Game For A Laugh, 1981
Remember the catchphrase? “Watching you, watching us, watching you!”
Yes folks it’s the London Weekend Television “Light Entertainment” show that was reputably the reason for the BBC’s decision to cancel Larry Grayson’s Generation Game, it also spawned the hugely popular Beadle’s About.
Game For A Laugh ran for 56 episodes and 4 specials over 5 series, between 1981 and 1985.
Rumour has it that the original format was called Gotcha and was developed for the BBC series to be presented by Paul Daniels, David Copperfield (the British comedian) and Pamela Stephenson. The Pilot was rejected, allegedly, for being ‘too vulgar’. the format was then re-written by one Jeremy Beadle – with producer Michael Hill in the United States.
Two spin off shows evolved from Game For A Laugh. Beadle’s About is the best remembered, but Surprise Surprise was another spin off. Surprise surprise was designed by producer Alan Boyd to comprise the ‘surprising’, bizarre and humorous ‘real people’ elements from Game For a Laugh.
The original hosts for its first few series were Jeremy Beadle, Matthew Kelly, Henry Kelly (no relation) and Sarah Kennedy. When both Kellys & Kennedy left, the hosts were Jeremy Beadle, Martin Daniels (son of Paul Daniels), Rustie Lee and Lee Peck.
The final series was hosted by Beadle, Daniels and Debbie Rix.
Summary
The show revolved around a variety of practical jokes, either in game-type formats played out within the studio or as often elaborate set-ups on unsuspecting members of the public, either studio-based or shot on location. Each segment would end with the victim being made aware of the joke by a presenter, who would then announce that the person had proved to be “game for a laugh”.
Clips
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Presenters
Jeremy Beadle (1981 – 1985)
Henry Kelly (1981 – 1984)
Matthew Kelly (1981 – 1984)
Sarah Kennedy (1981 – 1984)
Martin Daniels (1984 & 1985)
Rustie Lee (1984)
Lee Peck (1984)
Debbie Rix (1985)
Details
Produced By: London Weekend Television
Channel: ITV
Original Transmission Dates: 26th September 1981 – 23rd November 1985