50/50

Infobox Television
show_name = 50/50


caption = "50/50" Logo
format = Children's Game Show
picture_format = 4:3 (1997 - 2000) 16:9 (2001 - 2005)
runtime = 25 minutes
creator =
starring = Sally Gray (1997 - 2002) Angellica Bell (2003 - 2004) Sophie McDonnell (2005)
channel = BBC1
first_aired = 7 April 1997
last_aired = 12 July 2005
num_series =
num_episodes = 122
country = UK
producer =
related =
imdb_id = 0444566

"50/50" is a British children's game show that is broadcast on CBBC. Made by BBC Scotland, it was first broadcast in 1997 and the latest series aired in 2005. It has two schools in the UK put forward 50 students. Each child is given a number from 1-50 which they wear during the show, before each round a number generator randomly picks which students will take part in the next game.

One of the schools wear blue t-shirts and the other wears yellow. The colours were originally green and orange. They sit opposite each other in raised seating while the game takes place in between them. Most of the children will not get an opportunity to play in a game, but there are question rounds and observation rounds where points are won by the number of correct answers. The games usually consist of inflatable obstacle courses similar to those found in "Get Your Own Back", "Fun House" and "Run the Risk".

Presenters

The shows first presenter was "Sally Gray", from its inception until 2002. "Angellica Bell" presented the show from 2003 until 2004. The final presenter was former Precious singer "Sophie McDonnell" in 2005. All three main presenters have also worked on other CBBC shows.

Flynn

Also in the series is 'Flynn', a voice in the background who announces which players are competing in each event, commentates on each event and provides score updates at the end of each event. Flynn has been voiced by Matthew Davies and Dave Kelly [ [http://www.ukgameshows.com/page/index.php/50/50 "50/50" at UKGameshows.com] ] . In The Avalanche, when the snowdome is hit, a speaker says either 'Blue' or Yellow' (depending on which team the player is in, in Flynn's voice, and at the beginning, he will reveal embarrassing facts about two of the contestants, one from each team. In the earlier series', Flynn did not speak.

Contests

*"The Spike" - 5 contestants must battle their way through a forest of spikes, then through a 'spike jaw'. After climbing up a hill, they collect a puzzle piece, slide down the other side of the hill and hand the puzzle piece to their team's 'builder' who builds the puzzle. Each puzzle piece is worth 10 points, and the first team to build their puzzle gets a bonus 30 points.
*"The Observator" - The two teams will see part of a music video. They will then be asked several questions relating to specific details in the video. Each team member has to say whether the facts are true or false. If they get it right, they get a point.
*"The Pulse" - A player will be picked at random to answer a general knowledge question. They can play - get it right and they get 100 points, get it wrong and they get nothing - or pass - their team-mates will vote on the question in the same manner as The Observator.
*"The Revolve" - There is a revolving maze, with puzzle pieces in the centre. This works in much the same way as The Spike - 5 randomly-picked contestants will get to the center of the maze, grab a puzzle piece in their team's colour, get out of the maze and hand the piece to their builder who builds the puzzle.
*"The Cube" - There is a large tiltable cube with a ball inside. At various points within the layers are holes to drop the ball into, and at the bottom is a Hit Zone (20 points for the first two, 40 points for any others) and a Miss Zone (lose 10 points). There is also a chute that will give you a direct Hit.
*"The Wire" - This was only introduced when Sophie McDonnell was presenter. There is a large wire with 5 sections. Each player must manoeuvre a hoop along a section. Each completed section gives 20 points, you lose 5 points if the hoop touches the wire, with each section the hoops get smaller, and you get an extra 20 points if you complete the whole thing within two minutes.
*"The Elevator" - Players release a series of balls into a chute. They must then race the balls along an obstacle course, to get to their team's 'shooter'. By moving the shooter up, they release the tube they have to shoot the balls into. Each ball is worth 10 points, and you can get a maximum of 12 balls in your tube.
*"The Fly" - Each player grabs a suction cup, races along an obstacle course with it and hands it to their team's 'fly' - a player hooked up to the roof. By using the suction cups, the fly will pull him/herself along. The last suction cup will be used to prise open a pyramid. Inside the pyramid is a plunger which the fly will then hit. Each suction cup is worth 10 points if correctly placed, and the first to the plunger gets an extra 30 points.
*"The Avalanche" - Each player will battle through a small tunnel, and down a hill. There will then be several spikes jutting out of the floor with snowflakes stuck on them (in the earlier series, there were white and gold snowflakes, placed evenly, but in the later episodes on each stalagmite there was a white snowflake on top of a gold one). They then climb up a hill, slide down the other side and press their team's snowdome to secure their points. Each player that hits the snowdome gets 30 points, white snowflakes are worth 50 points and gold snowflakes are worth 80 points. The Avalanche usually comes at the end of each episode.

References

External links

* [http://www.ukgameshows.com/page/index.php/50/50 "50/50"] at UKGameshows.com
* [http://www.tv.com/50-50/show/22255/summary.html?q=5050&tag=search_results;title;1 "50/50"] at TV.com