Before the generation of using Netflix and BBC iplayer to watch TV at the touch of a button, most of us had to sit in and watch right there and then. If you didn’t, you risked missing your favourite Saturday night show.
It was a time when life was just that little bit simplier. We used a VHS tape to record programmes, and our TVs only had four (and then five) channels.
Saturday nights were a time for the whole family to sit down and enjoy the nightly entertainment from 7pm onwards.
And while there are plenty of quality TV programmes and game shows on our box right now, growing up in the 80s, 90s and 00s was an exciting time.
Our form of reality TV was Cilla Black on Blind Date, not wannabe stars on sun loungers on Love Island. We created a generation of gladiators, millionaires, and pop stars.
10 iconic games shows we all loved, and now miss:
The Crystal Maze
No matter what age you were, everyone wanted to take part in The Crystal Maze, following Richard O’Brien around caves filled with booby trapped puzzles.
We know you can still catch the current series on TV – but nothing beats the original.
In all our time watching only a handful of contestants ever actually completed the maze – those gold tokens were illusive.
Fun House
Yes, it was for kids, but Fun House was a brilliant show. We loved it as much for the crazy challenges as we did for Pat Sharp’s incredible mullet.
The TV show was such a hit and thousands tuned in every Friday.
But did you know is was actually filmed in Glasgow? Pat Sharp and the team would spend a week at BBC Scotland’s studio in the city and film enough episodes for the entire year.
Gladiators
Contenders, you will go on my first whistle. Gladiators, you will go on my second whistle.
Gladiators was classic entertainment, everyone wanted to take part, and we all loved to hate the Wolf.
The Gladiators themselves became house-hold names in the 90s.
Fort Boyard
This game show came later on into the 90s but was an instant hit with Melinda Messenger as the host.
It was sent on a French Fort and was similar in nature to the Crystal Maze. It was based on a French game show of the same name.
Robot Wars
Robot Wars was geek heaven as budding scientists pitted their wits against the show’s own stars.
Sir Killalot was the one everyone wanted to avoid, with a record of destroying contestants’ dreams with ease.
The fire breather was also one to avoid with more than one felt-covered entrant going up in flames over the years.
Supermarket Sweep
With news Supermarket Sweep is set to make a comeback, we thought it best be given a place in our list.
Dale Winton was the iconic presenter of the simple, yet brilliant, game show which featured retro jumpers and inflatable food.
Contestants raced around a supermarket cramming as much as they could into trolleys – TV gold.
Blind Date
(Image: ITV/PA Wire)
Before Love Island and Take me Out, Blind Date was the TV programme we all loved to watch on a Saturday night.
Cilla Black had a lotta, lotta love for all the contestants looking for romance.
Three singles of the same sex were introduced to the audience.
They were then asked a question by a single individual of the opposite sex, who could hear but not see them. They then had to choose with whom to go on a date.
The couple then picked an envelope to see where the date would be, it was that simple.
Paul O’Grady presents the current series.
Stars in their Eyes
Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be….
The Saturday night favourite gave amateur singers the chance to perform as their favourite artists.
Performers didn’t just sing the songs made popular by their idols, they also changed their clothes, hair and style to look like the stars.
Matthew Kelly was the host, and the popular show was on telly for over 10 years.
Play your Cards Right
(Image: BBC)
Bruce Forsyth was the star of Saturday night TV in the 80s with this hit show.
Two couples had to the chance to play against each other answering questions to get onto the card board, they then had to guess if the card was higher or lower than the one before.
If you correctly guessed all the cards you won the game.
Wheel of Fortune
Another classic gameshow this time you had to guess missing letters to create words.
For each correct consonant they guessed they would spin the wheel to win prizes. It was TV at its best.
