10 Things You Didn"t Know About British Game Show Hosts
Hosting game shows isn't always as easy as it seems. Hosts need to bring their own unique personalities to the job but allow the contestants to be the real stars of the show. Still, many hosts have interesting stories and personality quirks that most viewers don't know about. Here are some of the best game show hosts in Britain along with some fun facts about each one.
This article was contributed by Ben Skinner of MyOffers.co.uk. You can follow MyOffers Competitions on Twitter @MyOffers_Prizes.
Perhaps more famously appearing on Noel’s House Party with Mr Blobby, Deal or No Deal’s Noel Edmonds is a believer in spirituality and once told the Daily Mail that he gets visited by two spiritual orbs which appear over his shoulder. After being referred by his reflexologist to a book on cosmic ordering, he wanted a new challenge in his life having not worked on TV for some years. Deal or No Deal was just that, and Noel can be seen with his spiritual energy balls which they can only be captured by digital photography.
Man O Man was the brief two-series game show in which men stood in front of a pool and got the push if they were no good. Along with Chris Tarrant hosting, Nell McAndrew the glamour model appeared in this as one of the Man O Man babes – you know, the game show girls that hook the male viewers - long before her modeling career took off. You can see Nell in action in this early video from Man O Man. These early episodes were apparently recorded in 1995, prior to Nell becoming widely known and appearing in the likes of Playboy.
The fiery red-head has been known to dish out a harsh comment or two while presenting the BBC’s The Weakest Link. But did you know that Anne has admitted to being an alcoholic, during her time as a journalist at The Sunday Times? She joined in 1970, after her then-husband had to fire her as they both worked at the Daily Mail. The couple split in 1973, which brought on Anne’s drinking habit and she was eventually forced to resign in 1978. Anne weighed as little as 6 stone during this time, and doctors gave her 6 weeks to live. She now hasn’t touched a drop since 1978.
Bruce Forsyth is probably the oldest and best known name in UK show business, though he looks nearer to 65 than 85. But did you know this: Brucie’s great-great-great-great grandfather was founder of the Royal Horticultural Society and the genus plant Forsythia was named after him.
As well as appearing on the ITV weeknight game show The Chase with the likes of The Beast, The Governess and The Dark Destroyer, Walsh appeared in Coronation Street from 2004-2006. But did you know Bradley was also an accomplished footballer? The Arsenal supporter showed signs early on, scoring 64 goals for his school football team and atn 18 he played for Brentford F.C. Ankle injuries finished his footballing career and he retired from the game in the early 80s.
On The Apprentice contestants prove their business acumen and receive brutal criticism from Lord Sugar to hopefully win the £250,000 business deal. The east-ender is now thought to be worth in excess of £700 million. Sugar has been scrutinized just as much as his apprentice candidates in recent times. In 2007, he was quoted with saying that the iPod would be a fad, “dead, finished, gone, kaput” by the following Christmas. The same iPod which sold over 304 thousand units, recorded in January 2011.
The ex-Big Brother host has had a tough time in her past. Abandoned by her mother at the age of three and becoming a user of heroin and cocaine, Davina has put that all behind her now. Did you know that Davina actually appeared in an early 90s music video with Kylie Minogue? She can be seen sporting a white top and beret in Word Is Out.
Everything becomes a lot harder once you step foot in The Cube. The game show where contestants have to do some fairly basic challenges like step over beams blindfolded and transport a number of balls from one box to another in a certain time frame certainly makes you think "I could do that." Did you know that Philip Schofield takes his health very seriously? Apart from breakfast, he only eats one meal a day! He keeps fit, partaking in pilates and fast-paced walks, and tries to stay away from fatty meals.
Sometimes mistakenly thought to be Peter Kay’s brother as they both reside from Bolton and share the same surname, Vernon appeared on Family Fortunes after Les Dennis and Andy Collins. He also hosted Million Dollar Mind Game in the U.S. At 6 ft. 4 inches, the TV giant’s favourite sport is American Football in which he plays for the London Warriors as a defensive back – which is usually where the quickest and smallest players play!
Roy Walker is known for his bad jokes and creation of Catchphrase’s Mr Chips. During Roy’s early days as a boy, he helped to run a fruit stall and worked in a local club in Northern Ireland. He was a victim of the religious friction and threatened with a pistol drawn to his face, when confronted by two men one day. They threatened him and gave everyone 24 hours to leave, which Roy did with his family. Roy’s fruit shop was firebombed after which he and his family moved to England. Roy was also the Northern Ireland Hammer Thrower champion for two years and represented his country in the event.
This article was contributed by Ben Skinner of MyOffers.co.uk. You can follow MyOffers Competitions on Twitter @MyOffers_Prizes.
•Noel Edmonds, Deal or No Deal
Perhaps more famously appearing on Noel’s House Party with Mr Blobby, Deal or No Deal’s Noel Edmonds is a believer in spirituality and once told the Daily Mail that he gets visited by two spiritual orbs which appear over his shoulder. After being referred by his reflexologist to a book on cosmic ordering, he wanted a new challenge in his life having not worked on TV for some years. Deal or No Deal was just that, and Noel can be seen with his spiritual energy balls which they can only be captured by digital photography.
•Nell McAndrew - Man O Man
Man O Man was the brief two-series game show in which men stood in front of a pool and got the push if they were no good. Along with Chris Tarrant hosting, Nell McAndrew the glamour model appeared in this as one of the Man O Man babes – you know, the game show girls that hook the male viewers - long before her modeling career took off. You can see Nell in action in this early video from Man O Man. These early episodes were apparently recorded in 1995, prior to Nell becoming widely known and appearing in the likes of Playboy.
•Anne Robinson – The Weakest Link
The fiery red-head has been known to dish out a harsh comment or two while presenting the BBC’s The Weakest Link. But did you know that Anne has admitted to being an alcoholic, during her time as a journalist at The Sunday Times? She joined in 1970, after her then-husband had to fire her as they both worked at the Daily Mail. The couple split in 1973, which brought on Anne’s drinking habit and she was eventually forced to resign in 1978. Anne weighed as little as 6 stone during this time, and doctors gave her 6 weeks to live. She now hasn’t touched a drop since 1978.
•Bruce Forsyth – Play Your Cards Right
Bruce Forsyth is probably the oldest and best known name in UK show business, though he looks nearer to 65 than 85. But did you know this: Brucie’s great-great-great-great grandfather was founder of the Royal Horticultural Society and the genus plant Forsythia was named after him.
•Bradley Walsh – The Chase
As well as appearing on the ITV weeknight game show The Chase with the likes of The Beast, The Governess and The Dark Destroyer, Walsh appeared in Coronation Street from 2004-2006. But did you know Bradley was also an accomplished footballer? The Arsenal supporter showed signs early on, scoring 64 goals for his school football team and atn 18 he played for Brentford F.C. Ankle injuries finished his footballing career and he retired from the game in the early 80s.
•Alan Sugar – The Apprentice
On The Apprentice contestants prove their business acumen and receive brutal criticism from Lord Sugar to hopefully win the £250,000 business deal. The east-ender is now thought to be worth in excess of £700 million. Sugar has been scrutinized just as much as his apprentice candidates in recent times. In 2007, he was quoted with saying that the iPod would be a fad, “dead, finished, gone, kaput” by the following Christmas. The same iPod which sold over 304 thousand units, recorded in January 2011.
•Davina McCall – The Million Pound Drop Live
The ex-Big Brother host has had a tough time in her past. Abandoned by her mother at the age of three and becoming a user of heroin and cocaine, Davina has put that all behind her now. Did you know that Davina actually appeared in an early 90s music video with Kylie Minogue? She can be seen sporting a white top and beret in Word Is Out.
•Philip Schofield – The Cube
Everything becomes a lot harder once you step foot in The Cube. The game show where contestants have to do some fairly basic challenges like step over beams blindfolded and transport a number of balls from one box to another in a certain time frame certainly makes you think "I could do that." Did you know that Philip Schofield takes his health very seriously? Apart from breakfast, he only eats one meal a day! He keeps fit, partaking in pilates and fast-paced walks, and tries to stay away from fatty meals.
•Vernon Kay – Family Fortunes
Sometimes mistakenly thought to be Peter Kay’s brother as they both reside from Bolton and share the same surname, Vernon appeared on Family Fortunes after Les Dennis and Andy Collins. He also hosted Million Dollar Mind Game in the U.S. At 6 ft. 4 inches, the TV giant’s favourite sport is American Football in which he plays for the London Warriors as a defensive back – which is usually where the quickest and smallest players play!
•Roy Walker – Catchphrase
Roy Walker is known for his bad jokes and creation of Catchphrase’s Mr Chips. During Roy’s early days as a boy, he helped to run a fruit stall and worked in a local club in Northern Ireland. He was a victim of the religious friction and threatened with a pistol drawn to his face, when confronted by two men one day. They threatened him and gave everyone 24 hours to leave, which Roy did with his family. Roy’s fruit shop was firebombed after which he and his family moved to England. Roy was also the Northern Ireland Hammer Thrower champion for two years and represented his country in the event.
