Celebrity Squares
British comedy game show based on noughts and crosses.
Celebrity Squares is a British comedy game show adapted from the American format Hollywood Squares. It originally aired on ITV from 20 July 1975 to 7 July 1979, hosted by Bob Monkhouse, and returned with the same host from 8 January 1993 to 25 August 1995. A revival produced by September Films and Motion Content Group began on ITV on 8 September 2014, hosted by Warwick Davis. ITV announced the show’s cancellation on 13 November 2015.
The game is based on noughts and crosses, with a celebrity in each square. The host asks a celebrity a question; if a contestant correctly predicts whether the celebrity answered correctly, they win that square and a cash value. An incorrect prediction gives the square to the opponent, with no money awarded. At game point, the opponent must place their nought or cross themselves. A round is won by getting three in a row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally) or five squares total. Willie Rushton frequently occupied the centre square, and Pat Coombs was a regular, known for her exchange “Hello Bobby” with Monkhouse’s “Hello Patty.”
In the 1990s revival, each square and game was worth £10. In rounds two, four, and five, one celebrity was a “secret square”; contestants who picked it and answered correctly won a special prize, typically a holiday or weekend break in Europe. During the Central and Reg Grundy Productions era, squares in the first two rounds were worth £10, and winning a round added £50. Round two was the secret square round; if neither player chose it, the prize carried over and the square moved to a different celebrity. In the Warwick Davis version, squares in the first two rounds were worth £50, and a round win added £500; round two (and round four in 2014) was a “mystery square” round.
ATV editions included a segment where the public submitted questions for Monkhouse, answered by the squares. If he answered incorrectly, the writer earned £5; if correctly, he earned £10, and the money went to a member of the public in need. In the Central era, round three doubled prizes to £20 per square and £100 for a win; a fourth round doubled again to £40 and £200. In the 2014 series’ fifth game and the 2015 series’ third game, prizes were £100 per square and £1,000 for a win. When one minute remained, a buzzer triggered a speed round. The contestant with the most money after the penultimate round advanced to the final.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Comedy panel game
- Based On
- Hollywood Squares · Merrill Heatter · Bob Quigley
- Writer
- Les Keen (2014–2015) / David Reilly (2014–2015) / Aiden Spackman / (2014–2015)
- Director
- Richard Van't Riet / (2014–2015)
- Presenter
- Bob Monkhouse / Warwick Davis
- Announcer
- Kenny Everett / Nick Jackson
- Theme Music Composer
- Jack Parnell (1975–1979) / Rick Turk (1993–1997) / Invader Plus (2014–2015)
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Num Series
- 4 (ATV) / 3 (Central) / 2 (Revival)
- Num Episodes
- 138 (ATV) / 57 (Central) / 15 (Revival)
- Executive Producer
- Abigail Adams / (2014–2015) / Tony Moulsdale / (2014–2015) / Robert Massie / (2014–2015)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The show is based on noughts and crosses. Inside each box is a celebrity. The host asks a celebrity a question, and if the contestant can correctly predict whether the celebrity got that question correct or wrong, then they will win that square and a money value. If the contestant's prediction is wrong, the opposing contestant wins the square and no money is won. However, if the round is at game point, the opponent must put their nought or cross in the square themselves. If they get three in row vertically, horizontally, diagonally or five in total, then they will win the round. Regular celebrities featured often with Willie Rushton occupying the centre square for the majority of editions. Pat Coombs was another regular participant and she and Monkhouse developed an ongoing repartee. The secret square concept was introduced in the 1990s revival, not the original ATV run.
Reader's Guide
Celebrity Squares was a staple of British television game shows, adapting the American format for UK audiences across multiple decades. Its significance lies in its longevity and the distinct hosting styles of Bob Monkhouse and later Warwick Davis. The show's format, blending comedy with a simple game of noughts and crosses, allowed for celebrity banter and audience engagement. The ATV editions are notable for being largely wiped from archives, with only 40 episodes saved by Monkhouse himself. The show's legacy includes its influence on later comedy game shows and its ability to attract regular celebrity participants like Willie Rushton and Pat Coombs, whose on-screen chemistry with Monkhouse became a hallmark. The revival in 2014 updated the prize structure but ultimately was cancelled in 2015.
Did You Know?
- Nearly every single one of the 138 episodes of the ATV era has been wiped from the archives, but Bob Monkhouse saved 40 episodes in his video cassette collection.
- In the ATV run, each square and game was worth £10.
- In the Warwick Davis era, the final round jackpot was £20,000 in the first series and increased to £25,000 in the second series.
- Pat Coombs and Bob Monkhouse developed an ongoing repartee based on her response 'Hello Bobby' to his 'Hello Patty'.
More in British television series revived after cancellation 1-24
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