THE TOP ZONE!
BEN SHEPHARD IS BACK WITH A NEW SERIES OF THE BIG MONEY QUIZ SHOW…
TIPPING POINT | ITV MONDAY – FRIDAY
“I’m just the ringmaster of the show – I leave the hard work to the machine!” reckons Tipping Point host Ben Shephard – modestly referring to the quiz’s showbiz version of the ‘coin push’ arcade game contraption. “It’s the machine organising the strategy and the frustration, the trauma and the joy,” insists Ben, joining Inside TV while getting in the all-important ‘drop zone’ for the show’s new run – which hits daytime afternoons this week…
Welcome back, Ben!
Tipping Point has been on our telly screens for almost a decade now – why do people love it so much? Other than the host, obviously? [Laughs] It’s a lovely concoction of quizzing, fun and seaside nostalgia. But for me, it’s all about the contestants – the enthusiasm and energy they bring is always contagious. They’re trying to get the better of that machine, for their chance to win thousands of pounds, and they put their heart and soul into it…
Is it a game of skill and strategy – or pure luck? The skill is in choosing the right drop zone, and getting the timing right. Then it’s up to the machine – or the luck of the gods!
You must have honed your own Tipping Point game skills by now…
In theory, I play alongside the contestants every single episode – so I’ve played well over a thousand shows by now. My kids have also come in and played, when they were young. My son Jack fondly remembers getting the jackpot counter out – which means that the show still owes him £10,000!
It’s definitely a quiz for all ages, isn’t it? Undoubtedly. I get lovely messages from grandparents who watch with grandchildren. And it apparently gives parents with young babies some respite – I think the noise of the machine proves hypnotic for little ones! Mums and dads come on to surprise their kids who love the show. And also, this year, we have our first visually impaired contestant, Abigail, who came on with her friend and guide Elaine, which was a proud moment for us.
We’re also looking forward to seeing Patti Clare –
Corrie’s Mary – popping up on Tipping Point’s celebrity version, Lucky Stars, with Mary’s Ben blanket in tow! Patti was an absolute superstar! I already loved her in Corrie and it was a joy to meet her. To help get her through lockdown, when she was feeling anxious, Mary ordered a blanket with my face on it, and Patti brought it with her on the show! It was a really special moment – two worlds colliding! I’d love it if we could do an episode of Corrie where Mary gets to go on the show. Wouldn’t that be amazing?