Michael Miles
Encyclopedia
Michael John Miles was a TV presenter in Britain, best known for the game show
Take Your Pick
from 1955 to 1968, produced by Associated Rediffusion and later by Rediffusion London.
Born in New Zealand, Miles left school to become a broadcaster after persuading his local station to hire him. He then travelled to Australia
, before moving on to Singapore
as a newsreader
, leaving only days before the island was invaded by the Japanese Army during the Second World War.
Although he produced radio shows during the war years, it was with the transfer of his quiz show 'Take Your Pick' to television that he made his name. The programme, which had already been heard on Radio Luxembourg
for three years, was one of the first game shows on ITV
when the channel started in 1955. The other quiz show that was popular at the time was Double Your Money
presented by Hughie Green
. 'Take Your Pick', which was masterminded by Miles (who was reputed to earn the phenomenal sum of £20,000 a year) relied on public participation. The show was axed in 1968, when producers Associated Rediffusion were forced to become Thames Television
in the ITV franchise reshuffle. However, the show was revived in the 90s, but this time the presenter in the hot seat was singer Des O'Connor
.
Miles then hosted a similar show called Wheel of Fortune, not to be confused with the later game show
of the same name, for Southern Television
. Rumours of an alcohol
problem were unfounded; he in fact was an epileptic who often locked himself in his dressing room, ashamed of his condition. He died prematurely in 1971 aged 52, whilst on business in Spain
. Miles was married with one son and a daughter.
Miles and Take Your Pick were parodied in a Monty Python
sketch (titled "Spot the Brain Cell" in its LP version), in which John Cleese
as a quizmaster called Michael cheerfully mocks the stupidity of a female contestant played by Terry Jones
.
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
Take Your Pick
Take Your Pick
Take Your Pick was a UK game show originally broadcast by Radio Luxembourg in the early 1950s. The show transferred to television in 1955 with the launch of ITV, where it continued until 1968...
from 1955 to 1968, produced by Associated Rediffusion and later by Rediffusion London.
Born in New Zealand, Miles left school to become a broadcaster after persuading his local station to hire him. He then travelled to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, before moving on to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
as a newsreader
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
, leaving only days before the island was invaded by the Japanese Army during the Second World War.
Although he produced radio shows during the war years, it was with the transfer of his quiz show 'Take Your Pick' to television that he made his name. The programme, which had already been heard on Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
for three years, was one of the first game shows on 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...
when the channel started in 1955. The other quiz show that was popular at the time was Double Your Money
Double Your Money
Double Your Money was a British quiz show hosted by Hughie Green. Originally broadcast on Radio Luxembourg, it transferred to ITV in 1955, a few days after the commercial channel began broadcasting. It was produced by Associated-Rediffusion until 1964 and then by Rediffusion London, and it finished...
presented by Hughie Green
Hughie Green
Hughie Green was the host of numerous British television shows.-Early life:Hugh H. Green was born in London; his Scottish father was a former British Army Major who made his fortune supplying tinned fish to the Allied forces in World War I, while his mother Violet was the Surrey-born daughter of...
. 'Take Your Pick', which was masterminded by Miles (who was reputed to earn the phenomenal sum of £20,000 a year) relied on public participation. The show was axed in 1968, when producers Associated Rediffusion were forced to become Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
in the ITV franchise reshuffle. However, the show was revived in the 90s, but this time the presenter in the hot seat was singer Des O'Connor
Des O'Connor
Des O'Connor, CBE is an English comedian and singer. A former talkshow host, he was the presenter of the long-running Channel 4 gameshow Countdown for two years...
.
Miles then hosted a similar show called Wheel of Fortune, not to be confused with the later game show
Wheel of Fortune (UK game show)
Wheel of Fortune is a British television game show created by Merv Griffin. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes...
of the same name, for Southern Television
Southern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
. Rumours of an alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
problem were unfounded; he in fact was an epileptic who often locked himself in his dressing room, ashamed of his condition. He died prematurely in 1971 aged 52, whilst on business in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Miles was married with one son and a daughter.
Miles and Take Your Pick were parodied in a Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
sketch (titled "Spot the Brain Cell" in its LP version), in which John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
as a quizmaster called Michael cheerfully mocks the stupidity of a female contestant played by Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
.