They Think It's All Over (TV series)
Encyclopedia
They Think It's All Over was a British comedy
panel game
with a sporting theme produced by Talkback Thames and shown on BBC One
. The show's name is taken from Kenneth Wolstenholme
's famous 1966 World Cup
commentary quotation, "they think it's all over
...it is now!" and the show used the phrase as the last line of every programme. In 2006 the show was axed after 11 years of being on-air.
Nick Hancock. Ex-England football
team captain Gary Lineker
and ex-England cricket
team captain David Gower
were the show's team captains from 1995 until they announced their retirement from the show in 2003. They were replaced as team captains by ex-England football goalkeeper David Seaman
and ex-England cricketer Phil Tufnell
. Former footballer
Ian Wright
took over from David Seaman in autumn 2004. From October 2005, Boris Becker
replaced Tufnell and Lee Mack
took over from Hancock as host.
Occasionally, a team captain was unable to appear on the show due to other commitments (for example David Gower going to commentate on the cricket for Sky Sports
), so guest captains have been drafted in. Six times World Snooker Champion Steve Davis
was a regular choice as guest captain, while Matthew Pinsent
, Mark Lawrenson
, Mick McCarthy
, Sam Torrance
, Steve Backley
, Sharron Davies
, Linford Christie
and Michael Johnson
also appeared in this role. Additionally, Ian Wright was a guest captain before becoming a permanent team captain.
Each team also had a regular panellist. For the team which was originally captained by Gary Lineker this had been Rory McGrath
for the entire show's run. David Gower was originally teamed up with Lee Hurst. Lee left the show in 1998 due to ankylosing spondylitis
(although he made a reappearance in 2004 on David Seaman's team) and was replaced for the next two series by a rotating line-up of comedians - Jonathan Ross
, Jo Brand
, Alan Davies
and Phill Jupitus
. Despite regularly admitting to having limited sporting knowledge, Ross became the permanent panellist until leaving the show in 2006, and was replaced by Sean Lock
for the World Cup
and summer sports special edition
s. The third member of each team varies from week to week, and is usually a notable sportsperson or comedian.
The show was originally produced for BBC Radio 5
, where it was hosted by Des Lynam
. The devisers, Simon Bullivant and Bill Matthews, started work on a TV version in 1993, but it was two years before it made it to air. Des Lynam
did record a pilot in early 1994, but decided not to do the already commissioned series, which was then put on hold.
In 1999 and 2001, as part of the BBC's Comic Relief broadcasts, one-off special programmes were made called Have I Got Buzzcocks All Over, which combined elements of the show with Have I Got News for You
and Never Mind The Buzzcocks
, with Angus Deayton
as host.
Kenneth Wolstenholme was unhappy with the use of the phrase for the title of the show. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2002/03/26/sfnove27.xml. He wrote in his autobiography that he had contacted the BBC to find out what relevance the title had to his most famous line, uttered 30 years earlier. However, when the show was first commissioned, he did accept a fee to re-record his famous commentary for the opening titles, as the original was unusable.
One of the more memorable reactions to not winning this round is when Matthew Corbett
and Sooty
were guests and when denied points, Sooty went on to squirt Nick in the face with a water pistol.
Very few women ever donned the blindfolds for Feel the Sportsman, the select few who managed it are Sharron Davies, Jo Brand, Jodie Kidd, Kirsty Gallagher, Gabby Yorath (Now Logan) and Pauline McLynn, though Sue Barker did for a Comic Relief special in 2008. Sharron was also the only female to guest captain the original show, explaining why so few ladies got the chance to take part in the feeling aspect of the show.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
panel game
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.....
with a sporting theme produced by Talkback Thames and shown on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. The show's name is taken from Kenneth Wolstenholme
Kenneth Wolstenholme
Kenneth Wolstenholme DFC & Bar was the football commentator for BBC television in the 1950s and 1960s, most notable for his commentary during the 1966 FIFA World Cup which included the famous phrase "some people are on the pitch...they think it's all over....it is now!", as Geoff Hurst scored...
's famous 1966 World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
commentary quotation, "they think it's all over
They think it's all over
They think it's all over is a well known quotation and football chant popular in England. It is taken from Kenneth Wolstenholme's BBC TV commentary in the closing moments of the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final, where England beat West Germany 4–2 after extra time to win the FIFA World Cup.Soon after the...
...it is now!" and the show used the phrase as the last line of every programme. In 2006 the show was axed after 11 years of being on-air.
Overview
The show was originally presented by comedianComedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Nick Hancock. Ex-England football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team captain Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
and ex-England cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team captain David Gower
David Gower
David Ivon Gower OBE is a former English cricketer who became a commentator for Sky Sports. Although he eventually rose to the captaincy of the England cricket team during the 1980s, he is best known for being one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of the modern era. Gower played 117 Test...
were the show's team captains from 1995 until they announced their retirement from the show in 2003. They were replaced as team captains by ex-England football goalkeeper David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
and ex-England cricketer Phil Tufnell
Phil Tufnell
Philip Clive Roderick Tufnell is a former English cricketer turned television personality. A slow left-arm orthodox spin bowler, "Tuffers" as he was known played 42 Tests and 20 One Day International matches for England, as well as playing for Middlesex from 1986 to 2002...
. Former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
Ian Wright
Ian Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
took over from David Seaman in autumn 2004. From October 2005, Boris Becker
Boris Becker
Boris Franz Becker is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17...
replaced Tufnell and Lee Mack
Lee Mack
Lee Gordon McKillop is an English stand-up comedian and actor, known by the stage name Lee Mack. He is well known in the United Kingdom for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out, for being a team captain on Would I Lie to You? and for hosting Lee Mack's All Star Cast.-Personal life:Mack...
took over from Hancock as host.
Occasionally, a team captain was unable to appear on the show due to other commitments (for example David Gower going to commentate on the cricket for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
), so guest captains have been drafted in. Six times World Snooker Champion Steve Davis
Steve Davis
Steve Davis, OBE is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s, when he was the world number one for seven years and became the sport's first millionaire...
was a regular choice as guest captain, while Matthew Pinsent
Matthew Pinsent
Sir Matthew Clive Pinsent CBE is an English rower and broadcaster. During his rowing career, he won 10 world championship gold medals and four consecutive Olympic gold medals, of which three were with Steve Redgrave...
, Mark Lawrenson
Mark Lawrenson
Mark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his...
, Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
, Sam Torrance
Sam Torrance
Sam Torrance OBE is a Scottish professional golfer and sports commentator. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1970s to the late 1990s, with 21 Tour wins. Torrance was a member of European Ryder Cup teams on eight occasions, from 1981 to 1995 consecutively; he was...
, Steve Backley
Steve Backley
Stephen James Backley OBE is a retired British athlete who was formerly the world record holder for javelin throwing...
, Sharron Davies
Sharron Davies
Sharron Elizabeth Davies MBE is a retired swimmer from the United Kingdom. She won a silver medal in the 400 metre individual medley at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, and two gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton...
, Linford Christie
Linford Christie
Linford Cicero Christie OBE is a former sprinter from the United Kingdom. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games...
and Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
also appeared in this role. Additionally, Ian Wright was a guest captain before becoming a permanent team captain.
Each team also had a regular panellist. For the team which was originally captained by Gary Lineker this had been Rory McGrath
Rory McGrath
Patrick Rory McGrath is an English comedian and writer. He is best known for roles in Who Dares Wins, Chelmsford 123, Three Men in a Boat and its successors. He was also a regular panellist on They Think It's All Over....
for the entire show's run. David Gower was originally teamed up with Lee Hurst. Lee left the show in 1998 due to ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis , previously known as Bekhterev's disease, Bekhterev syndrome, and Marie-Strümpell disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton with variable involvement of peripheral joints and nonarticular structures...
(although he made a reappearance in 2004 on David Seaman's team) and was replaced for the next two series by a rotating line-up of comedians - Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross (television presenter)
Jonathan Stephen Ross, OBE is an English television and radio presenter, best known for presenting the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross from 2001 until he left the BBC in 2010. Ross began hosting a new chat show on ITV1 starting 3 September 2011...
, Jo Brand
Jo Brand
Josephine Grace "Jo" Brand is a BAFTA winning British comedian, writer, and actor.- Early life :Jo Brand was born 23 July 1957 in Wandsworth, London. Her mother was a social worker. Brand is the middle of three children, with two brothers...
, Alan Davies
Alan Davies
Alan Davies is an English comedian, writer and actor best known for starring in the TV mystery series Jonathan Creek and as the permanent panellist on the TV panel show QI.- Early life :...
and Phill Jupitus
Phill Jupitus
Phillip Christopher Jupitus is an English stand-up and improvised comedian, actor, performance poet, musician and podcaster....
. Despite regularly admitting to having limited sporting knowledge, Ross became the permanent panellist until leaving the show in 2006, and was replaced by Sean Lock
Sean Lock
Sean Lock is an English comedian and actor. He began his comedy career as a stand-up comedian. He won the British Comedy Award in 2000 in the category of Best Live Comic, and was nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award. He is also well known for his appearances on television and radio...
for the World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
and summer sports special edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
s. The third member of each team varies from week to week, and is usually a notable sportsperson or comedian.
The show was originally produced for BBC Radio 5
BBC Radio 5 (former)
BBC Radio 5 was a BBC radio network that carried sport, children's and educational programmes.It was transmitted via analogue radio on 693 and 909 kHz, and lasted for three years and eight months. The success of BBC Radio 4's coverage of the Gulf War, on a service known as Scud FM,...
, where it was hosted by Des Lynam
Des Lynam
Desmond Michael "Des" Lynam, OBE is an Irish television and radio presenter based in the UK.He has hosted television coverage of high profile events for many years...
. The devisers, Simon Bullivant and Bill Matthews, started work on a TV version in 1993, but it was two years before it made it to air. Des Lynam
Des Lynam
Desmond Michael "Des" Lynam, OBE is an Irish television and radio presenter based in the UK.He has hosted television coverage of high profile events for many years...
did record a pilot in early 1994, but decided not to do the already commissioned series, which was then put on hold.
In 1999 and 2001, as part of the BBC's Comic Relief broadcasts, one-off special programmes were made called Have I Got Buzzcocks All Over, which combined elements of the show with 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...
and Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
, with 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...
as host.
Kenneth Wolstenholme was unhappy with the use of the phrase for the title of the show. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2002/03/26/sfnove27.xml. He wrote in his autobiography that he had contacted the BBC to find out what relevance the title had to his most famous line, uttered 30 years earlier. However, when the show was first commissioned, he did accept a fee to re-record his famous commentary for the opening titles, as the original was unusable.
Rounds
Throughout the series, the rounds have varied each week. Here are some of them.- Excuses, where the teams are shown a clip of a sportsperson or a team, and are asked what excuse they gave for a sporting or personal misdemeanour. Examples include Tommy DochertyTommy DochertyThomas Henderson "Tommy" Docherty , commonly known as "The Doc", is a Scottish former footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
explaining that Scotland lost 7-0 in the 1954 World Cup to Uruguay because "they were shattered just standing for the National Anthem", and Scottish tennis player Andy MurrayAndrew Murray (tennis player)Andrew "Andy" Murray is a Scottish professional tennis player. He is currently ranked No.4 in the world, and was ranked No. 2 from 17 to 31 August 2009. Murray achieved a top-10 ranking by the Association of Tennis Professionals for the first time on 16 April 2007...
claimed that he vomited on the court at the US Open in 2005 because he'd been drinking an isotonic drink to stop him from cramping, but he drank too much too quickly. On a special edition video-only episode of No Holds Barred, Gary's team was asked for Tommy Docherty's excuse for Manchester United's infamous relegation of 1973-74, with Lineker's answer "He wanted to bring pleasure to millions?". Another edition of the excuses round, seen the 1992 Manchester United team blame Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
for ruining their Old TraffordOld TraffordOld Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
pitch at a concert a week before the season ended. The team took a very small number of points on offer in the run-up to the end of the season, only to allow Leeds United to take the honours. A video of a 1992 Manchester United player recalling the events, while explaining the excuse was shown, only for him to stamp on a copy of one of Stewart's albums breaking the vinyl while still inside the sleeve. - Celebrations, where the teams are shown a clip of a sportsperson celebrating in a fanciful way, and are asked what the celebration is in aid of. Examples include Arsenal striker Thierry HenryThierry HenryThierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
celebrating a goal by recreating the BudweiserBudweiser (Anheuser-Busch)Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
"Whassup?Whassup?Whassup? was a commercial campaign for Anheuser-Busch Budweiser beer from 1999 to 2002. The first spot aired during Monday Night Football, December 20, 1999. The ad campaign was run worldwide and became a pop culture catchphrase...
" advert, and Manchester United midfielder Lee SharpeLee SharpeLee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996...
celebrating a goal by recreating a pose of his boyhood hero Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
One of the more memorable reactions to not winning this round is when Matthew Corbett
Matthew Corbett
Matthew Corbett is an English television personality best known for The Sooty Show and laterly Sooty and Co. He is the son of Harry Corbett...
and Sooty
Sooty
Sooty is a British glove puppet bear and TV character popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. The children's television show which bears his name has continued in various forms since the 1950s and, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the...
were guests and when denied points, Sooty went on to squirt Nick in the face with a water pistol.
- Sporting Bluff, in which the teams are given three statements about a sportsperson and have to guess which one is true. For example, golfer Nick FaldoNick FaldoSir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
burst into tears on live television when he was either a) fined £50 for slow play; b) his wife had an affair with Noel EdmondsNoel EdmondsNoel Ernest Edmonds, is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel's Saturday...
or c) he was teased about his haircut. - What's Going On?, where the teams are shown a sporting clip and are asked to decipher what's going on, quite literally. Examples include former cricket umpire Dickie Bird taking part in a photo opportunity with the Yorkshire players picked for the England cricket team, dressed in a chef's outfit and cooking them Yorkshire puddingYorkshire puddingYorkshire Pudding is a dish that originated in Yorkshire, England. It is made from batter and usually served with roast meat and gravy.-History:...
s, and serial practical joker (and Eric CantonaEric CantonaEric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
lookalike) Karl PowerKarl PowerKarl Power is a prankster from Droylsden, Manchester, known for appearing uninvited at sporting events. Most notoriously he appeared in the Manchester United team photo before a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich....
joining the Manchester United team for a photo before a Champions League match in 2001. - Photo-fit, where the teams are shown a picture of three sportspersons merged into one. The teams then have to guess who they are. Sometimes after the sportspersons are revealed, they are asked for the connection between them for a bonus point. On many occasions, Rory McGrath liked to joke that he recognised the person in the photo, as an ex-girlfriend he'd previously had sexual encounters with.
- Author Author, in which the teams hear a quote, and have to guess which sportsperson said it. Quotes include former Liverpool FC manager Gérard HoullierGérard HoullierGérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....
on why he turns down offers of international coaching and a quote from athlete Roger BlackRoger BlackRoger Anthony Black MBE is a retired British athlete. During his athletics career, he won individual silver medals in the 400 metres sprint at both the Olympic Games and World Championships, two individual gold medals at the European Championships, and 4x400 metres relay gold medals at both the...
's autobiography on his admiration of David Gower. - Sing When You're Winning, in which the teams must complete the lyrics to a chant performed by football fans or the Barmy ArmyBarmy ArmyThe Barmy Army is a semi-organised group of English cricket fans which arranges touring parties for some of its members to follow the English cricket team on overseas tours...
. A memorable moment from this round seen Chris EubankChris EubankChris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...
complete a poem by the Barnsley F.C.Barnsley F.C.Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
poet, with the line "I'm having a laugh", when the line was "We'll be champions come May". - Handbags, where the teams must work out the reasons of a rift between sportspersons. Examples of rifts include football team Peterborough United F.C.Peterborough United F.C.Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
and Victoria BeckhamVictoria BeckhamVictoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
over the rights to use the nickname "Posh", and athlete David BedfordDavid Bedford (athlete)David Colin Bedford is an English former long distance runner, a colourful character whose career spanned the early 1970s. He is now race director of the London Marathon, and a representative for UK Athletics on the IAAF Road Running Committee.Bedford held the world record at 10,000m, improving it...
and communications company InfoNXX over the 118 118118 118 (UK)118 118 is a UK directory enquiries provider based in Cardiff that assists customers with telephone number enquiries and general queries.The service is provided by The Number UK Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of US directory enquiries provider Knowledge Generation Bureau , whose company motto is...
runners looking like him. - Grandstand, in which the teams are shown a bizarre multi-sport event and are asked to come up with events played in them. These include, the Eskimo Olympics, the Naked Olympics and the Tough Guy Sports.
- The Treble, where the teams are shown three sportspersons and three items, and have to link each sportsperson to an item.
- Electronic Pencil, where the teams are shown a sporting clip, which is stopped before the action gets exciting, and the teams have to draw where the sportsman or the ball is going to go. The round was dropped after series 2, but revived for the 100th show in 2001.
- Injury Board, in which the teams pick a number between 1 and 12. Behind each number is a sports person and another person or item, and work out how the latter injured the former. Examples include Newbury rugby clubNewbury R.F.C.Newbury Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing Newbury. For season 2011/12 they will be playing in National League 3 South West.-Current standings:...
and some VaselineVaselineVaseline is a brand of petroleum jelly based products owned by Anglo-Dutch company Unilever. Products include plain petroleum jelly and a selection of skin creams, soaps, lotions, cleansers, deodorants and personal lubricants....
(to which guest Julian ClaryJulian ClaryJulian Peter McDonald Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:...
suggested "maybe there was sand in it.") and Dennis WiseDennis WiseDennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United....
and a toilet seat. This round was also a parody of A Question of SportA Question of SportA Question of Sport is a long-running BBC quiz show which started on 2 December 1968 and continues to this day. It is currently recorded at The Studios, MediaCityUK...
, another BBC TV quiz show. - Feel The Sportsman, one of the most popular rounds of the show, in which the regular panelists have to try to identify a mystery guest, or their sporting notability, by touch whilst blindfolded. Guests subjected to a groping include Will CarlingWill CarlingWilliam David Charles Carling, OBE is a former Rugby union player for Harlequins, and a former captain of England from 1988 to 1996, winning 72 caps.-Early life:...
, Ashia HansenAshia HansenAshia Hansen, MBE was a British triple jumper who competed internationally from 1994-2008.-Early life:...
, Victor UboguVictor UboguVictor Eriakpo Ubogu is a former Bath and England rugby union player. He also played, whilst still at university, for Moseley....
, Jonah LomuJonah LomuJonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
(who infamously appeared minutes after Chris Eubank expressed his dislike for him), Andy FordhamAndy FordhamAndy "The Viking" Fordham is an English darts player. He won the 2004 BDO World Darts Championship, beating Mervyn King in the final...
, Manc Union Paintball Team, Arsenal Women's Football TeamArsenal L.F.C.Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...
(which Rory guessed right on the whistle), Aylesbury United F.C.Aylesbury United F.C.Aylesbury United are a football club based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, currently playing in the Spartan South Midlands League, nicknamed the Ducks....
in their infamous 1995 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
conga goal celebration and of course, some female lacrosse, rugby and cricket players, especially when Rory McGrath is involved. One notable variant in 2001 saw the regulars feeling an animal, having been shown a clip of Sven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
on the Italian version of the show in a "Feel the Animal" round. David Gower and Jonathan Ross correctly guessed their animal (a zebraZebraZebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
) but Gary Lineker and Rory McGrath failed to get theirs (an alligatorAlligatorAn alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
- they failed to even touch it), with McGrath removing his blindfold and running off the set in panic. Another famous example involved a slight change in the rules, in that Sharron DaviesSharron DaviesSharron Elizabeth Davies MBE is a retired swimmer from the United Kingdom. She won a silver medal in the 400 metre individual medley at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, and two gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton...
, who was a guest (rather than a regular) contestant took part in the feeling. The sportsman was her then husband Derek RedmondDerek RedmondDerek Anthony Redmond is a retired British athlete. During his career, he held the British record for the 400 metres sprint, and won gold medals in the 4x400 metres relay at the World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games.However his career was blighted by a series of...
, whom she recognised. In one of the Christmas specials, Gary Lineker and Rory McGrath got a pair of gut-bargers, with McGrath (who has on regular occasions portrayed as being perverted and making lewd comments) being more concerned with the bargers' assistant glamour model Lindsey Dawn McKensie.
Very few women ever donned the blindfolds for Feel the Sportsman, the select few who managed it are Sharron Davies, Jo Brand, Jodie Kidd, Kirsty Gallagher, Gabby Yorath (Now Logan) and Pauline McLynn, though Sue Barker did for a Comic Relief special in 2008. Sharron was also the only female to guest captain the original show, explaining why so few ladies got the chance to take part in the feeling aspect of the show.
- Claim To Fame, introduced in 2005, in which a sportsperson is subjected to a line of questioning by the panel. as to their claim to fame. Mystery people include Paul Barber, a member of the gold medal winning British 1988 Olympic hockey team, Judy GrinhamJudy GrinhamJudy Grinham MBE is a British Olympic swimmer. She was born in the London suburb of Hampstead and grew up in Neasden. She married Pat Rowley in Neasden in 1960, in St...
, gold medal winning 100m backstroke swimmer at the 1956 Olympics, and Tommy GemmellTommy GemmellThomas Gemmell is a former Scottish footballer and manager.He played as left-sided fullback and had powerful shooting ability. In October 1961, he joined Celtic from Coltness United. He was one of the 'Lisbon Lions' who won the European Cup in 1967. In the final he scored a spectacular goal that...
, one of the Celtic European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
winning teamLisbon LionsThe Lisbon Lions is the nickname given to the Celtic team that won the European Cup at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal on 25 May 1967, defeating Internazionale 2–1. All the members of this team were born within 30 miles of Glasgow, Scotland. Celtic's style was the antithesis of the...
of 1967. - The Physical Challenge, where the teams are subject to displaying their physique on an exercise bike, tricycle or other exercise apparatus. The harder they pedal, the faster an image appears on screen, and the teams have to name the image before moving onto the next one. The team captain starts off before a klaxon is sounded, then the regular sidekick takes over. Occasionally, the guests had a go. This round only lasted throughout the 2004 series.
- The Name Game, in which the regular sidekick has to give clues about a famous sportsperson for the other team members to guess. Variants include the sidekick having to draw the clues, give clues as to team names, do impressions or a mime of the sportsperson. On famous incident in this round, seen Rory get a point deduction for giving clues like "Same first name as Ian RushIan RushIan James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
, same last name as Ian BothamIan BothamSir Ian Terence Botham OBE is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. He was a genuine all-rounder with 14 centuries and 383 wickets in Test cricket, and remains well-known by his nickname "Beefy"...
". Rory also got away with pretending Gary gave an answer when he didn't, by saying "That's right, speak up!". He also criticised the media hype over Ryan GiggsRyan GiggsRyan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
's winning FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
semi-final goal against ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, by giving the clue "WelshWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
football player, scored what is probably the most overrated goal of the season". Chris Eubank was also given an extra question in this round by Nick Hancock after the whistle blew for "taking over" the show. - Sporting Vogue, introduced in 2005, where the team captain has to strike a famous pose by a sportsperson for their teammates to guess.
DVD
- They Think It's All Over - 10th Anniversary (2005)
- The Very Best of They Think Its All Over (2005)
Video
- They Think It's All Over - No Holds Barred (1996)
- They Think It's All Over - Full Throttle (1997)
- They Think It's All Over - Below The Belt (1998)
- They Think It's All Over - Complete (1999) - Existing No Holds Barred and Below The Belt videos re-packaged as a double video set.
- They Think It's All Over- Ungentlemanly Conduct (2000)
Other releases
- The "They Think It's All Over" Annual (1997) - an annual which parodied the style of children's comic annuals.
- They Think It's All Over (1998) - audiobook highlights compilation, part of the Canned Laughter series of releases.