Catchphrase (British game show)

Catchphrase
GenreGame show
Created bySteven Radosh
Presented by
Narrated by
Theme music composer
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series
  • 17 (Original)
  • 13 (Revival)
No. of episodes
  • 348 (Original)
  • 121 (Revival)
Production
Production locations
Running time
  • 30 minutes (1986–2004)
  • 45–60 minutes (2013–present)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkITV
Release12 January 1986 (1986-01-12) –
23 April 2004 (2004-04-23)
Release7 April 2013 (2013-04-07) –
present
Related
Family Catchphrase
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Catchphrase is a British game show based on the short-lived American game show of the same name. It originally aired in the United Kingdom between 12 January 1986 and 23 April 2004.[5] A revival premiered on ITV1 on 7 April 2013 and is still running as of 2024.[6]

Catchphrase was presented by Northern Irish comedian Roy Walker from its 1986 premiere until 1999, airing weekly at night. Television South (TVS) produced the original Catchphrase series. After TVS lost its ITV broadcast franchise, Carlton Television took over producing the programme. Nick Weir took over hosting the programme in 2000 and hosted it until the end of series 16 on 23 April 2004. Mark Curry replaced Weir for the final series, which moved to a daytime slot and ran from 24 June to 19 December 2002.

On 27 August 2012, a revived pilot was made by STV Studios and Digital Rights Group (DRG) with new host Stephen Mulhern. The original format remains, although there are now three contestants instead of two, and the show has also been updated with new 3D graphics and a new concluding game.[7][8] On 9 October 2012, ITV announced that it had ordered a full series after a successful pilot.[9]

In the original series, two contestants, one male and one female, standing in blue lectern and red lectern, (in the Roy Walker era), and the purple lectern and orange lectern (in the Nick Weir/Mark Curry era) would have to identify the familiar phrase represented by a piece of animation accompanied by background music. The show's mascot, a golden robot called "Mr. Chips", appears in many of the animations. In the revived version of the show, the same format remains, but there are three contestants and there is no particular attention paid to gender.

Catchphrase was a creation of Steve Radosh, who created the American series that the British programme was derived from; due to this, he is given credit for creating this show as well (as was producer Marty Pasetta and distributor Telepictures).

  1. ^ "Induction #74 – Catchphrase Post-Walker". gameshowgarbage. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  2. ^ Walker, James (18 October 2014). "Filming of ITV show Catchphrase, hosted by Stephen Mulhern, will begin next month at Maidstone Studios in New Cut Road". Kent Online. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Ex-ITV Regional Studios". TV Studio History. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  4. ^ "dock10 welcomes Catchphrase". Dock10. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  5. ^ "CATCHPHRASE (Series 16, Episode 21)". ITN Source. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  6. ^ "'Catchphrase' returning for second series on ITV". Digital Spy. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Catchphrase to make comeback on ITV!". Digital Spy. 24 May 2012.
  8. ^ "Stephen Mulhern's 'Catchphrase' revival ordered to pilot by ITV". Digital Spy. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  9. ^ Jeffery, Morgan (9 October 2012). "'Catchphrase': ITV orders full series with Stephen Mulhern". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 October 2012.


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