Bognor or Bust
Encyclopedia
Bognor or Bust was a 2004 UK television panel game
, on the subject of news and current affairs. Produced by 4DTV
for ITV
, the show conventionally gave contestants the opportunity to win prizes, yet was comedic in style. It combined members of the public and celebrities on the same panel.
The show was hosted by comic actor and presenter Angus Deayton
. His hosting of this show was largely viewed as his next step after being ousted from Have I Got News For You
. Designing the style of the show to be similar to that of HIGNFY may have been deliberate.
Before the game began, the two contestant
s picked two out of a group of four celebrities to play on their team. In Round 1, Deayton asked a series of questions on the week's news, to be answered on the buzzer
. At the end of the round, there was a quick recap of the scores. For the End of Part 1, the viewers were shown a picture with something missing, and were asked to guess what it is during the commercial break. In Part 2, the missing object was revealed (to general amusement) and Round 2 commenced. The player in the lead chose one of two pictures that served as (not very good) cryptic clues to a certain category. The team then had to answer a succession of quick-fire questions within that category in a time limit. Afterwards, the process repeated with the other team and the other category. At the end of Round 2, the player with the most points proceeded to the final round.
The final round consisted of a single multiple choice
question with two possible answers, on which the contestant can confer with all four celebrities. When answered correctly, the contestant was awarded a paid-for exotic holiday. (The question was based on a story taken from a newspaper from the country from the holiday's destination.) However, if the final question was answered incorrectly, the contestant was instead 'awarded' a trip to the seaside resort Bognor Regis
in West Sussex
, from which the name of the show was derived, and a randomly selected member of the audience
won the exotic holiday. In the context of this show, Bognor was not seen as an upmarket resort and was therefore a satirical
booby prize
.
Despite steady ratings of three to four million viewers, the series was not recommissioned following its original run.
Panel game
A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait.....
, on the subject of news and current affairs. Produced by 4DTV
4DTV
4DTV is the name of a Television receive-only consumer satellite television tuner technology manufactured by Motorola for use with large-diameter parabolic satellite dish antennas on the C and Ku frequency bands on multiple satellites...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, the show conventionally gave contestants the opportunity to win prizes, yet was comedic in style. It combined members of the public and celebrities on the same panel.
The show was hosted by comic actor and presenter Angus Deayton
Angus Deayton
Gordon Angus Deayton is an English actor, writer, musician, comedian and broadcaster. He is best known for his role as Victor Meldrew's long-suffering neighbour Patrick Trench in the comedy series One Foot in the Grave...
. His hosting of this show was largely viewed as his next step after being ousted from Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
. Designing the style of the show to be similar to that of HIGNFY may have been deliberate.
Before the game began, the two contestant
Contestant
A contestant is someone who takes part in a competition, usually a professional competition or a game show on television. The participants competing against each other have to go through rounds...
s picked two out of a group of four celebrities to play on their team. In Round 1, Deayton asked a series of questions on the week's news, to be answered on the buzzer
Buzzer
A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke....
. At the end of the round, there was a quick recap of the scores. For the End of Part 1, the viewers were shown a picture with something missing, and were asked to guess what it is during the commercial break. In Part 2, the missing object was revealed (to general amusement) and Round 2 commenced. The player in the lead chose one of two pictures that served as (not very good) cryptic clues to a certain category. The team then had to answer a succession of quick-fire questions within that category in a time limit. Afterwards, the process repeated with the other team and the other category. At the end of Round 2, the player with the most points proceeded to the final round.
The final round consisted of a single multiple choice
Multiple choice
Multiple choice is a form of assessment in which respondents are asked to select the best possible answer out of the choices from a list. The multiple choice format is most frequently used in educational testing, in market research, and in elections-- when a person chooses between multiple...
question with two possible answers, on which the contestant can confer with all four celebrities. When answered correctly, the contestant was awarded a paid-for exotic holiday. (The question was based on a story taken from a newspaper from the country from the holiday's destination.) However, if the final question was answered incorrectly, the contestant was instead 'awarded' a trip to the seaside resort Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, from which the name of the show was derived, and a randomly selected member of the audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
won the exotic holiday. In the context of this show, Bognor was not seen as an upmarket resort and was therefore a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
booby prize
Booby prize
A booby prize is a joke prize usually given in recognition of a terrible performance or last-place finish. A person who finishes last, for example, may get a booby prize such as a worthless coin. Booby prizes are sometimes humorously and jokingly coveted as an object of pride.Booby prizes, however,...
.
Despite steady ratings of three to four million viewers, the series was not recommissioned following its original run.