[Neil Jones]

The Crystal Maze is a different type of show to something with life changing money up for offer though.

Be that as it may it's beside the point I was making.

[Jon]

Be that as it may it's beside the point I was making.

My argument is The Crystal Maze doesn’t prove the point, because that jeopardy factor isn’t there to the same extent in the civilian version as big money shows like Beat the Chasers in first place. By having celebrity Millionaire or Beat the Chasers which I’m not against in small doses, you’re removing a key selling point of those shows. Arguably they weren’t with The Crystal Maze, there is the same amount of personal jeopardy just with added celebs.

It’s well known towards the end of the Tarrant run Millionaire always got better ratings for the Celeb version. So ITV just didn’t bother with the civilian, although to be fair until recently that has been happening less and less with quiz shows.

[Brekkie]

The Crystal Maze might have been wise to go with a civilian team with a celebrity captain each week and tick both boxes.

Bake Off is probably the most noteable exception - the celeb version has never rated as well as the main series. Ironically it's probably the only show where I actually do watch the celeb series but don't follow the main series.

[Jon]

I think the first run of modern era The Crystal Maze started with about 6 celebrity episodes on the trot (possibly 7 if you include the first special), which was always going to put the civilian version on the back foot.

[Steve in Pudsey]

Richard Osman has some quite insightful comments on celeb v civilian game shows

youtu.be 

[tellyblues]

A lot of things have made celeb specials of gameshows normal and fairly unspecial. Slots have to be filled and there isn't the same amount of broad audience sitcoms and films that there used to be. Most of these were also imports and would now be found on streaming platforms and some viewers would rather watch people stuck down drains because TV moved towards that sort of cheap factual. It can't always be that of course but drama costs money so the compromise which looks good but costs less is celeb gameshows.

Some shows also need the leg up of a celeb version to create awareness for the civilian version, for example Bridge of Lies, otherwise they would only last a couple of series like most do. Then there are those that broadcasters will try to eke out as much as they can because they are failing (e.g. The Wall) and have celeb versions so they can get their money back and then axe them when the next big thing comes along.

Stars In Their Eyes springs to mind and was never off the telly when it became Stars In Anyone From Corrie's Eyes, which was a shame because although contestants had a good time they took it seriously, but maybe it had to go all silly to differentiate it from Popstars, Pop Idol and then The X Factor which were now the serious singing shows.

Re. the reboot of The Crystal Maze, it had celebs to start with which was a mistake and was later put in the wrong slot - should have been weekdays. C4 probably thought that celebs making idiots of themselves was what viewers wanted to see because that is largely what entertainment is now and in the years the show was off air most of the chat was about that woman falling in the water in the Aztec zone. Incidental but because of YouTube made out to be crucial to the show's success.

[fanoftv]

Bake Off is probably the most noteable exception - the celeb version has never rated as well as the main series. Ironically it's probably the only show where I actually do watch the celeb series but don't follow the main series.

Whilst I sometimes watch it, I feel the lack of the competition element is what I miss from the celebrity versions. If it was a larger group of celebrities whittled down over the weeks it would be more in line with the original.

[Brekkie]

I'm surprised they don't make the 5th episode a final with the winners of the four heats but I prefer it being a show by show commitment as a viewer and they undoubtedly get a better line up as a result.

It's interesting looking back at all the interviews Stephen Mulhern did about Cathchphrase when it returned and how it would be a civilian show with just one or two specials a year. To be fair though I think there the celeb version has always worked better.

[Spencer]

Richard Osman has some quite insightful comments on celeb v civilian game shows

youtu.be 

Talking of Richard Osman, I think House of Games is an example of a show that, unusually, probably wouldn't work with civilians – or at least it'd be a very different show.

I think members of the public would be much more competitive, and it'd lose a lot of it's good humour and bonhomie.

It's a shame though, as I'd absolutely love to go on it.

[Gary Baldy]

Talking of Richard Osman, I think House of Games is an example of a show that, unusually, probably wouldn't work with civilians – or at least it'd be a very different show.

I think members of the public would be much more competitive, and it'd lose a lot of it's good humour and bonhomie.

It's a shame though, as I'd absolutely love to go on it.

House of Games practically *is* members of the public at this point- it’s mostly jobbing comedians who’ve done very little TV work.