Bradley Walsh gets quizzical – plus, try TV game show puzzles
as Cash Trapped returns, reveals the secret to a great quiz, their unique British quality and why The Chase is better than University Challenge
Three years before Bradley walsh revolutionised teatimes with The Chase, the popular comedian was already dreaming up ideas for quiz show glory.
Sitting in his Coronation Street dressing room (when he was Mike Baldwin’s son, Danny), Bradley spent his time devising a quiz where the contestants would return day after day as the jackpot increased.
It took a decade before that idea reached our screens as Cash Trapped, in which contestants try to sabotage each other in an attempt to take home some serious dosh.
Of course The Chase is a tough act to follow, but Bradley, 57, isn’t leaving, he just hopes Cash Trapped can fill in the gaps when it’s not on air. To celebrate the second series, he joins TV Times for an exclusive photo shoot and reveals the secret to quiz show success… How delighted were you to finally see Cash Trapped on air last year, and have you made any changes for the second series?
It was interesting because it took a while to get it on screen. I felt the first series worked really, really well. We’ve made some subtle changes to the second series, but nothing drastic. Shows need to be quick, so we’ve made the first round much slicker, and that quickens the whole show up.
what makes Cash Trapped such a great quiz format?
I like the idea that contestants can be on there for two or three months, so viewers at home can get to know them – that’s something no other show has. Plus it’s great fun to play.
How tough is getting the level of difficulty right for the questions? The team make sure we have a mixture of easy, medium and very hard questions. You have to be careful, because the really good quizzers on the show will anticipate the questions – if you say ‘Arsene Wenger’ they know the answer is going to be France or Arsenal! We have an exceptional team who make sure questions are written in the
way I would speak. It’s an art.
There was a backlash last year when viewers tuned in for The Chase and found you hosting Cash Trapped instead…
The Chase is a sensational, perfect storm of an idea. But we just can’t do 250 episodes of The Chase, it’s impossible. So to have Cash Trapped on when The Chase is off for a break is fantastic.
Many famous faces have tried to host quizzes, but few have had your success. is it a job that particularly suits you?
Over the years I’ve watched and worked with the fantastic Bob Monkhouse and Bruce Forysth and I definitely learned from them and saw how to do the job. Also, I started out as a blue coat at Pontins, where I had to make everyone feel comfortable and look after them – I love doing that.
why do you think we love quiz shows so much?
We adore them, don’t we? It feels like quiz shows are part of the British psyche. My nan, Marion, is no longer with us, but my she used to watch them constantly. The ratings for The Chase are extraordinary – three million viewers watching a quiz show at 5.00pm! I get letters from dads who come in from work and watch it on catch-up because the kids have told them about the episode. Both The Chase and Pointless launched in 2009 and have gained loyal audiences. is there a healthy rivalry? Yes. It’s extraordinary that both are so successful. The public really has an appetite for these shows.