Alright, let’s see what you’ve sent in…
- Rat in the Kitchen – the latest Possessed hit – is coming. It’s a weekly mini The Mole-meets-Masterchef and has a pilot already filmed with Ms. Giedroyc.
JUST BLOODY DO THE MOLE, GLENN.
- Almost as soon as the US one was announced, a UK revival of Weakest Link based on the new US version was definitely being considered, but in the last week or so that seems to have stopped, it’s not been confirmed what’s happening with that either way.
I’m wondering what happened to the impetus the Children in Need special had three years ago? People seemed to like it (even though it was frankly a bit rubbish, not unlike the US one) and it rated pretty decently and it sounded like Anne was up for making more. It actually had many of the same issues – quizzing too slow, chain was rubbish, seemingly little thought put into formatting. Kudos to the person who almost got one through suggesting up and coming host Ross Clark was being lined up for a revival, until I remembered who Ross Clark was.
- Not sure if Stool-worthy but Legends of The Hidden Temple-rebooter Quibi is currently failing to find a possible seller, with Apple, Facebook and WarnerMedia confirming they have no interest. They’ve also come under fire very recently for producing an advert on YouTube which included a jumpscare (Twitter link, no video).
- Nickelodeon’s Crystal Maze will air January 2021, nothing is changing in its production other than masks worn by crew during filming and cleaning of each zone during stop downs and transitions. It’s not really juicy gossip, just a surprise considering Fort Boyard 2020, but then again. I guess the family is inside their own household bubble so.
- I have had some info from a Viacom insider regarding their contingency plans in regards to the American Crystal Maze Series if they cannot get to the UK within the next 6 months. They are considering building their own set and will be located in a secret location. From my understanding i believe it will be filmed in a airhangar similar to how supermarket sweep (US) was filmed earlier this year.
I think we’d all like to see what an American Crystal Maze set would look and feel like – I imagine the main thing would be keeping Adam and the families apart which might be quite difficult if the windows are all in the doors and whatever.
You’d think Richard Ayoade would be in his element hosting a socially distanced version. As it turns out, there are still six celeb episodes filmed 18 months ago that still haven’t been shown yet, except on Australian cable.
- Some discussion being had of international versions of Taskmaster ending up on All4. Likely to just be Taskmaster: New Zealand if anything, but there had been discussion of the Scandinavian versions also.
I would be very intrigued by the take-up if this is true. It sounds like the Scandinavian versions are viewed pretty positively from those who have seen them.
- I have heard that the Dutch Mol filmed or films in Germany. Based on my source I am not entirely sure, whether this is true or whether they mistook the Dutch with the Belgians, but it seems about 80% sure that one of them filmed or films in Germany.
I’ve also heard Norway and Switzerland are possible locations for either as well.
- Darragh Ennis set to debut on The Chase on Tuesday 20th October.
You heard it here first! Unless it’s wrong.
- Pilot made recently for ITV called ‘Headstrong‘; a cross between Ninja Warrior and WWTBAM. Answer a question, attack the obstacle course. I hear that the contestants they had were fine with the questions but not so good with the assault course and nobody completed it over a very long day of recording!
This sounds like a fun idea!
- A nest full of dead ospreys was found near where The Bridge was filmed. Production naturally got the blame, so they had to pay for a vet to do a post-mortem, which determined that they died long before the crew turned up.
I have no idea if this is true or not but I love the story.
- Richard Bacon BBC daytime quiz “Spinning Around” has a pilot coming up. Main game looks to be somewhat roulette themed.
JUST BLOODY DO GAMBIT, RICHARD.
And that’s all the weather! FOR NOW.
Well if they do get the Scandi ones, I hope Channel 4 brands it as Walter Presents: Taskmaster.
YES!
I haven’t seen the US version so not 100% of the tone, but in regards to Weakest Link, does UK TV want a Queen of Mean again? Not only given just the general end of days global vibe, but TV generally seems to have moved on especially when you consider the comparative feel good friendly vibe of tea time quizzes that have replaced it. Could totally be wrong mind.
Can easily see Taskmaster NZ on All 4, very C4 thing to do and wouldn’t cost too much and bet it would do OK. Presuming 4 don’t have first refusal, it would be quite funny if Dave bought it.
Somebody has kindly been uploading the episodes to Youtube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=neaEAGidpIU
On the back of the missing Crystal Maze episodes does anybody know of ITV ever got through all the episodes of Cash Trapped they had waiting?
In the UK? Probably yes. If it’s funny.
Wonder actually how long Dave have the rights to rerun their series of Taskmaster for and whether they might end up on All4 as well.
Reasonably sure I’ve read somewhere that all the old Taskmaster episodes will be on All 4 imminently , maybe this weekend even. Think they are staying on UKTV play for a while too.
I think there is some overlap on TV as well as someone on Twitter posted that repeats are continuing on Dave, and pre S10 eps are also showing up on Digiguide for E4 and 4Music.
Glenn is OBVIOUSLY sorting out a grand revival for January 2021 to celebrate the 20th anniversary…well maybe not so much now
I wonder who would host it and if they would go down a civilian route or ‘celebrity’ route
Sunday at 9pm on Channel 4 would be an ideal fit!
Celebrity Mole is a difficult sell in the UK because it’d be odd for celebs to play for themselves and not charity, and if you are playing for charity then it’s not a good look for the Mole to be denying that. Maybe the pot could go to a viewer, don’t know. Dutch celebs evidently paid less than UK ones!
This seems like as good a time as to ask this, seeing as I can’t find the answer anywhere else. How is the mole actually rewarded? It’s been said many times that the mole normally gets a flat appearance fee, or sometimes nothing at all except the honour of being the mole, unless it’s one of the versions where the Mole gets the amount they’ve lost the team if they are undetected. But what this misses out is : what’s the Mole’s encouragement to mole? Is there nothing other than the satisfaction of playing the game well, and the knowledge that they will probably be called out on social media as the worst mole ever if they just play as a contestant.
The Mole will be paid a fee for doing the job – they don’t just get to socialize with the group, they have to do all the clandestine production meetings along the way. For this they get to experience the whole trip and get the massive ego boost of having an entire series about them. And who wants to be known as the crap Mole?
Have there ever been any crap Moles, come to think of it? I don’t think everyone getting the Mole’s identity right at the end means that the Mole was crap; it’s about the journey, not the destination. I can’t think what a series with a crap Mole would look like; I’d be inclined to blame the producers rather than the Mole personally, unless the producers went out of their way in the recap episode to point out specifically the Mole’s crapperosity.
I think that’s one the big things about The Mole compared to many other reality shows, contestants often say that they enjoyed it and they’re disappointed that they don’t get to see more of the trip. In many other shows the reward is the prize money and minor game, and you have to go through hell to get it.
Depends what your definition of a crap Mole is. If it’s someone who was spotted super early, then yuuuuuuuuup, but it’s more than likely Production’s fault. US Mole 5 had a very blatant pre-season clue (meaning everyone online was onto the Mole from Minute -1) and WIDM16 is notorious for having a clue that got busted in Episode 2 – to the point where they try and not make the Mole super obvious in the Dutch seasons until the last minute nowadays.
For me a crap Mole is someone like the one from German Mole this year or AU6 – one where it’s just really unsatisfying when you find out it was them. I don’t necessarily think there have been any terrible ones, just ones that it’s really hard to reconcile them being the focus of the season or the one playing a double game.
100% on GLENN just needs to revive the mole uk already I’m sure somebody would pick it up
Also love the Scandinavian versions of Taskmaster as there is already subs out there
I know its just us gameshow nerds, but you’d think that someone would see The Mole still regularly ranked fairly high on lists and think it might be worth another shot.
If they can keep doing series of Hunted to fairly decent results, surely The Mole can pull in a similar audience? Channel 4 seems a really good fit with The Circle also doing well and the Bridge fitting too.
Quite a few production people also love The Mole from my experience – just not the right production people to make it happen.
Interesting in a strange way- Face the Clock Vietnam…
https://youtu.be/v7ULE8Hd4Qw
(Hour long eps with 2 groups of 5 play down to 1, group winners play the chess clock final to see who goes for the money, money round like the UK version- and unlike the UK version which was one-and-done, this is the 1st episode of the 2nd series….)
Also set in the world’s echoiest studio, apparently!
In terms of the maze I haven’t heard that any recordings happened for both countries. So if this person is certain Jan 2021 is happening then that means both bullet points are true and that a us maze was built
Could they actually tape episodes of Crystal Maze during the pandemic? Could they actually have done it or do it in the weeks or monthss to come if they wanted to?
I guess that they could be celebrity episodes.
If they filmed more celebrity episodes it would more likely be families… or they could (putting this in the aether) bring back a former team or two *cough*, put them in a air bnb for a week or so to form a social bubble and film that way… I know of one team that is mostly made up of single people so wouldn’t be too difficult to bubble up (new catchphrase for 20/21?!)
Emails always open TCM Producers! :-p
I can understand not printing any of the rubbish in the main article, but was any of it at least fun enough to be worth printing in the comments to give us all a smile?
Idle thought re: Rat In The Kitchen: does The Mole get bonus money if it ends in food poisoning?
Headstrong sounds very similar to The Whole 19 Yards based on that description, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Cat Deeley did a pilot literally last week- you think it might have been Headstrong?
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/12922050/cat-deeley-itv-primetime-gameshow/
Mmm, could be!
Guess the chase scoop was wrong as today’s chaser was the vixen.