Keynotes (British game show)
Two teams race to name the tune from revealed notes.
From March 1989 to December 1992, ITV aired Keynotes, a game show hosted by Alistair Divall. Two teams competed to place the correct lyrics into the proper songs, following a bouncing ball to crack a musical puzzle.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Game show
- Presenter
- Alistair Divall
- Announcer
- David Hopewell
- Composer
- Bill Sharpe (theme), Keith Chegwin (tunes)
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 5
- Episodes
- 205
Facts from the source article.
Main game
Each show features two teams of three players, usually two women and a man, with champions in green on the left and challengers in yellow on the right. The game begins with three general rounds following the same format. A series of nine squares is presented, each hiding a note in a familiar tune. The host gives contestants notes 1, 5, and 9 in all three rounds; from series 2 onwards, note 7 is added as an extra free note in round 3. A member from each team joins the host at a central podium with three coloured buttons. The host randomly selects a card representing the note to be revealed, and three words are provided that could be the next word in a given tune. The contestant who first selects the correct word after hearing the start of the tune receives that note. If the first contestant picks the wrong word and the opponent chooses correctly, the opponent gets the note. If neither selects correctly, the note becomes a blank and two new players play for two keynotes. The team of the winning representative then may guess the main tune by listening to the revealed notes and following the bouncing ball's rhythm. A correct guess wins the round and a cash prize that doubles each round: the first round is worth £50, doubling to £200, for a maximum of £350. From series 2, the money reduces to £30, doubling to £120, for a maximum of £210. If neither team identifies the song before all nine notes are revealed, the round's prize is lost and play moves to the next round. Both teams keep their earnings, and the team with the most money plays the final round to double those winnings. A team that wins five consecutive games earns a £500 bonus and immediately retires from the show.
Bonus round
The show's champions get a chance to double the cash they won that day. They have half a minute to reveal all nine notes of a mystery tune. To do this, they hit a buzzer to stop a random flashing light, then select the correct next word, just like in the earlier rounds. The full tune is played only once after the 30 seconds end. Any notes they fail to answer correctly in time stay hidden during that playback. If they name the tune, their prize money is doubled. The top possible winnings were £4,000, or £2,600 from the second series onward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Keynotes (British game show) are there?
Keynotes has 205 episodes across 5 seasons.
When did Keynotes (British game show) first air?
Keynotes first aired on 13 March 1989.
When did Keynotes (British game show) end?
Keynotes last aired on 18 December 1992.
More in Television Shows Produced by Harlech Television
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