Give us a Clue

GIVE US A CLUE
Made by: Thames Shown on: ITV Years shown: 1978-1992

Theme tune: "Did Elvis sing it?/Or Basie swing it?/Old song or new?/Give us a Clue!/Has Spielberg made it?/Have actors played it?/In theatres too?/ Give Us A Clue!/Does TV show it?/Do bookworms know it?/One word or two?/Give Us A Clue!/Give Us A Clue!/Give Us A Clue!"

Not a kids show as such, but one which used to either precede or follow the children’s line-up, and for some reason made quite compelling viewing. I think part of the fun for me was that it was always a challenge to work out was going on. Basically, Give Us a Clue was charades with minor celebrities, which made for cheap and limitless material, a bit like Call My Bluff in that repsect. Michael Aspel was the original emcee, presiding over girls’ and boys’ teams, captained by the Lionel Blair (who I used to think was Cliff Richard, and who my fiance claims has no arse - not that he would know) and Una Stubbs. Liza Goddard was brought in to succeed Stubbs when she left, and Aspel was replaced by Michael Parkinson, who was a little tougher on the competitors, and who would give the girl’s team clues to help them win. It was dreadful, and full of pastel jumpers, jackets rolled up to the sleeves and teamed with jeans, and pixie-boots for the ladies, but if you were a D-list celebrity, it was the place to be seen.

SQUARE EYES RATING: 4/10

(Thanks to www.ukgameshows.com for the borrowed pic)