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First Class (game show)
Encyclopedia
First Class was a 1980s BBC
TV game show hosted by Debbie Greenwood
. The show was broadcast on Saturday evenings on BBC 1 and ran for at least three series. Two teams of three students (each team representing a particular school) would take part in a multi-format quiz featuring questions on both general knowledge and popular culture, as well as innovative video game rounds. Rounds such as the "Spinning Gold Disc" made use of a simulated computer display similar to other game shows of the same era, such as Blockbusters and Catchphrase
. Other rounds such as "Word of Mouth" used a real computer display from a BBC Micro
. This computer also provided the on-screen captions and scores and was nicknamed Eugene, after the show's original programmer Eugene Crozier.
The competition was a knockout tournament; the eventual winners of the series would be presented with a computer (usually a BBC Master
) for their school. Celebrity episodes of the show were also aired, featuring cast members from Grange Hill
and Eastenders
.
First Class was notable for its use of video games; such footage (of arcade games in particular) was a rarely seen on UK television at the time and the show aired several years before GamesMaster
. The designated contestant from each team would earn points by beating the other player's score; rounds would be either turn-based and head-to-head depending on the game / event. The games were often referred to by their events as opposed to their titles, for example the "spring and vault" round or the "clay pigeon shooting".
The music used for the programme's titles was "Airborn" by Mike Oldfield
, from his 1979 album Platinum.
Series 1 started in 1986, A Christmas celebrity special in 1987, Series 2 in 1988 and series 3 in 1989 until the show went off air.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV game show hosted by Debbie Greenwood
Debbie Greenwood
Debbie Greenwood is a British television presenter and a former beauty queen who won the title of Miss Great Britain in 1984.-Career:...
. The show was broadcast on Saturday evenings on BBC 1 and ran for at least three series. Two teams of three students (each team representing a particular school) would take part in a multi-format quiz featuring questions on both general knowledge and popular culture, as well as innovative video game rounds. Rounds such as the "Spinning Gold Disc" made use of a simulated computer display similar to other game shows of the same era, such as Blockbusters and Catchphrase
Catchphrase (game show)
Catchphrase is a British game show based on a short-lived US game show of the same name. It ran on ITV in the United Kingdom between 12 January 1986 and 19 December 2002, originally hosted by Northern Irish comedian Roy Walker....
. Other rounds such as "Word of Mouth" used a real computer display from a BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
. This computer also provided the on-screen captions and scores and was nicknamed Eugene, after the show's original programmer Eugene Crozier.
The competition was a knockout tournament; the eventual winners of the series would be presented with a computer (usually a BBC Master
BBC Master
The BBC Master was a home computer released by Acorn Computers in early 1986. It was designed and built for the British Broadcasting Corporation and was the successor to the BBC Micro Model B. The Master 128 remained in production until 1993....
) for their school. Celebrity episodes of the show were also aired, featuring cast members from Grange Hill
Grange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
and Eastenders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
.
First Class was notable for its use of video games; such footage (of arcade games in particular) was a rarely seen on UK television at the time and the show aired several years before GamesMaster
GamesMaster
GamesMaster was a British television show, screened on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998, and was the first ever UK television show dedicated to computer and video games.-Origins:...
. The designated contestant from each team would earn points by beating the other player's score; rounds would be either turn-based and head-to-head depending on the game / event. The games were often referred to by their events as opposed to their titles, for example the "spring and vault" round or the "clay pigeon shooting".
The music used for the programme's titles was "Airborn" by Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, from his 1979 album Platinum.
Series 1 started in 1986, A Christmas celebrity special in 1987, Series 2 in 1988 and series 3 in 1989 until the show went off air.
Arcade games featured
- Track & FieldTrack & Field (arcade game)Track & Field, known in Japan as , is a 1983 Olympic-themed arcade game developed and published by Konami.The arcade version was released in 1983. The simple gameplay, based on quick repeating button presses, set the basics for sequels and similar games in the genre for the next decades...
(100 metres100 metresThe 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and hurdles events) - Hyper SportsHyper SportsHyper Sports is a video game published in 1984. It is the sequel to Konami's Track & Field and features seven all-new Olympic events. Like its predecessor, Hyper Sports featured two run buttons and one action button per player....
(Freestyle swimmingFreestyle swimmingFreestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
, skeet shootingSkeet shootingSkeet shooting is one of the three major types of competitive shotgun target shooting sports . There are several types of skeet, including one with Olympic status , and many with only national recognition.- General principles :Skeet is a recreational and competitive activity where...
and vaulting horse events) - PaperboyPaperboy (video game)Paperboy is a 1984 arcade game by Atari Games. The players take the role of a paperboy who delivers newspapers along a suburban street on his bicycle. This game was innovative for its theme and novel controls.-Gameplay:...
- 720°720°720 Degrees, or 720°, is a 1986 arcade game by Atari Games. 720°, a skateboarding game, is notable in that along with BMX Simulator, it is one of the first extreme sports video games, and has a unique timed structure that requires the player score points in order to keep the game going...
Transmission Guide
- Series 1: 15 editions from 8 January 1986 - 6 March 1986
- Series 2: 15 editions from 7 January 1987 - 25 February 1987
- Series 3: 25 editions from 6 February 1988 - 20 August 1988
- Celebrity Special 1: 26 February 1987
- Celebrity Special 2: 21 August 1988