The Whole 19 Yards

The Whole 19 Yards
Presented by Vernon Kay
Starring Caroline Flack (Games Guru)
Voices of Glenn Hugill
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 8
Production
Running time 60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company(s) Initial
Distributor Endemol UK
Release
Original network ITV, STV, UTV
Picture format 16:9
Original release 17 April (2010-04-17) – 5 June 2010 (2010-06-05)

The Whole 19 Yards was a British game show that aired on ITV from 17 April to 5 June 2010 and was hosted by Vernon Kay.

Format

The principle of the game is to test both the contestants mind and physical ability. Four contestants begin at the start and are given a series of general knowledge questions, each relating to the same subject given in that round. If they think that they know the answer, they begin the physical challenge that has been set across the "19 Yards", to get to the buzzer. If they get their question right, they move on to the next challenge but if they get it wrong, it is passed onto the next contestant to hit the buzzer. The round is then repeated with the remaining contestants, with alterations made to the course, known as "twists" that they are not informed of (examples include having less building blocks to use or placing a second buzzer that is unresponsive, known as a "dummy buzzer"). When there is one contestant left at the end of each round, they are eliminated. The format then repeats itself until one remains to take on the final 19 Yards challenge and the chance to win up to the jackpot of £100,000.

Games

These are a list of games used so far in the series.

Key
     First Round - Four Players
     Second Round - Three Players
     Third Round - Head to Head
Title Information
Twin Peaks
Contestants must scale two mountain-style peaks using building blocks. The first peak is in place and once having climbed over, they must use the blocks on the other side of the first peak and those on the floor to assemble the second, much taller peak with the golden rule being that it must reach the black line in order for them to climb it and hit the buzzer.
A Walk in the Dark
For this game, the contestants are blindfolded and are never given any idea what is in front of them. For the visibility of the studio audience and the viewers at home, the course begins with them breaking through a paper burst, before making a run up to a circular wall, squeezing through a narrow gap. The same theory is used for the other two sections with the exception that the second section is bombarded with pressure pads that activate either a plume of dry ice or a flamethrower and the third section is based on a turntable.
Once having gotten past the final circular wall, they can hit the buzzer.
Lock and Key
The buzzers are padlocked and the contestants must negotiate through four different stations, each hiding a key that unlocks the next station.
The first key is hidden inside a bath of foam which unlocks the second station which contains a pit of sawdust. The second key inside there unlocks the third station that releases a coloured gunge substance and the contestant must scramble through the resulting wreckage to find the third key, which unlocks the final station, where they have to climb into a pit of sticky balls, which are made to look like a snowglobe. Inside there contains the key that unlocks the padlock on the buzzer. On Episode 3, the foam is replaced by a mixture of blancmange and spaghetti and the sawdust is replaced by confetti. In Episode 5, the first two stations are a mixture of blacmange and rice pudding and a pit of feathers.
Caught in the Net
Contestants must climb underneath a diagonal net before scrambling through a second, circular net full of balloons, some filled with gunge.
Once having gotten through it, they can hit the buzzer.
Stick 'em Up
The contestants are dressed up in velcro suits for this challenge and must overcome several obstacles all designed with velcro. They include curtains which lead into circular walls and squeezing through a narrow gap, a floor tunnel, and having to also negotiate the prospect of having to also run on the floor made entirely of velcro blocks.
After having successfully completed, they can hit the buzzer.
Power Trip
On specially designed battery machines, the contestants must drive three laps around a grand prix style circuit. Before they can begin and take another lap, they must stop off at a "recharge station" in order for them to have enough power to get around. After having completed three laps and have fully charged their battery at the finish, they are free to hit the buzzer.
Knotting Hills
Contestants scale two peaks, the second being larger than the first, using climbing ropes.
At certain points, they must untie knots on the ropes. All knots have to be untied before unclipping themselves from the rope to hit the buzzer.
It's a Wrap!
Wearing a body wrap and having their legs tied together, contestants must negotiate a staircase, tunnel and a slope while being limited to any body activity.
They must then use their head to hit the buzzer.

The Final 19 Yards

The last challenge that is used on each episode is called "The Final 19 Yards". The one surviving contestant has to answer five questions, each worth an increasing value of money. The first question is worth £5,000, the second is worth £10,000, the third is worth £20,000, the fourth is worth £50,000 and the final question earns the jackpot of £100,000. On each question, the contestant is read out a series of clues that leads them to the answer. After the first clue is read out, the buzzer begins to move down the 19 yard track from the start when the first question is played and from then on, where it left off. Once the contestant thinks they know what the answer is, they can make the run up to hit the buzzer, a correct answer earns them that value of money the question is worth but if they give a wrong answer, they go back down to the value of the last question and leave with that amount and if the buzzer reaches the end of the 19 yards before they either give a wrong answer or decide to take the money, they lose everything they have earned to that point and leave with nothing. Playing the first question is compulsory but after then, they can decide to play the next question or stop and take the money.

International versions

Country Name Host Network Date premiered Prize
 Austria [1] Powerplay - Ganze 17 Meter Christian Clerici ORF eins September 2010 Voyage
 Brazil [2] Sufoco Fausto Silva Rede Globo April 2010 New car
 Germany [3] 17 Meter Joko Winterscheidt & Klaas Heufer-Umlauf ProSieben June 2011 €25.000
 Spain [4] Los últimos 20 metros Óscar Martínez Antena 3 July 2009 €50.000

The show was originally piloted in the United States for CBS in March 2009 to be hosted by Chris Hardwick but was not picked up.

References

  1. ↑ http://ooe.orf.at/magazin/aktionen/stories/441707/
  2. ↑ http://domingaodofaustao.globo.com/platb/sufoco/
  3. ↑ http://www.prosieben.de/tv/17-meter/
  4. ↑ http://www.formulatv.com/programas/287/los-ultimos-20-metros/

External links

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