Hole in the Wall (UK game show)
| Hole in the Wall | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Game show |
| Presented by |
Dale Winton (2008) Anton du Beke (2009) |
| Starring |
Anton du Beke (2008) Darren Gough (2008) Austin Healey (2009) Joe Swash (2009) |
| Voices of | Peter Dickson (2008) |
| Narrated by | Jonathan Pearce |
| Theme music composer | Simon Darlow |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 21 (inc. 1 unaired) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Talkback Thames and BBC Scotland |
| Distributor | FremantleMedia |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | 16:9 |
| Original release | 20 September 2008 – 12 December 2009 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Brain Wall |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Hole in the Wall was a game show that aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom. This game was an adaptation of the Japanese game Brain Wall (also known as "Human Tetris") in which players must contort themselves to fit through cutout holes of varying shapes in a large polystyrene wall moving towards them as they stand in front of a swimming pool. Each week, two teams of television personalities competed for £10,000 in prize money to be donated to their chosen charity.
Dale Winton served as the original host while Strictly Come Dancing ballroom dancer Anton du Beke and former international cricketer Darren Gough were the team captains for the first series. Additionally, Jonathan Pearce commented on the replays and Peter Dickson provided the opening voice-over. The wall was activated by the presenter shouting Bring on the wall!.[1]
On 3 July 2008, the BBC announced that the show had been commissioned for BBC One. A second series was confirmed, with Anton du Beke giving up his captain role to take over from Dale Winton as host, and new team captains in the shape of former rugby player Austin Healey and actor Joe Swash. Anton du Beke announced that he might be a guest as well as hosting on the last show of the series.[2]
Format
The game was split into four rounds as well as the final "Great Wall".
The first round was "Solo Wall" which saw each team's guest players take a turn to face a wall just on their own. For each wall, 10 points were given to the player for a pass while a fail could be given up to 5 points depending on the host's whim.
Next was the "Captain's Challenge" or "Captain's Mate" which could be one of a number of games:
- Doubles - The captain and a chosen team mate of his choosing (usually, the one they are encouraged to do so by the studio audience) both attempt a wall. A maximum of 20 points was on offer.
- Props - The captain must complete the wall with a prop. This round made its first appearance when Anton Du Beke successfully cleared a wall on a space hopper.
- Mirror Wall - The captain must attempt a wall backwards (facing the swimming pool) leaving his two team-mates communicate to him about the shape he needs to make.
- Blind Wall - The captain is blindfolded and his team members have to instruct to him the shape he needs to make.
The third round was "Mystery Guest or Killer Question", the team leading being offered the choice of which game they wished to play and the currently losing team playing the other challenge. A maximum of 20 points was on offer.
- Killer Question - Two players face a wall without cut-outs with a question written at the top and two answers marked as doors. The "door" with the correct answer on it, is perforated on the reverse side and so gives way. The players must pass through the correct door.
- Mystery Guest - One of the team attempts a wall with a mystery guest (or several).
The fourth round was the "Team Wall". All three players face the wall with a maximum of 30 points on offer.
The programme's finale was the "Mega Wall". The leading team got to choose to attempt the wall or nominate the opposition. All three players on the team attempt the wall, which travels at double speed - if they clear the wall, they win the show (and the £10,000 to donate to a charity of their choice), while if they fail, the opposing team wins.
Hole in the Wall used a specialised crane made by Street Crane Company of Chapel-en-le-Frith to move the wall.
Series 2 changes
Series 2, which started on 26 September 2009, contains all new challenges. Solo Wall returned with the Captain's Challenge changing its name to Captain's Mate, as now the captains had to be blindfolded. The Mystery Guest section was eliminated (although, it made appearances in Anton's Twist). Killer Question was now named Wonder Wall, and a new challenge named Anton's Twist débuted. Team Wall also returned, while the Mega Wall was renamed the Great Wall.
Anton's Twist, according to Anton, involved walls he'd invented with a twist. Variations could be any number players with various twists (such as placing leg braces around the legs of team members commonly used in three-legged races).
Production
Series 1 was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London, with series 2 seeing the show relocating to BBC Pacific Quay in Glasgow as part of an out-of-London production plan. For series 2, the show was also shot in high-definition.[3]
Episode guide
- -- Won by red team (Anton du Beke/Joe Swash)
- -- Won by blue team (Darren Gough/Austin Healey)
Series 1
| Episode | Original airdate | Anton's team | Mystery guest(s) | Points | Darren's team | Mystery guest(s) | Points | Mega wall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 September 2008 | Dave Myers Zöe Salmon |
- | 49 | Andi Peters Sherrie Hewson |
Dancing Dollies | 39 | Anton's team pass |
| 2 | 27 September 2008 | Vic Reeves Vanessa Feltz |
The Cheeky Girls | 27 | Nancy Sorrell DJ Spoony |
- | 22 | Darren's team fail |
| 3 | 4 October 2008 | Phil Tufnell Nell McAndrew |
Glenn Ross | 43 | Iwan Thomas Josie D'Arby |
- | 42 | Anton's team fail |
| 4 | 11 October 2008 | Amy Lamé Sam Nixon |
Nouska Hanly | 40 | Siân Lloyd Mark Rhodes |
- | 43 | Anton's team pass |
| 5 | 18 October 2008 | Marcus Brigstocke Sarah Cawood |
Neil Fingleton | 36 | Bobby Davro Michelle Heaton* |
- | 43 | Darren's team pass |
| 6 | 25 October 2008 | Vanessa Feltz Joe Swash |
- | 39 | Alex Wotherspoon Angellica Bell |
Pat Warner | 62 | Anton's team fail |
| 7 | 1 November 2008 | Phil Tufnell Nancy Lam |
- | 49 | Carrie Grant Tony Marshall |
Brian Big | 54 | Anton's team pass |
| 8 | 8 November 2008 | Christine Hamilton Martin Offiah |
- | 47 | Neil Hamilton Lady Isabella Hervey |
Ross Brewer | 37 | Anton's team pass |
| 9 | 15 November 2008 | Jennie Bond Rav Wilding |
- | 32 | David Spinx Emma Rigby |
- | 33 | Darren's team pass |
| 10 | 22 November 2008 | Ninia Benjamin Dominic Littlewood |
- | 39× | Cleo Rocos Scott Mills |
London Wasps Women's Rugby Team | 38 | Anton's team fail |
| 11 | 20 December 2008 | Best of Series 1 Retrospective. | ||||||
* In episode 5, Michelle Heaton managed to remain dry by not failing a task but this resulted in team mates Darren Gough and Bobby Davro pushing her into the water.
× In episode 10, Anton's team were docked two points for cheating (shouting an incorrect call) during Darren's Captains Challenge (Darren being blind folded).
Series 2
This series started on 26 September 2009, presented by Anton du Beke.
| Episode | Original airdate | Joe's team | Points | Mystery guest(s) | Austin's team | Points | Mystery guest(s) | Great wall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 September 2009 | Comedy Dave Anne Diamond |
35 | - | Sophie Anderton John Altman |
50 | - | Austin's team fail |
| 2 | 3 October 2009 | Kristian Digby Alison Hammond |
65 | - | Graham Cole Gemma Merna |
27 | - | Austin's team fail |
| 3 | 10 October 2009 | Lil' Chris Kelly Dalglish |
27 | - | Matthew Chambers Gemma Bissix |
44 | - | Austin's team pass |
| 4 | 24 October 2009 | Ian 'H' Watkins Linda Lusardi |
80* | - | Ricky Groves Abi Titmuss |
65 | - | Joe's team fail |
| 5 | 31 October 2009 | Rufus Hound Ninia Benjamin |
48 | - | Dennis Taylor Jessica Taylor (no relation) |
82 | - | Joe's team fail |
| 7× | 14 November 2009 | Annabel Croft Sam Nixon |
70 | - | Beth Tweddle Mark Rhodes |
69** | Erin Boag | Joe's team fail |
| 8 | 21 November 2009 | Kate Lawler Jonathan Ansell |
45 | - | John Partridge Siân Reeves |
85*** | - | Austin's team fail |
| 9 | 28 November 2009 | Zaraah Abrahams Simon Rimmer |
45 | Joe's mum | Toyah Willcox Barney Harwood |
77 | - | Austin's team pass |
| 10 | 5 December 2009 | Martin Roberts Verity Rushworth |
39 | - | Ben Clarke Caprice |
85 | - | Austin's team fail |
| 11 | 12 December 2009 | Best of Series 2 Retrospective | ||||||
* In episode 4, Joe's team were docked ten points because Joe attempted to push Ricky Groves into the water as Ricky was struggling to stay on his feet after going through Team Wall.
** In episode 7, Austin bounced a ball on Anton's head, and then, he admitted it was meant to bounce on Joe's head, which because of that, 1 point was deducted.
*** In episode 8, Austin's team were docked 10 points because Austin pushed Jonathan into the pool when he was helping Kate and Joe go through Wonder Wall.
× Due to an emergency political broadcast, Episode 6 was not broadcast. It is not known if this episode was ever shown. It was to involve Danielle Lloyd and Mark Foster playing for Joe and Debbie McGee and Ben James-Ellis playing for Austin.[4]
References
- ↑ "BBC - Press Office - Hole in the Wall commissioned for BBC One".BBC. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
- ↑ Leigh Holmwood. "Hole in the Wall gets second series on BBC1". the Guardian.
- ↑ "BBC - BBC Internet Blog: HD Masters Conference Keynote Speech, 23 June 2009". bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ "BBC One - Hole in the Wall, Series 2, Episode 7". BBC.
External links
- Hole in the Wall at BBC Programmes
- Hole in the Wall at TV.com
- Hole in the Wall at UKGameshows.com
- Hole in the Wall at the Internet Movie Database
- Review, Leicester Mercury.