The party to end all parties
Ready to party? We look back to the Gotchas and gunge era of Noel’s House Party
NOEL Edmonds entered I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! as a jungle emperor, but in the 90s he was better known as the lord of the manor at Crinkley Bottom.
Noel’s House Party began in November 1991 and quickly became a Saturday tea-time favourite on BBC1.
It was set in the fictional village of Crinkley Bottom and awarded Gotcha Oscars for celebrities pranked by the show, covered guests in vats of slime in the gunge tank and turned a giant pink blob character with yellow spots into a national celebrity.
Mr Blobby even had the Christmas number one slot in 1993 with a self-titled novelty song, which boasted the lyrics: “Although he’s unconventional in hue, his philosophy of life will steer him through.”
Contestants could also “grab a grand” in the show’s weekly phone-in game show challenge while the Wait Till I Get You Home segment saw children revealing some embarrassing home truths about their parents.
Comedian Ronnie Corbett appeared as Noel’s butler and American comedy star Robin Williams, Star Trek’s William Shatner, Joan Rivers, Barry Manilow and the Spice
Girls were among those who turned up at Crinkley Bottom to visit Noel in his manor.
Up to 16 million viewers were watching the light entertainment show at the height of its fame and Noel once said: “History will prove that House Party was one of the most successful entertainment shows of all time.” The Bafta awardwinning series ended in 1999 with a final scene showing Noel waking up to find himself on the set of Multicoloured Swap Shop to discover it was all a dream. International versions of the BBC TV hit included Gottschalks Haus Party in Germany and Greven På Hittegodset in Denmark.
Now Noel, who turns 70 later this month, is part of this latest I’m I Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! line-up. He said: “After everything I have done with Gotchas and gunging, I am well aware they are going to put me through absolute hell and I deserve it! I think the British public will enjoy seeing me finally getting my comeuppance!”