Sunday 14 May 2017

681 Bob's Full House


First  viewed : 1  September  1984

The  autumn  schedule  began  with  this  new  Saturday  night  quiz  show. I  remember  this  with  particular  affection  as  it  formed  part  of  my  Saturday  schedule  when  Dale  were  playing  at  home. I'd  go  to  the  game  then  come  back  for  tea, watch  this  and  the  following  Juliet  Bravo , then  make  my  way  back  to  Leeds.

Bob  Monkhouse  had  been  poached  from  ITV   and  got  his  name  in  the  title  which  was  fair  enough  as  he  was  still  at  the  top  of  his  game  as  a  quiz  show  host with  his  ad  libbing  skills  and  complete  control  of  the  floor. Not  all  his  jokes  were  great  but  he  crammed  so  many  gags  in  there  was  always  likely  to  be  a  good  one  just  round  the  corner.

Bob's  Full  House  was   based  on  Bingo  ( with  Bob  and  some  of  the  contestants  using  mildly  annoying  Bingo  lingo - "two  little  ducks"  etc )   with  four  contestants  trying  to  complete  their  "card"  by   answering  general  knowledge  questions   which  were  set  at  quite  a  high  standard  compared  to  shows  like  Sale  of  the  Century .  Contestants  could  win  Generation  Game  -standard  prizes  by  getting  their  "Lucky  Number"  right  and  the  first  to  a  full  house  got  a  chance  to  win  a   holiday  in  a  solo  spot  with  Bob.

The  show  ran  for  6  seasons  until  1990 . It's  a  measure  of  Bob's  dominance  that  despite  its  popularity  it's  never  been  revived  with  anyone  else.

2 comments:

  1. My nan was a huge bingo nut (like many women of her age, I expect) and I can clearly remember watching this with her on the Saturday nights my brother and I were dumped with her so my parents could enjoy a night out.

    I expect the fond memories are a big part of why I always had plenty of respect for Monkhouse - as you say, he knew how to work the format.

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  2. 'In bingo lingo clickety clicks it's time to take your pick of the six!'

    When UK Gold re-ran Juliet Bravo's weekday afternoons back in the late 90s they would follow it up at teatime with Bob's Full House

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