Cluedo was a UK television game show

Game show

A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...

 based on the board game of the same name

Cluedo

Cluedo is a popular murder/mystery-themed deduction board game originally published by Waddingtons in Leeds, England in 1949. It was devised by Anthony E. Pratt, a solicitor's clerk from Birmingham, England. It is now published by the United States game and toy company Hasbro, which acquired its U.S...

. Each week, a reenactment of the murder at the stately home Arlington Grange of a visiting guest was played and, through a combination of interrogating the suspects (of whom only the murderer could lie) and deduction, celebrity guests had to discover who committed the murder, which of six weapons (not usually the original six from the board game) and in which room it was committed, whilst viewers were invited to play along at home.

Cast

Character	Series 1 (1990)	Christmas special (1990)	Series 2 (1991)	Series 3 (1992)	Series 4 (1993)
Presenter	James Bellini	James Bellini	Chris Tarrant Chris Tarrant Christopher John "Chris" Tarrant, OBE is an English radio and television broadcaster, now best known for hosting the first version of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the United Kingdom and later Ireland, as the two national versions of the show merged in 2002.Chris...	Richard Madeley Richard Madeley Richard Madeley is a British television presenter and columnist. With his wife Judy Finnigan, Madeley has presented This Morning and later the weekday chat show Richard & Judy...	Richard Madeley
Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock	Stephanie Beacham Stephanie Beacham Stephanie Beacham is a British television, film and theatre actress. Making her film debut in 1971's The Nightcomers opposite Marlon Brando and becoming more well-known on British television in the BBC series Tenko and the ITV series Connie , her worldwide breakthrough came as a result of playing...	Kate O'Mara Kate O'Mara Kate O'Mara is an English film, stage and television actress. She is perhaps most widely known for her role as Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the 1980s American primetime soap opera Dynasty, though is also known for playing other villains such as The Rani in Doctor Who and...	Rula Lenska Rula Lenska Rula Lenska is an English actress. Best known for her work in the United Kingdom, she is remembered in the United States for a television advert that presented her as a celebrity, even though she was not widely known in the US at the time the advert was produced.She has appeared extensively on...	Susan George Susan George (actress) Susan Melody George is an English film and television actress, and film producer.-Career:She trained at the Stage School, Corona Theatre School and has acted since the age of four, appearing on both television and film...	Joanna Lumley Joanna Lumley Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
Col. Mike Mustard	Robin Ellis Robin Ellis Robin Ellis is an English actor best known for his role as Captain Ross Poldark in 29 episodes of the BBC classic series Poldark, adapted from a series of books by the late British author, Winston Graham...	David Robb David Robb David Robb is an English actor.Robb has starred in various British films and television shows, including films such as Swing Kids and Hellbound. He is well known for playing Germanicus in the famous 1976 BBC production of I, Claudius and as Robin Grant, one of the principal character in Thames...	Michael Jayston Michael Jayston Michael Jayston is a Nottingham-born English actor.- Early life :He attended the Becket Grammar School in West Bridgford, then worked briefly as a trainee accountant at the offices of the National Coal Board before obtaining a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to train as an...	Lewis Collins Lewis Collins Lewis Collins is an English actor best known for his tough-guy role as Bodie in The Professionals. He was educated at Bidston Primary and Grange School in Birkenhead. He started out as a ladies' hairdresser before playing drums and guitar in pop groups. He had a number of other jobs before...	Leslie Grantham Leslie Grantham Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...
Rev. Jonathan Green	Robin Nedwell Robin Nedwell Robin Nedwell was an English actor. He is best remembered for his role as Duncan Waring in the television comedy series Doctor in the House and its sequels...	Derek Nimmo Derek Nimmo Derek Robert Nimmo was an English character actor. He was particularly associated with upper-class "silly-ass" roles, and clerical roles.-Career:...	Richard Wilson	Christopher Biggins Christopher Biggins Christopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups...	Nicholas Parsons Nicholas Parsons Nicholas Parsons OBE is a British actor and radio and television presenter.-Early life:...
Prof. Peter Plum	Kristoffer Tabori Kristoffer Tabori Kristoffer Tabori is an American actor and television director.-Early life:Tabori was born in Malibu, California, the son of director Don Siegel and Swedish-American actress Viveca Lindfors. He appeared in one of his mother's films, Weddings and Babies, as a young boy...	Ian Lavender Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender , better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army.-Early life and career:...	David McCallum David McCallum David Keith McCallum, Jr. is a Scottish actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Illya Kuryakin, a Russian-born secret agent, in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as interdimensional operative Steel in Sapphire & Steel, and Dr...	Tom Baker Tom Baker Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...	John Bird John Bird (actor) John Bird is an English satirist, actor and comedian.-Early life:Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, and educated at High Pavement Grammar School, Nottingham, Bird briefly joined the Socialist Party of Great Britain, while still at school...
Miss Vivienne Scarlett	Tracy Louise Ward Tracy Louise Ward Tracy Louise Ward, Marchioness of Worcester, frequently referred to as Tracy Worcester is a former actress, now an environmental campaigner.She is a daughter of the Hon...	Toyah Willcox Toyah Willcox Toyah Ann Willcox is an English actress and singer. In a career spanning more than thirty years Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, released 22 studio albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films, as well as voicing and presenting numerous television shows...	Koo Stark Koo Stark Kathleen Dee-Anne Stark, better known as Koo Stark , is an American film actress and photographer. She is known for her appearance in the film Emily and subsequent relationship with Prince Andrew, son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, before his marriage to Sarah, Duchess of York.-...	Lysette Anthony Lysette Anthony Lysette Anthony is an English film, television, and theatre actress.-Early life:Anthony was born Lysette Chodzko in Fulham, London, the only daughter of actors Michael Anthony, and Bernadette Milnes....	Jerry Hall Jerry Hall Jerry Faye Hall is an American model and actress, also known for her long-term relationship with Mick Jagger, with whom she had four children.-Early life:...
Mrs. Blanche White	June Whitfield June Whitfield June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....	Joan Sims Joan Sims Joan Sims was an English actress best remembered for her roles in the Carry On films, and latterly for playing Madge Hardcastle in As Time Goes By.-Early life:...	Mollie Sugden Mollie Sugden Isobel Mary 'Mollie' Sugden was an English comedy actress best known for portraying the saleswoman Mrs. Slocombe in the British sitcom Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1985. She later reprised this role in Grace & Favour, which ran from 1992 to 1993...	Pam Ferris Pam Ferris Pamela Ann "Pam" Ferris is a German-born Welsh actress. She is best known for her starring roles on television as Ma Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, as Laura Thyme in Rosemary & Thyme, and for playing Miss Trunchbull in the movie Matilda...	Liz Smith Liz Smith (actress) Liz Smith, MBE is a British actress, best-known for her roles in the sitcoms The Vicar of Dibley and The Royle Family. She also appeared in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.-Early life:...

Episode solutions

The show would begin with a short film, describing the event before the guest's murder. The celebrity detectives were then allowed to ask the suspects questions regarding the case. Then, the celebrity teams would take it in turns to make a 'deduction', in which they would accuse a person, weapon and room. The host would then reveal how many of those three were right, (e.g. If the solution was Mrs. Peacock with the Poison in the Dining Room, and a celebrity team would accuse Colonel Mustard with the Sword in the Dining Room, then they would accumulate 1 out of 3, the Dining Room being secretly correct, unaware to the teams). Play would continue until one of the teams accused correctly. The killer would then reveal full detail of their crime and the show would finish, with the host saying everyone is free to leave except the murderer.

The show's six suspects were the original from the board game. The show's six weapons varied between episodes. The show's six rooms were: the Drawing Room, the Kitchen, the Dining Room, the Billiard Room, the Library and the Study. With the Billiard Room replacing the Hall. In the 1990 "Christmas Cluedo" there was no Billiard Room but the hall took its place.

Note: In each series, each suspect was a murderer, except in series one where Reverend Green was never a murderer, Mrs. Peacock was a murderer twice.

Season One

Episode	Murderer	Weapon	Room	Motive
1 (countdown)	Mrs. Peacock	Poison	Dining Room	Mrs Peacock was due to marry the French count. However she overhears him on the phone, discovers he isn't even French and that he is only after her money.
2 (Deadly disco)	Colonel Mustard	Statuette	Dining Room	The disco was costing the grange a fortune and Colonel Mustard would be forced to move to a cheaper home if the disco was to proceed
3 (Going going, goner)	Mrs. Peacock	Antique Sabre	Study	Art expert Peregrine Talbot-Wheeler wanted to play a practical joke on Mrs Peacock by pretending that her Rembrandt painting was a fake. He tried to blackmail her, threatening to reveal this to her society friends unless Mrs. Peacock paid him off. She didn't.
4 (A Bridge Too Far)	Miss. Scarlett	Bridge Trophy	Study	Miss. Scarlett and Mrs Peacock had lost a lot of money playing bridge against the Hope's that she could not afford to pay. When she found out they were hustlers she killed Mrs Hope.
5 (A politician's Funeral)	Professor Plum	Tie	Billiard Room	Mr. Chapman fired Plum and was planning to send him back as a teacher in America.
6 (A Fete worse than death)	Mrs. White	Poison	Drawing Room	Mrs. White thought that the policeman knew about her "borrowing" from the money of the previous fête and kept him quiet when in fact he never knew anything about the crime at all

Note: in season 1 Rev. Green does not murder anyone.

Christmas Special - christmas past, christmas present

Murderer	Weapon	Room	Motive
Miss Scarlett	Knife	Library	Miss Scarlett was jealous of her stepmother (Mrs Peacock) and Col. Mustard getting married. She then realised that Forrest (the chauffer) was blackmailing Mrs. Peacock so she killed him to blame Mrs. Peacock and marry Col. Mustard

Season Two

Episode	Murderer	Weapon	Room	Motive
1 (Deadly deal)	Mrs. White	Steel Sharpener	Kitchen	Mrs White lost all her savings on a previous deal and could not get it back from the man she killed
2 (The best insurance)	Reverend Green	Kettle Flex	Kitchen	The Reverend made a false insurance claim on some antique candlesticks lent to Mrs. Peacock and he was frightened of being discovered
3 (Fatal Distraction)	Colonel Mustard	Rope	Kitchen	Years ago, the Colonel had blackmailed George Velares and the heat drove him to suicide and somehow Marrianne Kray found out and the Colonel kept her silent- forever
4 (Charity begins at home)	Mrs. Peacock	Lead Pipe	Billiard Room	The window cleaner found out Mrs. Peacock was putting up a painting worth millions and blackmailed her for the deal
5 (A Traveler's Tale)	Miss Scarlett	Knife	Study	Miss Scarlett found out about her lover's history and was betrayed
6 (The Bolivian connection)	Professor Plum	Funeral Urn	Drawing Room	Jack Peacock and the Professor were in a project in Bolivia, where Jack disappeared and presumed dead, until he arrived at the time of his "widow" marrying Col. Mustard. Later that night, Jack found a special part of the research that the Professor wanted, so he blackmailed him, the Professor ultimately silenced Jack to save paying him

Season Three

Episode	Murderer	Weapon	Room	Motive
1 (A hunting we will go)	Reverend Green	Scissors	Kitchen	The Reverend told Gordon about the hunt whereabouts that Gordon protested and he used it as blackmail against him forcing him to choose his friends at the Grange & lose his job or testify as a witness for Gordon after he was beat up by Colonel Mustard, he chose the former as he hadn't the strength to move away to start afresh
2 (Scared to death)	Colonel Mustard	Dagger	Billiard Room	The psychic found out about the Colonel's secret affair with Miss Scarlett and kept her quiet
3 (Murder in Merry England)	Mrs. Peacock	Croquet Mallet	Study	Arlington Grange was in danger of being sold to build a theme park Max Gold was building so Mrs. Peacock prevented it all from accomplishing
4 (And then there were nuns)	Mrs. White	Antique Spear	Drawing Room	Mrs White killed the nun in the spur of the moment after being threatened by the nun, who had discovered she was trying to steal her jewels. Having found out about Sister Consepta, sister-in-law of Mrs Peacock, in a history book, she decided to surprise her employer and friend Mrs Peacock by inviting her to Arlington Grange. She wrote a letter to her. When Mrs White discovered the nun was going to inherit Arlington Grange, she felt she had to stop it. Knowing that the nun's emeralds were vital to the nun being able to build the convent, she decided to steal them. She was caught stealing the jewels by Sister Consepta, and after she threatened Mrs White with her spear, the cook took it out of her hands and killed the nun.
5 (Blackmail and the fourth estate)	Professor Plum	Insecticide	Library	A journalist found out that the Professor's recent experiment had killed some subjects and was blackmailing him so the Prof. killed him to prevent the newspaper article going public to save his own reputation
6 (Deadly dowry)	Miss Scarlett	Sword Stick	Billiard Room	Miss Scarlett owed Clive, her faux fiancee, a great deal of money that can be cleared by a trust fund that Miss Scarlett will receive when she marries him

Season Four

Episode	Murderer	Weapon	Room	Motive
1 (Finders keepers)	Professor Plum	Dagger	Billiard Room	The treasure that Jake found would lead to the discovery that Plum's book about the history of Arlington would be exposed as lies
2 (Seven deadly sins)	Colonel Mustard	G String	Kitchen	While Col. Mustard was in military training, he was bullied by Nigel Hussey. So when he came to Arlington Grange, the Col. took his revenge
3 (The word, the flesh and the devil)	Reverend Green	Ice Pick	Kitchen	Farrah Fox, real name Candy Costello, found out about the Reverend's book he had been writing about a homicidal vicar was autobiographical. The Reverend wanted this to be kept private
4 (The hanged man)	Miss Scarlett	Desktop Lighter	Drawing Room	The second-sighted Marjorie Hunt apparently found out through her psychic power that Miss Scarlett was involved in a hit-and-run accident
5 (Where there's a will)	Mrs. White	Decanter Stopper	Study	Poor Mrs. White lost all her savings to a con artist, which she soon discovered after she signed the papers
6 (published and be dammed)	Mrs. Peacock	Microphone	Study	Mrs. Peacock told a journalist so many stories about Princess Catherine until she found out that it would destroy her reputation

Controversy

Episode 2 of season four created considerable controversy at the time of broadcast. The producers cast Leslie Grantham

Leslie Grantham

Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...

 as Colonel Mustard, the murderer for the episode in question. Leslie Grantham

Leslie Grantham

Leslie Michael Grantham is an English actor best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the soap opera EastEnders. He is also a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a German taxi driver, and he generated significant press coverage as the result of an online sex scandal...

 had whilst serving as a soldier in the British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 stationed 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...

murdered a German taxi driver. The family of Granthams victim expressed disdain that Grantham had been cast as a murdering soldier

Original series

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	25 July 1990	29 August 1990	6
2	24 April 1991	5 June 1991	6
3	4 May 1992	8 June 1992	6
4	19 April 1993	24 May 1993	6

Specials

Date	Entitle
26 December 1990	Christmas Special

External links

• Cluedo at BFI