need a prize of some sorts, rather than the celebs appearing on the show because they want to support the charity.
All Star Mr & Mrs often got stars of a much higher quality than you'd expect because they paid so much in appearance fees - often more than would be won for charity. Of course some would have donated their fees as well, but there was no obligation too.
The disclaimer on The Crystal Maze is interesting - clearly trying to point to the fact the celebs have been paid to appear and the prize money goes to SU2C because they need a prize of some sorts, rather than the celebs appearing on the show because they want to support the charity.
All Star Mr & Mrs often got stars of a much higher quality than you'd expect because they paid so much in appearance fees - often more than would be won for charity. Of course some would have donated their fees as well, but there was no obligation too.
BC
Blake Connolly
Founding member
A very brief and rudimentary search through Genome comes up with the FA Cup Final day versions of It's a Knockout in the 70s as the earliest examples of a 'civilian' game show being done by celebs, though I'm sure there would've been something before then. After that's there's the Christmas episodes of A Question of Sport featuring entertainers rather than sportspeople on the panel.
There was a celebrity Bob's Full House in Christmas 1989 and by Christmas 1990, there were celebrity editions of Double Dare and a Telly Addicts special featuring that year's champions against a celebrity team, so I'm sure the idea of celebrity Christmas specials was familiar by then.
There was a celebrity Bob's Full House in Christmas 1989 and by Christmas 1990, there were celebrity editions of Double Dare and a Telly Addicts special featuring that year's champions against a celebrity team, so I'm sure the idea of celebrity Christmas specials was familiar by then.