[Jon]

And of course ‘Catch Phrase’ as it was known over there.

I don’t think it really has anything to do with differing tastes any more than a number of elements. Wheel of Fortune ,The Price is Right, Family Fortunes/Feud’s UK versions are probably considered just as iconic shows. None of those shows have really lasted as daily shows though. In fact they probably haven’t had as many primetime runs as they have here.

Supermarket Sweep is probably more successful here, at least in the 90s but even something as simple as the wrong host could have meant it was forgotten. Part of Jeopardy’s success is that’s it’s been on since the dawn of time, it won’t work here the same as Countdown won’t work there. But I’m sure it wouldn’t work there if it launched today as well.

[James2001]

Though my point wasn't about formats that are successful in one country but not in another, but that in the US it's common for gameshows to run for decades uninterrupted (the US WoF has been in production since 1975, The Price is Right even longer- 1972). Whereas Countdown running for 40 years is probably the only example of a gameshow running for such a long time without any sort of break.

Family Fortunes is the only other one I can think of to break the 20 year mark (though Eggheads will soon).

[Blubatt]

About time. He’s as dull as dishwater. I don’t understand how he’s so beloved to the Yanks as to have stayed on for 41 years- he doesn’t have much personality to me.

Given how long he's lasted, I would imagine that he was a safe pair of hands, and comes across as quite a likeable chap.

[tellyblues]

The UK and US are very different, which shouldn't come as a surprise. There's more of a nerdy, bookworm culture here which doesn't necessarily make for exhilarating TV so intellectual gameshows don't tend to work in the States. An exception to that is Millionaire but that wouldn't have been successful without the amount of money involved whereas here it could have lasted a few series giving away modest prizes.

[Brekkie]

The UK and US are very different, which shouldn't come as a surprise. There's more of a nerdy, bookworm culture here which doesn't necessarily make for exhilarating TV so intellectual gameshows don't tend to work in the States. An exception to that is Millionaire but that wouldn't have been successful without the amount of money involved whereas here it could have lasted a few series giving away modest prizes.

That is why Jeopardy cuts through in the US in a way it doesn't here.  

Of course there was a pilot commissioned recently with Alison Hammond for a UK revival of Wheel of Fortune - not sure if they got as far as filming the pilot but they're not proceeding with it.

[Neil Jones]

Though my point wasn't about formats that are successful in one country but not in another, but that in the US it's common for gameshows to run for decades uninterrupted (the US WoF has been in production since 1975, The Price is Right even longer- 1972). Whereas Countdown running for 40 years is probably the only example of a gameshow running for such a long time without any sort of break.

Family Fortunes is the only other one I can think of to break the 20 year mark (though Eggheads will soon).

On TV yes but of course radio gameshows beats TV by some considerable margin in the longevity stakes. Believe there's a panel game show on radio 4 that predates Radio 4 itself, having started on the Home Service.

What's My Line managed to rack up 20 years, albeit not all at the same time, having been revived off and on over the decades.

Panel shows of course being something they don't really have in America now, though we're up our ears in them.

[Steve in Pudsey]

Though my point wasn't about formats that are successful in one country but not in another, but that in the US it's common for gameshows to run for decades uninterrupted (the US WoF has been in production since 1975, The Price is Right even longer- 1972). Whereas Countdown running for 40 years is probably the only example of a gameshow running for such a long time without any sort of break.

Family Fortunes is the only other one I can think of to break the 20 year mark (though Eggheads will soon).

Depending on your definition of gameshow, A Question of Sport, University Challenge and Mastermind are even longer running than Countdown.

[James2001]

Though in the latter two cases, not continuous, both got axed and revived years later (admittedly though both didn't come to mind when I made that post and they both ran for 25 years before being axed, and UC for 29 since returning).

[Steve in Pudsey]

True, but if you're having Family Fortunes which had a five year gap between Vernon's celeb incarnation being axed (itself a reboot after 3 years) and the present Gino version...

You could argue that Mastermind hasn't really been off air, transferring to Radio 4 (possibly the only quiz format to go from TV to radio rather than the reverse) then to Discovery before returning to BBC TV.

[James2001]

True, but if you're having Family Fortunes which had a five year gap between Vernon's celeb incarnation being axed (itself a reboot after 3 years) and the present Gino version...

I wasn't, I was referring to the original 1980-2002 run.