Balls of Steel (UK TV series)
Encyclopedia
Balls of Steel is a Channel 4
comedy series developed by Objective Productions
and hosted by Mark Dolan
, his special guests would perform stunts and hold their nerve during hidden camera
set-ups in the presence of celebrities or the British public.
Massive Balls of Steel, the spinoff series to Balls of Steel was shown on E4, showing highlights of the show.
in Australia
at 9:30 pm Tuesday nights and has also been shown on the Nine Network
in the past. In Latin America
, it is broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television
, in New Zealand
on C4, in Germany
on RTL II
, in Denmark
on TV 2 Zulu
, in Portugal
on SIC Radical
, Norway
on TV2 Zebra
, in Sweden on Kanal 5, in Poland
on TVN
, in the Netherlands
on RTL 5
, and in Russia
on 2x2
.
was taped for the A&E network, but was not picked up for production.
During early 2007, an Italian
adaptation of the format was aired on Rai Due
, this version lasted just one season and wasn't picked up for a second season due to very poor ratings. The show featured local versions of the original skits such as Sexy Lisa, which was an adaptation from Bunny Boiler.
A Finnish version of the show is in production with Jukka and Jarppi of The Dudesons playing the part of 'The Pain Men'.
An Australian version of the show, Balls of Steel Australia
was put into production in Sydney
in late 2010 and premiered on the Australian subscription television channel The Comedy Channel on 19 April 2011, hosted by The Chaser
's Craig Reucassel
. It was the highest rating show in the history of The Comedy Channel, doubling the ratings of the previous record holder The Merrick and Rosso Show. Ten episodes in total have been produced. The series stars Neg Dupree
, reprising his Urban Sports segment from the UK version, as well as Australian versions of The Annoying Devil and Bunny Boiler. New characters include Nude Girl, James Kerley
as the Game Show Host from Hell, Janis McGavin
as Fame Whore, Very Foreign Correspondent, Flatmate Wanted and Just Come Out.
A Swedish version of the show has been shown on Swedish Channel 5 in the springs of 2009, 2010 and 2011. It was first produced for the Swedish public service
broadcaster SVT
, but cancelled since a participant sprayed water in the face of prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
.
. Its leading man Tom Cruise
was squirted with a water pistol disguised as a microphone as part of one of the programme's various stunts or practical jokes. Cruise expressed his disdain but his reaction was not as excessive as that of Sharon Osbourne
in an identical stunt several weeks before; she reacted by throwing a bucket of water over one of the team's camera men, ruining the camera.
Others who have been attacked include Fredrik Reinfeldt
, Prime Minister
of Sweden
. Sveriges Television
, where the Swedish version Ballar av stål was going to air, decided to cancel the show after massive criticism against it.
But the show was picked up in 2008 by the Swedish network Kanal 5
. The show has also had its fair share of complaints from viewers. One target is the 'Annoying Devil' in which he performs extreme acts on members of the public. Some complaints were directed at his roller coaster stunt where he threw (false) bags of vomit at the passengers.
The programme returned for a further series in 2007, for which its makers appealed for contestants for a pilot quiz show on an established quiz site. At least one participant rumbled the deceit almost immediately during filming on 10 June 2006, but despite his queries the makers refused to admit that the quiz was a hoax until the "broadcast" was over. Series 3 began airing on Channel 4 on 21 March 2008.
However, despite harsh criticism, Balls of Steel keeps coming back by popular demand - as witnessed by the return of Balls of Steel to Channel Nine in Australia in September to the prime late night time slot. This occurred just 3 months after the Sydney Morning Herald's Michael Idato panned the show as being "puerile" in an online review (26 May 2008)
Neg has launched a petition to get his own show, although whether this will go ahead with Channel 4 is unknown. Neg's Australian fansite has also launched its petition to try and get Neg to launch his own show in Australia, rather than the UK.
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
comedy series developed by Objective Productions
Objective Productions
OBJECTIVE PRODUCTIONS is a UK-based television production company, based in London and Glasgow and was founded by Andrew O'Connor and Michael Vine in 1991...
and hosted by Mark Dolan
Mark Dolan
Mark Dolan is an English comedian, writer and TV presenter. Dolan was born in Camden, North London, where he eventually returned and now lives with his wife and son.-Television:...
, his special guests would perform stunts and hold their nerve during hidden camera
Hidden camera
A hidden camera is a still or video camera used to film people without their knowledge. The camera is "hidden" because it is either not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another object...
set-ups in the presence of celebrities or the British public.
Massive Balls of Steel, the spinoff series to Balls of Steel was shown on E4, showing highlights of the show.
The format
There were a total of 12 acts. In each episode, six acts competed with one of them being the winner from the previous episode. At the end of each episode the studio audience had to decide which act had the biggest 'Balls of Steel' by voting on a keypad. The Balls of Steel format is distributed internationally by DRG.The acts
There were various acts seen frequently on the show, presented by the regular performers.| Performer(s) | Segment name | Gimmick | First series | Last series | Times appeared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Zane Alex Zane Alex Zane is an English television presenter and DJ.-Background:Zane was born in Leeds and attended Boston Spa School before going on to study Medicine at University College London, a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.-Stand-up comedy and... |
Alex Zane's ... Game | Presents a fake game show that either makes the victim undergo very unfair disadvantages or gives an unfair advantage to another player, normally a stooge. The twists take various forms, including expecting contestants to identify something from inadequate information, deliberately mishearing contestants' answers, and using such props as faulty buzzer Buzzer A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric. Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers and confirmation of user input such as a mouse click or keystroke.... s or fake lie detector Lie Detector "Lie Detector" is a CD single by The Reverend Horton Heat. It was released in October 1998 on Sub Pop.-Personnel:*Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath - lead vocals, guitar*Jimbo Wallace - upright bass, vocals*Scott Churilla - drums, vocals... s. Entry music: The Power The Power (Snap! song) "The Power" is an electronic pop hit song by the German music group Snap! from their album World Power. It was released as a single in 1990 and reached No. 1 in the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, as well as the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Rap charts... by Snap! Snap! Snap! is a German Eurodance project formed in 1989 by Frankfurt-based producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, but was most successful when fronted by rapper Turbo B, who performed on the UK number 1 singles "The Power" and... and Back in Black Back in Black Back in Black is an album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It is the seventh Australian and sixth internationally released studio album by the band.... by AC/DC AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"... . |
One | Three | 16 |
| Thaila Zucchi Thaila Zucchi Thaila Lucia Zucchi is a British singer and actress, trained at The Arts Educational School, London. She began her career as a member of the British band allSTARS* before transitioning into acting, appearing in Big Brother 8 in the UK, where she played the part of fake Australian housemate... |
Bunny Boiler | Flirts with a man whilst in the company of his girlfriend to provoke a reaction from her. Thaila is conventionally attractive and usually wears provocative clothes. Entry music: Lovefool Lovefool "Lovefool" is a pop rock song written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for The Cardigans' third studio album First Band on the Moon, released as a single on 14 September 1996, in the United Kingdom and internationally on 5 October 1996... by The Cardigans The Cardigans The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured... . |
One | Three | 8 |
| Michael Locke Michael Locke Michael Richard Locke , better known as Pancho, is a professional stuntman and a member of the Dirty Sanchez crew.Locke starred in the film Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, released in 2006.- References :... |
Pain Men | Two men going by the names Pancho Michael Locke Michael Richard Locke , better known as Pancho, is a professional stuntman and a member of the Dirty Sanchez crew.Locke starred in the film Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, released in 2006.- References :... and Pritchard Matthew Pritchard Mathew Pryderi Pritchard , is a Welsh professional skateboarder, daredevil and one quarter of the Dirty Sanchez crew, who have their own television programme on MTV and also appears on Balls of Steel with Pancho as the Pain Men.-Dirty Sanchez:Pritchard is often seen as the founder of Dirty Sanchez,... deliberately inflict extreme pain on themselves or each other, an act similar to the duo's previous TV show Dirty Sanchez Dirty Sanchez (TV series) Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, a reality film based upon the series, was released on 22 September 2006. It is in the format of a world tour and incorporates stunts related to the Seven Deadly Sins. Stunts are on a larger scale and more extreme than stunts shown in the TV show.The film also features the... . This is the only segment to frequently take place within the Balls of Steel studio, rather than being shown on the video screen. During this act, host Mark Dolan usually asks the pair if there is a risk of some kind of serious injury arising from whatever activity they are partaking of, leading to the act's famous catchline "There's only one way to find out, Mark". |
One | Three | 11 |
| Matthew Pritchard Matthew Pritchard Mathew Pryderi Pritchard , is a Welsh professional skateboarder, daredevil and one quarter of the Dirty Sanchez crew, who have their own television programme on MTV and also appears on Balls of Steel with Pancho as the Pain Men.-Dirty Sanchez:Pritchard is often seen as the founder of Dirty Sanchez,... |
|||||
| Olivia Lee Olivia Lee Olivia Lee is an English comedienne, actress and television presenter.-Life and career:Lee is from a Jewish family. She studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama... |
Prank TV with Miss Lee | Plays minor practical jokes on celebrities, utilising such props as microphones that resemble genitals or squirt water. This section gained press coverage before the show aired due to Tom Cruise's reaction to the latter gag, although that particular prank was not performed by Olivia Lee herself but by a producer. In an episode in series three, Olivia takes on a "henchman" who signs inappropriate remarks to celebrities during interviews while Olivia gives incorrect translations. Entry music: Girls on Film Girls on Film "Girls on Film" is the third single by Duran Duran, released on 13 July 1981.The single became Duran Duran's Top 10 breakthrough in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at Number 5 in August 1981... by Duran Duran Duran Duran Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States... . |
One | Three | 10 |
| Barrie Hall | The Annoying Devil | Wears a devil costume and annoys the general public in various ways. His pranks include disrupting people's work or leisure activities (e.g. driving a motor boat down a river when people are trying to fish) making public places or vehicles dirty (sometimes using fake faeces), disseminating rude messages in various forms, and offering products or services with an evil twist. | Two | Three | 8 |
| Jason Attar | One | One | 5 | ||
| Neg Dupree Neg Dupree Neg Dupree is a British comedian, writer and actor, best known for his act "Neg's Urban Sports" on the British television show Balls of Steel... |
Neg's Urban Sports | Plays 'Urban Sports', which have included: Urban Sprinting (running from security guards); Burger Bowl Off (throwing fast food at bystanders); Make Em Move (trying to make someone leave a place without making physical contact); My Ball (taking balls from a local game of sport); and Big Stranger Rodeo (jumping onto the backs of unsuspecting passers-by). This is the most controversial act of them all. However in the second series this is less controversial, because the people in his sketches are now being set up by their friends. Still, Neg was arrested during Red Carpet Run in Series 3, when he gatecrashed a Will Smith movie premier in London. | One | Three | 13 |
| Eric Page | Big Gay Following | Treats men as potential pick-ups, scares them and solicits gay sex from them, often via the phrase "fancy a bum?" Only once (by Chris Moyles Chris Moyles Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4.... ) has the answer been "Yes". Entry music: Do You Really Want to Hurt Me by Culture Club Culture Club Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss... |
One | Three | 8 |
| Toju Okorodudu | Militant Black Guy | Discomforts people, mainly members of the public at work, by accusing them of racism Racism Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature... at every opportunity. Usually, this consists of deliberately mistaking the name of something for a racial slur. Examples have included "Black Forest gateau Black Forest gateau Black Forest gateau and Black Forest cake are the English names for the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte , literally "Black Forest cherry torte".... ", the All Blacks All Blacks The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport.... rugby strip, Isle of Wight Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent... , garden 'hoes', "Cocoon Cocoon (film) The score for Cocoon was composed and conducted by James Horner. The soundtrack was released twice, through Polydor Records in 1985 and a reprint through P.E.G. in 1997 and features eleven tracks of score and a vocal track performed by Michael Sembello... " and "raccoon Raccoon Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are... " for containing "coon", and the fact that white moves first in chess Chess Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player... . Entry music: Fight the Power Fight the Power "Fight the Power" is a single by American hip hop group Public Enemy. First released on the soundtrack for the film 1989 Do the Right Thing, a different version was released on the group's third studio album, Fear of a Black Planet . The single reached number one on Hot Rap Singles and number 20 on... by Public Enemy (season 1 & 2), The Message by Grandmaster Flash Grandmaster Flash Joseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing.... (season 3). |
One | Three | 7 |
| Tim Shaw Tim Shaw (DJ) Timothy Tim Shaw is a British radio DJ and TV Presenter. He has two children with his wife Hayley. He is regarded as the UK's most controversial broadcasters of all time.... |
Mr. Inappropriate | Does inappropriate things in public, such as teaching foreign students offensive phrases, reading a pornographic magazine Pornographic magazine Pornographic magazines, sometimes known as adult magazines, sex magazines or top-shelf magazines are pornographic magazines that contain content of a sexual nature. Adult magazines are mainly aimed towards men, and in some parts of the world, many men's first sight of a naked woman has been in an... on the Tube London Underground The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England... or selling double glazing at 4:00AM. |
Two | Three | 5 |
| Carla Lynch Carla Lynch Carla Jade Lynch is a British comedienne and model who plays the "Scummy Mummy" in Channel 4's comedy show Balls of Steel... |
Scummy Mummy | A "Bad parent"; does exactly the opposite of what a good mother would do, such as smoking when pretending to be pregnant, pretending to give whiskey to a baby, taking a small child to inappropriate places, and acts such as pretending her water has broken all over an unsuspecting victim. | Three | Three | 3 |
| Laurence Rickard Laurence Rickard Laurence Rickard is a British comedy actor and writer. He writes for and stars in the BBC family television programme Horrible Histories and its spin-off show Horrible Histories: Gory Games.... |
The Bastard in Black | A strict and unreasonable football official, who referees genuine matches whilst making humorous decisions that do normally not correspond to the laws of football. | Three | Three | 1 |
| Paul Tilliard | Knob Jockey | Rides men for as long as possible, with commentary resembling that of a real horse race. This act resembles Neg's Urban Sports, specifically Neg's Big Stranger Rodeo. The men being "ridden" are actually set up by their friends. | Three | Three | 1 |
| Chris Stapp Chris Stapp Chris Stapp is a New Zealand actor/director/musician best known for his role of stuntman Randy Cambell in Back Of The Y Masterpiece Television. He and Back of the Y co-star Matt Heath appear in season 6 of Eating Media Lunch. In 2005 the pair also hosted a weekly radio show Thursday Drive on bFM... |
Randy Cambell's stunts | "New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... 's top stuntman" performs daring stunts that inevitably go dangerously wrong. The only fictional segment of the show, it's essentially a comedy sketch but presented 'as real', previously seen on Back of the Y Back Of The Y Masterpiece Television Back Of The Y previously known as Back Of The Y Masterpiece Television is a cult New Zealand TV series, created by Chris Stapp and Matt Heath. Featuring such memorable characters as Randy Campbell, Danny Parker, Dick Johansonson, Cindy Cockburn and Spanners Watson, the show glorified stunts and... . |
One | One | 5 |
| Robin Huxtable | Naked Man | Goes on country walks and visits public places while in the nude. Presumably a parody of the naked rambler Stephen Gough Stephen Gough , also known as Steve Gough and the Naked Rambler, is a British former Royal Marine turned activist from Eastleigh, Hampshire, famous for walking the length of Great Britain from Land's End to John o' Groats in 2003–2004 with nothing on except boots, socks, rucksack and sometimes a... . |
One | One | 2 |
| Dawn Porter Dawn Porter Dawn Porter is a British television presenter and writer. She was born in Scotland, but grew up in Guernsey.-Early life:Porter's mother died of breast cancer two days before her seventh birthday, and she was then raised by her aunt... |
Man Tester | Picks up a single man in a bar before 'inadvertently' revealing some unusual fact about herself (for example, that she works for a sex chat line, taking the call right in front of him) and seeing whether he continues flirting or makes excuses. | One | One | 3 |
| Ross Lee Ross Lee Ross Lee is a British comedian, actor and television presenter originally from Calverley, Pudsey, Leeds.-Ross Lee's Ghoulies:Lee was the host of Ross Lee's Ghoulies, a horror-comedy themed Saturday morning studio-based show which began broadcasting on Sunday 28 September and ended 13 December 2008... |
The World's Worst | Takes up various jobs or roles - only to make him the worst ever. This includes being a barman, cabbie and stealing cash off unsuspecting customers. | One | One | 2 |
| Jonathan Goodwin | Escapologist | Attempts dangerous escapes with help from his father. | Two | Two | 1 |
| Kelly Burgess | The Fuckers | Perform simulated sexual intercourse in a range of unacceptable places such as in a house while being shown round by an estate agent or in a Land Rover showroom. They were once stopped by the police while simulating sex on a boat on the River Thames River Thames The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,... . |
Two | Two | 3 |
| Tony Parsons | |||||
| Jenni Davies Jenni Davies Jenni Davies born in Wales August 7, 1980 made her TV debut in 2007 on Channel 4's prank show Balls of Steel. She went on to appear on BBC Three's The C Word: How We Came to Swear By It, Most Annoying TV We Hate to Love and Most Annoying People - 2007 as a talking head... |
The Penis Fly Trap | Gets into an awkward situation to attract men's help. She then accuses them of taking advantage, using such expressions as "Are you looking at my tits?" | Two | Two | 1 |
Episodes
Overall three series were aired. 19 episodes were made, seven in series 1, six in series 2 and another six in series 3.The winners
| Episode | Airdate | Performer(s) | Segment name | Number of wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | ||||
| 1 | 19 August 2005 | Alex Zane Alex Zane Alex Zane is an English television presenter and DJ.-Background:Zane was born in Leeds and attended Boston Spa School before going on to study Medicine at University College London, a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.-Stand-up comedy and... |
Alex Zane's Buzzin' Game | 1st |
| 2 | 26 August 2005 | Jason Attar | The Annoying Devil | 1st |
| 3 | 2 September 2005 | Michael Locke Michael Locke Michael Richard Locke , better known as Pancho, is a professional stuntman and a member of the Dirty Sanchez crew.Locke starred in the film Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, released in 2006.- References :... Matthew Pritchard Matthew Pritchard Mathew Pryderi Pritchard , is a Welsh professional skateboarder, daredevil and one quarter of the Dirty Sanchez crew, who have their own television programme on MTV and also appears on Balls of Steel with Pancho as the Pain Men.-Dirty Sanchez:Pritchard is often seen as the founder of Dirty Sanchez,... |
Pain Men | 1st |
| 4 | 9 September 2005 | Toju Okorodudu | Militant Black Guy | 1st |
| 5 | 16 September 2005 | Thaila Zucchi Thaila Zucchi Thaila Lucia Zucchi is a British singer and actress, trained at The Arts Educational School, London. She began her career as a member of the British band allSTARS* before transitioning into acting, appearing in Big Brother 8 in the UK, where she played the part of fake Australian housemate... |
Bunny Boiler | 1st |
| 6 | 23 September 2005 | Olivia Lee Olivia Lee Olivia Lee is an English comedienne, actress and television presenter.-Life and career:Lee is from a Jewish family. She studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama... |
Prank TV with Miss Lee | 1st |
| 7 | 30 September 2005 | Jason Attar | The Annoying Devil | 2nd |
| Series 2 | ||||
| 1 | 16 February 2007 | Neg Dupree Neg Dupree Neg Dupree is a British comedian, writer and actor, best known for his act "Neg's Urban Sports" on the British television show Balls of Steel... |
Neg's Burger Bowl Off | 1st |
| 2 | 23 February 2007 | Eric Page | Big Gay Following | 1st |
| 3 | 2 March 2007 | Toju Okorodudu | Militant Black Guy | 2nd |
| 4 | 9 March 2007 | Tony Parsons Tony Parsons Tony Parsons is the name of:* Tony Parsons , Canadian news anchor* Tony Parsons , novelist and arts critic... Kelly Burgess |
The Fuckers | 1st |
| 5 | 16 March 2007 | Olivia Lee Olivia Lee Olivia Lee is an English comedienne, actress and television presenter.-Life and career:Lee is from a Jewish family. She studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama... |
Prank TV with Miss Lee | 2nd |
| 6 | 23 March 2007 | Barrie Hall | The Annoying Devil | 3rd |
| Series 3 | ||||
| 1 | 23 March 2008 | Eric Page | Big Gay Following | 2nd |
| 2 | 28 March 2008 | Tim Shaw Tim Shaw (DJ) Timothy Tim Shaw is a British radio DJ and TV Presenter. He has two children with his wife Hayley. He is regarded as the UK's most controversial broadcasters of all time.... |
Mr. Inappropriate | 1st |
| 3 | 4 April 2008 | Barrie Hall | The Annoying Devil | 4th |
| 4 | 11 April 2008 | Michael Locke Michael Locke Michael Richard Locke , better known as Pancho, is a professional stuntman and a member of the Dirty Sanchez crew.Locke starred in the film Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, released in 2006.- References :... Matthew Pritchard Matthew Pritchard Mathew Pryderi Pritchard , is a Welsh professional skateboarder, daredevil and one quarter of the Dirty Sanchez crew, who have their own television programme on MTV and also appears on Balls of Steel with Pancho as the Pain Men.-Dirty Sanchez:Pritchard is often seen as the founder of Dirty Sanchez,... |
Pain Men | 2nd |
| 5 | 18 April 2008 | Alex Zane Alex Zane Alex Zane is an English television presenter and DJ.-Background:Zane was born in Leeds and attended Boston Spa School before going on to study Medicine at University College London, a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.-Stand-up comedy and... |
Alex Zane's Heart Rate Game | 2nd |
| 6 | 25 April 2008 | Michael Locke Michael Locke Michael Richard Locke , better known as Pancho, is a professional stuntman and a member of the Dirty Sanchez crew.Locke starred in the film Dirty Sanchez: The Movie, released in 2006.- References :... Matthew Pritchard Matthew Pritchard Mathew Pryderi Pritchard , is a Welsh professional skateboarder, daredevil and one quarter of the Dirty Sanchez crew, who have their own television programme on MTV and also appears on Balls of Steel with Pancho as the Pain Men.-Dirty Sanchez:Pritchard is often seen as the founder of Dirty Sanchez,... |
Pain Men | 3rd |
Massive Balls of Steel
Massive Balls of Steel is a show broadcast on E4 in 2008 where contestants show their best clips from all three series as voted for by the public.UK version broadcasts
It currently (as of March 2011) airs on The Comedy ChannelThe Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at 9:30 pm Tuesday nights and has also been shown on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
in the past. In Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, it is broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television
Sony Entertainment Television (Latin America)
Sony Entertainment Television, commonly shortened to Canal Sony , is a general entertainment channel co-based in Perú, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil and Miami, Florida, United States. It airs in 26 countries in Latin America, and is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment...
, in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
on C4, in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on RTL II
RTL II
RTL II is a privately owned, commercial, general-interest German television channel.It was founded as a second-generation commercial broadcaster in 1993. It quickly became infamous for its perceived "trash programming", comprising lots of soft porn as well as shows such as Peep and many...
, in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on TV 2 Zulu
TV 2 Zulu
TV 2 Zulu is a Danish television station which started broadcasting on 15 October 2000. It is primarily aimed at viewers between 15 and 30 years of age....
, in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
on SIC Radical
SIC Radical
SIC Radical is a cable television channel in Portugal owned by Sociedade Independente de Comunicação.SIC Radical is an entertainment channel targeted at teens and young adults. Programs are mostly imported, mainly from the United States and the United Kingdom...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
on TV2 Zebra
TV2 Zebra
TV 2 Zebra is a Norwegian television channel showing entertainment programmes, interactive programmes and live sport. The channel started as TV 2 Xtra in 2004. TV 2 Zebra is the sixth largest television channel in Norway....
, in Sweden on Kanal 5, in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
on TVN
TVN (Poland)
TVN is a major Polish commercial television network. The broadcaster was co-founded by Polish businessmen Mariusz Walter and Jan Wejchert. The network launched on October 3, 1997. TVN belongs to the TVN S.A...
, in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
on RTL 5
RTL 5
RTL 5 is the 2nd channel of the RTL Group in the Netherlands. The channel mainly broadcasts American films and hit series but also local productions including Jensen! and Holland's Next Top Model, a Dutch version of America's Next Top Model. RTL 5 recently started airing the Dutch version of...
, and in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
on 2x2
2x2 (TV channel)
2×2 is Russia's oldest private entertainment TV channel. Since 2007 it specializes in animated series.-History:Founded in 1989 and first aired on September 27, 1990, 2×2 became the first commercial television in the Soviet Union....
.
US versions
In January 2007, a pilot for an American version hosted by J. Keith van StraatenJ. Keith van Straaten
J. Keith van Straaten is an American actor, host, and writer. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.On TV, he hosted the first season of the game show Beat the Geeks in 2001. In 2006, he began appearing as a panelist on VH1's Best Week Ever...
was taped for the A&E network, but was not picked up for production.
During early 2007, an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
adaptation of the format was aired on Rai Due
Rai Due
Rai 2 is one of the three main television channels broadcast by Italian public television company RAI alongside with Rai 1 and Rai 3. Rai 2 first started transmissions on November 4, 1961...
, this version lasted just one season and wasn't picked up for a second season due to very poor ratings. The show featured local versions of the original skits such as Sexy Lisa, which was an adaptation from Bunny Boiler.
A Finnish version of the show is in production with Jukka and Jarppi of The Dudesons playing the part of 'The Pain Men'.
An Australian version of the show, Balls of Steel Australia
Balls of Steel (Australia)
Balls of Steel Australia is an Australian comedy show hosted by The Chaser's Craig Reucassel. The show revolves around comedians who appear and present individual skits where they would perform stunts and hold their nerve during hidden camera set-ups in the presence of the Australian public.The...
was put into production in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in late 2010 and premiered on the Australian subscription television channel The Comedy Channel on 19 April 2011, hosted by The Chaser
The Chaser
The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste...
's Craig Reucassel
Craig Reucassel
Craig Bruce Reucassel is a television and radio comedian from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser...
. It was the highest rating show in the history of The Comedy Channel, doubling the ratings of the previous record holder The Merrick and Rosso Show. Ten episodes in total have been produced. The series stars Neg Dupree
Neg Dupree
Neg Dupree is a British comedian, writer and actor, best known for his act "Neg's Urban Sports" on the British television show Balls of Steel...
, reprising his Urban Sports segment from the UK version, as well as Australian versions of The Annoying Devil and Bunny Boiler. New characters include Nude Girl, James Kerley
James Kerley
James Kerley is an Australian TV presenter and radio presenter on Nova FM.-Career:Kerley was a co-host on the Nickelodeon kids’ show Sarvo between 2004 and February 2007, alongside Tony Brockman and in his first year won the Sarvote kids’ choice award for favourite new host...
as the Game Show Host from Hell, Janis McGavin
Janis McGavin
Janis McGavin is an Australian actress and comedy performer, best known for her roles in the popular television series Comedy Inc and Balls of Steel Australia.-Career:...
as Fame Whore, Very Foreign Correspondent, Flatmate Wanted and Just Come Out.
A Swedish version of the show has been shown on Swedish Channel 5 in the springs of 2009, 2010 and 2011. It was first produced for the Swedish public service
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
broadcaster SVT
Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
, but cancelled since a participant sprayed water in the face of prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
Fredrik Reinfeldt
John Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council...
.
Criticisms
Even before it was broadcast, Balls of Steel was given an enormous amount of publicity during the London premiere for the film War of the WorldsWar of the Worlds (2005 film)
War of the Worlds is a 2005 American science fiction film adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel of the same name, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp. It is one of three film adaptations of War of the Worlds released that year, alongside The Asylum's version and...
. Its leading man Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
was squirted with a water pistol disguised as a microphone as part of one of the programme's various stunts or practical jokes. Cruise expressed his disdain but his reaction was not as excessive as that of Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne is an English television host, author, music manager, businesswoman and promoter as well as the wife of heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne....
in an identical stunt several weeks before; she reacted by throwing a bucket of water over one of the team's camera men, ruining the camera.
Others who have been attacked include Fredrik Reinfeldt
Fredrik Reinfeldt
John Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council...
, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
, where the Swedish version Ballar av stål was going to air, decided to cancel the show after massive criticism against it.
But the show was picked up in 2008 by the Swedish network Kanal 5
Kanal 5 (Sweden)
Kanal 5 is a Swedish commercial television channel established in 1989. It is owned by the media corporation ProSiebenSat.1 Media.After a troublesome 1990s, Kanal 5 launched new strategies in the early 2000s that established it as a popular entertainment channel targeting young people...
. The show has also had its fair share of complaints from viewers. One target is the 'Annoying Devil' in which he performs extreme acts on members of the public. Some complaints were directed at his roller coaster stunt where he threw (false) bags of vomit at the passengers.
The programme returned for a further series in 2007, for which its makers appealed for contestants for a pilot quiz show on an established quiz site. At least one participant rumbled the deceit almost immediately during filming on 10 June 2006, but despite his queries the makers refused to admit that the quiz was a hoax until the "broadcast" was over. Series 3 began airing on Channel 4 on 21 March 2008.
However, despite harsh criticism, Balls of Steel keeps coming back by popular demand - as witnessed by the return of Balls of Steel to Channel Nine in Australia in September to the prime late night time slot. This occurred just 3 months after the Sydney Morning Herald's Michael Idato panned the show as being "puerile" in an online review (26 May 2008)
New material
On Neg Dupree's website, the third series of Balls of Steel was referred to as the 'last ever'; however, this is yet to be officially confirmed or refuted.Neg has launched a petition to get his own show, although whether this will go ahead with Channel 4 is unknown. Neg's Australian fansite has also launched its petition to try and get Neg to launch his own show in Australia, rather than the UK.
External links
- Balls of Steel at Channel4.com
- Neg Dupree at Negdupree.com
- Balls of Steel at MSN VideoMSN VideoMSN Video is an Australian video streaming service from ninemsn as well as a United Kingdom internet television service from MSN. It was rebranded on March 11, 2010....