UK Countdown question

[kenbob_clarker]

I've been addicted to playing Countdown on wedigtv.com for about a month now, and I've read all the info I can find about the actual show on the net.  All I'm at a loss of is, for all the brain-bending that those geniuses go through to win on that show, what do they get in return?  They must get something...

[jalman]

For winning the big tournament at the end of a series, they get the Oxford English Dictionary (not cheap) and a trophy.

More info here.

[clemon79]

It's a little like winning on Iron Chef, except on Iron Chef you don't get the dictionary.

(Incidentally, retail value of the full OED is currently £850. They make great gifts!)

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'155202\' date=\'Jun 15 2007, 08:28 AM\'](Incidentally, retail value of the full OED is currently £850. They make great gifts!)
[/quote]I'll remember that the next time my birthday rolls around.

<tears open wrapping>
"Why, it's Volume One of the OED! How thoughful! 'A through Fart.' I was hoping for a fifty pound paperweight and I got one."

[quote name=\'kenbob_clarker\' post=\'155183\' date=\'Jun 14 2007, 09:12 PM\']I've been addicted to playing Countdown on wedigtv.com for about a month now, and I've read all the info I can find about the actual show on the net.  All I'm at a loss of is, for all the brain-bending that those geniuses go through to win on that show, what do they get in return?  They must get something...[/quote]That's the thing, up until recently, British game and quiz shows didn't give away extravagant prizes (and some still don't). The runner up of the Countdown tournament wins £500. The winners of the Mastermind, University Challenge, and Fifteen-to-One tournaments each receive a trophy. Even Crystal Maze winners, who were rare, only won a day trip of some kind and a door-stop in the shape of the titular Crystal Dome. (Not really; again, a smallish trophy thing that looked like the crystals they collected all day)

Whereas American game shows tend to focus on the big prizes that can possibly be won, British show focus on the game and competition, and for the most part are better for it. And even their version of Deal or No Deal focuses more on the drama and tension of the moment moreso than the money.

[J.R.]

Well, the winners of the regular games do get a few extras thrown into the "Goody Bag" all contestants get win or lose. Among the extras is a Countdown Clock shaped teapot.

[uncamark]

Even "Sale of the Century"'s prizes were modest compared to the U.S. 70s version (let alone the 80s revival)--and there were no returning champions on their version, so the champ had to be content to take the "family selection of bicycles" if that was the only thing s/he could buy.

[Jimmy Owen]

In the UK, aren't the production centres within biking distance of the contestants?  So family bikes would be a darn good prize.

On the Montreal BTC, would it be worth while for an out-of-towner to exhaust himself and his wife for $25 and a box of Richardson Mints?

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'155575\' date=\'Jun 19 2007, 02:14 PM\']
In the UK, aren't the production centres within biking distance of the contestants?  So family bikes would be a darn good prize.[/quote]

I bow to the Brits here, but it seems to me that Norwich was up in the northeast corner of Great Britain, so that someone from London would be making a long trip to go up there to go on "SOTC."

On the other hand, there is that efficient British intercity rail system, of which we have nothing the equivalent of in this country--and yes, Amtrak, I mean you.

[rebelwrest]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'155578\' date=\'Jun 19 2007, 03:45 PM\']
I bow to the Brits here, but it seems to me that Norwich was up in the northeast corner of Great Britain, so that someone from London would be making a long trip to go up there to go on "SOTC."

On the other hand, there is that efficient British intercity rail system, of which we have nothing the equivalent of in this country--and yes, Amtrak, I mean you.
[/quote]

I watch a lot of Have I Got News For You episodes so that efficient rail system is up to debate.

Anglia Television (which produced Sale of the Century) broadcasted to the East Anglia region.  So according to this map a person from London really wouldn't have to travel far compared to Yorkshire, Granada, Tyne Tees, and Scottish TV.  I've spent a lot of time at TV Ark.

[Brig Bother]

Yeah, London to Norwich is no problem at all - about two hours by train. It's definitely much more east than north.

UK SoTC did have returning champions when it was bought back on Sky One in the early nineties (the version that Simon Cowell appeared on), and on Challenge TV's own version in the last decade. But the original version didn't, no.

[rebelwrest]

[quote name=\'Brig Bother\' post=\'155586\' date=\'Jun 19 2007, 05:41 PM\']
Yeah, London to Norwich is no problem at all - about two hours by train. It's definitely much more east than north.

UK SoTC did have returning champions when it was bought back on Sky One in the early nineties (the version that Simon Cowell appeared on), and on Challenge TV's own version in the last decade. But the original version didn't, no.
[/quote]

Since we are talking about where programs were taped at, where were the Sky One and Challenge TV remakes taped?

[Brig Bother]

And whilst it's fair to say that yes, we have a history of doing it for the chance to do it, we have games these days which offer at least a quarter of a million quid on a daily basis - Deal or No Deal continues to do the business on Channel 4, For The Rest of Your Life has a variable top prize, but £500k-£600k is not uncommon (but it would never get won), and there's a new show called Goldenballs which gives an outside shot at over a quarter million as well.

[tpirfan28]

Has Millionaire been the only UK game show which had the contestant try for one million pounds?

/kiddies, if this is case, kudos to them.

[J.R.]

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'155590\' date=\'Jun 19 2007, 05:19 PM\']
Has Millionaire been the only UK game show which had the contestant try for one million pounds?
[/quote]

Nope, PokerFace and the UK Greed offered £1,000,000 as well.