Challenge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Challenge
Launched	September 1, 1993
Owned by	Virgin Media Television
Audience share	0.3% (0.1% for +1) (February '07, [1])
Formerly called	The Family Channel (until February 1997), Challenge TV (until May 2002), Challenge? (until June 2003)
Timeshift service	Challenge +1
Website	www.challenge.co.uk
Availability
Satellite
Sky Digital	Channel 124 Channel 125 (+1)
Cable
Virgin Media	Channel 152 Channel 153 (+1)
WightCable	Channel 42/115

Challenge is a British digital TV channel owned by Virgin Media Television. Originally known as The Family Channel, and later as Challenge TV, the station relies heavily on gameshows taken from a variety of sources. Most are repeats of programmes acquired from the terrestrial channels' archives, but a few are original productions commissioned by Challenge itself. The channel also has interactive features for digital viewers watching certain shows, enabling them to play along at home.

The channel buys many of its gameshows from ITV, such as Bruce's Price is Right, although it also takes some from Channel 4 (The Crystal Maze), Five (Fort Boyard) and even the BBC (Blankety Blank).

Contents 1 Themed programming 2 Player 3 Programmes 3.1 Current 3.2 Past 4 The Family Channel Era 5 Past Logos 6 External links 7 References

[edit] Themed programming

In recent times Challenge has begun to theme its daily schedule. Gameshow repeats typically play in the daytime, action gameshows are shown in early evening, and now reality and casino-based programmes have been introduced late at night. This has drawn criticism to the channel but in return has attracted a whole new audience.^{[citation needed]}

In late 2004 Challenge introduced the Gameshow Gods slot during weekday evenings, in which two vintage episodes hosted by well-known gameshow presenters such as Bob Monkhouse, Bruce Forsyth and Ted Rogers were shown each night. They would then be replaced with another two gameshows the following month. This re-introduced many gameshow favourites from years gone by.

In the summer of 2005 Challenge showed Old-School Saturdays, featuring popular Saturday-evening programmes of years gone by. This was followed in the autumn by Tea Time Takedown: popular action gameshows, namely The Crystal Maze and Gladiators, were shown in the early-evening slots on weekdays. This theme of programming continues at those times, albeit without the Teatime Takedown label.

From spring 2006 Challenge began a Quiz Frenzy on weekday afternoons, playing such quiz shows such as Fifteen to One.

In summer 2006 Challenge continued its line of themed programmes with Threesomes every weekend. Three classic gameshows such as Catchphrase and Family Fortunes were shown three times a day, back-to-back. This did take a break for a brief time shortly after its introduction but has recently been re-introduced.

The recent addition to the line themed programmes was introduced in March 2007 with the introduction of Fully Loaded, running double-bills of certain gameshows on weekday mornings. This also brought in the introduction of the short-lived ITV daytime show Cash Cab.

[edit] Player

On March 2, 2006, Challenge launched a new channel called Player. Previously the channel had aired a late-night block under the Player name (featuring gambling programmes such as Celebrity Poker Club, Casino Casino and the World Poker Tour), which was a great success.^{[citation needed]} The new full-time Player channel uses the same ident as the current Player strand but in a different colour (from red to yellow). The channel has now been renamed Bravo 2 and has become a sister channel of Bravo rather than Challenge.

Logo of the Player block on Challenge

Logo of the Player channel

[edit] Programmes

[edit] Current

• The Amazing Race
• Takeshi's Castle (and the American 'version' MXC)^[1]
• Knightmare
• It's a Knockout!
• Distraction^[2]
• Extreme Dodgeball^[3]
• TV Scrabble
• Classic Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?^[4]
• The Crystal Maze^[5]
• Fort Boyard
• Blankety Blank (both the Les Dawson and the Lily Savage versions)
• Family Fortunes^[6]
• Wheel of Fortune
• Play Your Cards Right
• Bruce's Price Is Right
• Supermarket Sweep
• Gladiators^[7]
• 3-2-1
• Catchphrase^[8]
• Bullseye^[9]
• Don't Try This At Home
• You Bet!
• Kenny vs. Spenny (Canadian format of Ed vs. Spencer)
• Banzai
• Fifteen-to-One
• The Generation Game
• Big Break^[10]
• Eggheads^[11]
• Fear Factor^[12]
• Take It Or Leave It^[13]
• Showbiz Darts^[14]
• Going for Gold
• The Weakest Link
• Strike It Rich^[15]
• Mastermind^[16]
• Cash Cab (from March 4th)
• The Krypton Factor
• Blockbusters

[edit] Past

• Treasure Hunt
• Interceptor
• Telly Addicts
• 100%
• Battle Dome
• Whittle
• Whose Line Is It Anyway?
• Blind Date
• GamesMaster (Series 1 only due to bad ratings)
• Karaoke Challenge
• The Desert Forges

[edit] The Family Channel Era

• Treasure Hunt
• Catchphrase
• Zorro

[edit] Past Logos

The Family Channel (1993-1997)	Challenge (1997-2002)	Challenge? (2002-2003)	Challenge (2003-2004)
Challenge (2004-2006)

[edit] External links

• CHALLENGE.co.uk

[edit] References