- Winning Lines
"Winning Lines" was a
National Lottery game show produced byCelador that premiered onBBC One in theUnited Kingdom on 13 June 1999, originally hosted bySimon Mayo . From series 3 (9 June 2001 onwards)Phillip Schofield presented instead of Mayo. The last edition was broadcast on 16 October 2004.UK Version
Infobox Television
show_name = Winning Lines (UK)
caption =
format =Game show
picture_format =16:9
runtime = 45 minutes
creator =
presenter =Simon Mayo
(1999-2000)Philip Schofield
(2001-2004)
country = UK
network =BBC One
first_aired = 13 June 1999
last_aired = 16 October 2004
num_series = 6
num_episodes =
producer =Celador
related =Talking Telephone Numbers
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =Round One
49 contestants took part in this round, but only six would move on to round two. The host reads a question that can be answered by a number from 1 to 49. Anyone who thinks that their own number is the answer buzzes in. If the owner of that number buzzed, he or she moves on to round two. Anyone who buzzed but was wrong is eliminated. If the owner didn't buzz, but should have, s/he is out. This process repeats until 6 people qualify for the second round.
The last digit from each of the winner's numbers are shown at the end of the show. If all 6 numbers match the last 6 digits of your phone number in any order then you can call in to try and appear on the next show.
In series two onwards, this changed to the host asking the 49 contestants a question with a number for an answer. The contestants use keypads to enter their answers, and whoever is correct in the fastest time moves on to the second round. Contestants do not have to play a question and wrong answers eliminates all those who give them. This continues until six have qualified for the next round. All of the remaining contestants are eliminated.
Round Two - Looking After Number One
Each contestant carries their number from round one with them to round two. Schofield (or Mayo) asks questions that can be answered by one of the six numbers in play. Contestants buzz in to answer the question. A right answer means that the owner of that number is eliminated, unless the person who buzzed in had the number; in that case no one is eliminated. If the contestant is wrong, he or she is eliminated. This goes on until one contestant is remaining. The winner plays the Wonderwall for a grand prize trip.
Wonderwall
The champion is asked as many questions as possible in three minutes, the answers to which appear on three projection screens. Each answer wins a better trip as follows, and twenty correct answers wins a three-week-long around the world holiday. During Philip's years, the winner of the grand prize would then play the Wonderwall again. This time, right answers were worth £200, with a possible £4,000 at stake. There were no pit stops (the regular bonus round had two, though).
External links
* [http://www.ukgameshows.com/index.php/Winning_Lines "Winning Lines"] at UKgameshows.com
* [http://www.celadorproductions.com/programmes_past.php?id=38 "Winning Lines"] at CeladorUS Version
Infobox Television
show_name = Winning Lines (US)
genre =Quiz show
director =Jim Yukich
presenter =Dick Clark
editor =Scott T. Miller
composer =Keith Strachan
language = English
num_seasons = 1
executive_producer =David G. Stanley Scott A. Stone Paul Smith
network =CBS
first_aired = 8 January 2000
last_aired = 18 February 2000
imdb_id = 0233126
tv_com_id = 14873Starting from 8 January 2000, the show also had a short run on
CBS in theUnited States . It was hosted byDick Clark and directed byJames Yukich . It was produced byStone Stanley Entertainment .Round One
Host Clark asks the 49 contestants a question with a number for an answer. The contestants use keypads to enter their answers, and whoever is fastest moves on to the second round. Six questions are played in this way. The other 43 contestants are eliminated.
Round Two
The "Sudden Death" Round as Clark called it. As in the British version, each contestant carries their number from round one with them to round two. Clark asks questions that can be answered by one of the six numbers in play. Contestants buzz in to answer the question. A right answer means that the owner of that number is eliminated, unless the person who buzzed in had the number; in that case no one is eliminated. If the contestant is wrong, he or she is eliminated. This goes on until one contestant is remaining. That contestant wins $2,500, the others win $1,000 each.
Wonderwall
The winner has three minutes to answer as many questions as possible, using 49 answers as displayed on three projection screens. Each right answer earns more money as follows, with 20 right answers earning $1 million:
Like the British version, the player has to call out number "and" answer, and has the right to freeze the monitor two times for fifteen uncounted seconds (called "Pit Stops"). A player could pass two questions. However, in a bit of drama which differentiated the US and UK versions, if a contestant gave an incorrect answer, or was unable to answer within 15 seconds, he/she received a strike. Upon a player's second wrong answer, or when less than fifteen seconds remained in the game, a "bailout" button began to glow. A contestant could hit this button at any time and leave with whatever money they had earned to that point; however, running out of time or picking up a third strike without "bailing out" resulted in the player leaving with only the $2,500 which he or she won earlier.
Instead of the three screens in the studio, home viewers were shown a screen that continually scrolled from side to side and automatically jumped to the right place when a correct answer was given.
The show's biggest winner was Catherine Rahm, who on the first show won $500,000, after answering 19 questions correctly.
The US version offered an at-home game similar to the British version. The 'ones' digit from each of the round one winners' numbers and the 'ones' digit from the number of the final correct answer given during the Wonderwall were shown at the end of the show. Home viewers who could make up their own phone number from those seven digits were eligible to enter a drawing for $50,000 cash.
After dismal ratings, CBS canceled the show after ten episodes, one of which was unaired.
French version
France 2 adapted a third version of this game called "Le Numéro Gagnant", which was aired in 2001 to 2002. French radio and TV presentersNagui was the host. The game's rules are nearly similar than the British version.
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