Blankety Blank

[DJGM1974]

Surprised no-one else has posted about this today.

BBC News - Blankety Blank: Bradley Walsh show commissioned for BBC full series

Blankety Blank is set to return to BBC One with a new Saturday night series, hosted by Bradley Walsh.

The return of the popular TV game show follows the success of a festive special with Walsh last Christmas.

The programme sees celebrities help contestants to fill in the missing words of a sentence, often with humorous consequences.

[Larry the Loafer]

I felt ITV's version with David Walliams a few years back was much better, and I say that as a fan of Bradley Walsh and not that much of a fan of Walliams. Maybe it was just spoiled somewhat by Jimmy Carr trying to steal the limelight from Bradley.

[Brekkie]

Completely agree - the Christmas Day edition rated well (it was on BBC1 on Christmas Day - of course it did) but the reviews weren't really favourable. Bradley is great but this just didn't shine.

Of course it'll end up on Christmas Day now for the rest of the decade and I suspect will get the post-Strictly slot in the autumn so rate better than perhaps it deserves, but for me this is scraping the barrel.

[eyeTV]

I take it that there is unlikely to be a return to Take Off with Bradley & Holly which was commissioned for series before Covid hit.

[Flux]

I felt ITV's version with David Walliams a few years back was much better, and I say that as a fan of Bradley Walsh and not that much of a fan of Walliams. Maybe it was just spoiled somewhat by Jimmy Carr trying to steal the limelight from Bradley.

I felt neither was as good as the Lily Savage versions. Having a larger than life, blunt host like her was a brilliant idea at the time as it really gave the format a bit of a modern edge compared to previous versions without them actually having to change any gameplay or presentation. It worked so well (IMO) with a host who really played up the “don’t give a sh*t” attitude about the game and could lay into contestants and celebrities so much but all with a wink and a nudge and with nothing taking personally. Anyone who’s done it since just feels a little bland in comparison, and it jars a little that they’re not able to play into the kitsch like they did in the Savage days.

[Fanoftv]

I feel like Jimmy Carr would be a better fit for the show than Brad, as much as I like Brad Jimmy was definitely throwing in more lines through the Christmas edition.

[XIII]

I thought the 2016 special was fine but it was too long at an hour.

The Lily Savage version was great although I would say the uncut footage which is floating around on YouTube is even better although not suitable for a teatime slot for obvious reasons.

[wonkey_monkey]

I know I've mentioned this before at the Other Place but does anyone remember an episode of the Lily Savage version that had - supposedly - twin brothers as constestants in separate rounds? The set spun round to reveal that one of the contestants looked identical to the one from the first round, but had a different name, but they sort of weirdly glazed over it without - if I remember correctly - declaring they were twins.

Then when they got everyone back for the credits shot, one of the "twins" - or at least, someone wearing his jumper - was kept with his back to the camera. It was all very odd.

Apparently there was a Les Dawson episode where he didn't know the pairs were two sets of twins. Maybe it was a bizarrely-staged callback to that.

[Spencer]

Personally I really enjoyed the Bradley Walsh Blankety Blank on Christmas Day. I thought it was pacy and fun and wasn’t trying to be anything it wasn’t - very much a back-to-basics reboot reminiscent of the Wogan days. I loved how the opening sequence was based on the original style too.

I wasn’t particularly enamoured with the Walliams version which felt a bit like they were trying too hard.

So I’m quite looking forward to the new series.

[Rick]

Don't think Bradley is the right fit for this, despite being a fan of his. The Christmas episode was not great. As Flux mentioned aboove, it needs a more fast paced format and a better, acerbic host. Bradley is too nice and family friendly.

Who fits into the mould of witty, "don't give a sh*t" style of presenting these days?

[XIII]

Tom Allen is the only comedian I can think who can do don’t give a sh*t presenting along with Jimmy Carr.

[Rick]

Tom Allen is a good shout. I would love to see him give it a go.

[Larry the Loafer]

Jimmy doesn't quite do "not giving a s**t" as well as he used to in his more deadpan days. Tom Allen is a good call, and I'd argue Romesh Ranganathan meets the criteria too.

[Brekkie]

Rob Beckett wouldn't be a bad shout either. Really though as much as Bradley doesn't seem the right fit for it I think the problem is more the show than the host.