Ask the Family

Last updated

Ask the Family
Ask the Family title screen 1978.png
Also known asDick & Dom's Ask the Family (2005)
Genre Game show
Created byPatricia Owtram
Presented by
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series18
No. of episodes275
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network
Release12 June 1967 (1967-06-12) –
5 May 2005 (2005-05-05)

Ask the Family is a British game show that was first broadcast on BBC1 from 12 June 1967 to 22 October 1984 hosted by Robert Robinson and then on UK Gold from 6 June to 10 October 1999 hosted by Alan Titchmarsh and from 4 April to 5 May 2005 hosted by Dick & Dom on BBC Two.

Contents

Format

The show took the form of a quiz contest between two teams, with each team consisting of four members of a single family – two parents and two teenage children. Over the course of the thirty-minute show the teams were asked a variety of general knowledge questions and mental puzzles, with the winner advancing to later rounds, culminating in a grand final between the two families that had been unbeaten in the series.

The teams were asked questions, with certain questions directed at only certain members of the family – such as "children only", or "father and elder child only".

Transmissions

SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodesPresenter
112 July 1967 [1] 23 August 1967 [2] 7 Robert Robinson
29 September 1968 [3] 23 December 1968 [4] 15
38 September 1969 [5] 29 December 1969 [6] 17
414 September 1970 [7] 28 December 1970 [8] 16
513 September 1971 [9] 27 December 1971 [10] 16
624 January 1973 [11] 9 May 1973 [12] 16
710 September 1974 [13] 7 January 1975 [14] 15
85 January 1976 [15] 19 April 1976 [16] 15
93 January 1977 [17] 8 April 1977 [18] 15
109 January 1978 [19] 24 April 1978 [20] 15
1123 April 1979 [21] 20 August 1979 [22] 15
1221 April 1980 [23] 18 August 1980 [24] 15
136 April 1981 [25] 10 August 1981 [26] 15
142 November 1982 [27] 14 December 1982 [28] 7
1521 September 1983 [29] 16 November 1983 [30] 8
163 September 1984 [31] 22 October 1984 [32] 8
176 June 199910 October 199931 Alan Titchmarsh
184 April 2005 [33] 5 May 2005 [34] 23 Dick and Dom

The show was parodied in contemporary comedy TV shows during the 1970s and 1980s, notably in Not the Nine O'Clock News in which both families were introduced as being almost identical save for surname, with all being quantity surveyors by profession (including the children). A spoof edition on The Kenny Everett Television Show featured Everett as Robert Robinson and as the (female) heads of the respective Windsor and Thatcher families. An episode of the radio sketch show I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again opened with a parody where "Robin Robertson", played by John Cleese, poured scorn on the families and abandoned them in disgust. One episode of The Burkiss Way likewise parodied it as Ask the Cleverdicks.

At one point tabloid newspapers made much of an occasion where the father of one family correctly answered the question "What is the sum of all the numbers from 1 to 100?" in a few seconds. However, there is a quick formula for the answer, as demonstrated by Carl Friedrich Gauss, and the answer may have been known to the person in question.

Related Research Articles

The Generation Game is a British game show produced by the BBC in which four teams of two people from the same family, but different generations, compete to win prizes.

Clodagh Rodgers is a retired singer from Northern Ireland, best known for her hit singles including "Come Back and Shake Me", "Goodnight Midnight", and "Jack in the Box".

<i>Mastermind</i> (British game show) British quiz show

Mastermind is a British television quiz show for the BBC, currently presented by Clive Myrie. Its creator, Bill Wright, drew inspiration from his experiences of being interrogated by the Gestapo during World War II. The show features an intimidating setting and challenging questions. Four contestants face two rounds, one on a specialised subject of the contestant's choice, the other a general knowledge round.

Call My Bluff is a British panel game show based on the short-lived US version of the same name. It was originally hosted by Robin Ray and later, most notably, by Robert Robinson. Its most prominent panellist was Frank Muir. The theme music for the show was Ciccolino by Norrie Paramor.

Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show which started in 1979 and is still running today, albeit with some sizeable gaps. The show is based on the American game show Match Game, with contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panellists to fill-in-the-blank questions.

<i>Big Break</i> British television game show (1991–2002)

Big Break is a British game show that aired on BBC1 from 30 April 1991 and 10 August 2002 and hosted by Jim Davidson with John Virgo as referee. The programme focuses on teams consisting of a contestant and a professional snooker player competing in rounds that involve snooker, with the best team eventually seeing its player seeking to win prizes for their contestant.

<i>Dick & Dom in da Bungalow</i> Television series

Dick & Dom in da Bungalow is a British children's television series presented by the duo Dick and Dom. The series was broadcast on weekend mornings for five series on the CBBC Channel, BBC One and BBC Two, running between 31 August 2002 and 11 March 2006.

Face the Music is a British panel game show that originally aired on BBC2 from 3 August 1967 to 2 January 1977 and then moved to BBC1 from 17 April 1983 to 16 December 1984 with Joseph Cooper hosting the entire run.

<i>A Question of Sport</i> British television sports quiz show (1970–2023)

A Question of Sport is a British television sports quiz show produced and broadcast by the BBC. It was the "world's longest running TV sports quiz". Following a pilot episode in December 1968, broadcast only in the north of England, the series ran from 1970 until production ceased in 2023. The final presenter was Paddy McGuinness, with team captains Sam Quek and Ugo Monye.

Pop Quiz was a British television quiz programme that originally aired on BBC1 from 4 July 1981 to 28 December 1984 with a Top of the Pops special on 4 January 1994 hosted by Mike Read. It was then revived from 21 May to 9 July 1994 on the same channel but this time hosted by Chris Tarrant. It was revived again on Red TV from 14 June to 30 August 2008 with Mike Read returning as host; he also hosted two specials on BBC Four in December 2016 and January 2017.

<i>The Saturday Show</i> (2001 TV series) British TV series or programme

The Saturday Show is a British children's television series that aired on BBC One from 22 September 2001 to 3 September 2005. It was the replacement for Live & Kicking and contained a mix of audience participation, cartoons, games and gunge. The initial presenters were Dani Behr and Joe Mace, who were replaced in 2002 and by Fearne Cotton and Simon Grant. In 2004, Cotton left and Grant was joined by Angellica Bell and Jake Humphrey, who made up the final team of presenters until the programme finished in September 2005.

Screen Test is a children's game show that aired on BBC1 from 18 November 1970 to 20 December 1984. It was first hosted by Michael Rodd from 1970 to 1979, then by Brian Trueman from 1979 to 1983 and finally by Mark Curry in 1984. It involved its contestants seeing clips from films, and then being asked questions about the films to test their memories of them.

This is a list of British television related events from 1981.

This is a list of British television related events from 1980.

This is a list of British television related events from 1974.

This is a list of British television related events from 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dougie Squires</span> English choreographer (1932–2023)

Douglas William Squires was an English choreographer, known best for his work in television from the mid-1950s. He was born in Nottingham.

That's Showbusiness is a game show that aired on BBC1 from 20 May 1989 to 8 July 1996 and hosted by Mike Smith.

<i>Chronicle</i> (British TV programme) British archaeology television series

Chronicle is a British television programme that was shown monthly and then fortnightly on BBC Two from 18 June 1966 until its last broadcast on 29 May 1991. Chronicle focused on popular archaeology and related subjects, and was considered an influential programme and a landmark in early television presentation of archaeology. The programme was commissioned by David Attenborough in 1966, and was produced by the Archaeological and Historical Unit headed by Paul Johnstone and later edited by Bruce Norman. Among the presenters of the programme were Magnus Magnusson, Colin Renfrew, David Drew, and John Julius Norwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Carmichael on stage, screen and radio</span> English actor

The English actor and comedian Ian Carmichael OBE (1920–2010) performed in many mediums of light entertainment, including theatre, radio, television and film. His career spanned from 1939 until his death in 2010. According to Brian McFarlane, writing for The Encyclopedia of British Film, Carmichael "epitomises the good-natured, undemanding pleasures of '50s British cinema".

References

  1. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 12 July 1967". BBC Genome Project. 12 July 1967. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 23 August 1967". BBC Genome Project. 23 August 1967. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 9 September 1968". BBC Genome Project. 9 September 1968. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 23 December 1968". BBC Genome Project. 23 December 1968. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 8 September 1969". BBC Genome Project. 8 September 1969. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 29 December 1969". BBC Genome Project. 29 December 1969. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 14 September 1970". BBC Genome Project. 14 September 1970. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 28 December 1970". BBC Genome Project. 28 December 1970. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 13 September 1971". BBC Genome Project. 13 September 1971. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 27 December 1971". BBC Genome Project. 27 December 1971. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 24 January 1973". BBC Genome Project. 24 January 1973. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 9 May 1973". BBC Genome Project. 9 May 1973. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 10 September 1974". BBC Genome Project. 10 September 1974. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 7 January 1975". BBC Genome Project. 7 January 1975. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  15. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 5 January 1976". BBC Genome Project. 5 January 1976. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 19 April 1976". BBC Genome Project. 19 April 1976. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 3 January 1977". BBC Genome Project. 3 January 1977. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 8 April 1977". BBC Genome Project. 8 April 1977. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 9 January 1978". BBC Genome Project. 9 January 1978. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 24 April 1978". BBC Genome Project. 24 April 1978. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 23 April 1979". BBC Genome Project. 23 April 1979. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  22. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 20 August 1979". BBC Genome Project. 20 August 1979. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  23. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 21 April 1980". BBC Genome Project. 21 April 1980. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  24. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 18 August 1980". BBC Genome Project. 18 August 1980. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  25. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 6 April 1981". BBC Genome Project. 6 April 1981. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  26. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 10 August 1981". BBC Genome Project. 10 August 1981. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  27. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 2 November 1982". BBC Genome Project. 2 November 1982. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  28. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 14 August 1982". BBC Genome Project. 14 December 1982. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  29. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 21 September 1983". BBC Genome Project. 21 September 1983. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  30. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 16 November 1983". BBC Genome Project. 16 November 1983. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  31. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 3 September 1984". BBC Genome Project. 3 September 1984. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  32. ↑ "Ask the Family - BBC One London - 22 October 1984". BBC Genome Project. 22 October 1984. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  33. ↑ "Dick & Dom's Ask the Family - BBC Two England - 4 April 2005". BBC Genome Project. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  34. ↑ "Dick & Dom's Ask the Family - BBC Two England - 5 May 2005". BBC Genome Project. 5 May 2005. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.