Vision mixing of Knightmare on Geek Week

Britain's Favourite Gameshows

By David Goldstein

Channel 5 programme Britain's Favourite Gameshows featured Knightmare.


After a brief glimpse in the opening 30 seconds, Knightmare was the 'last but by no means least' series to be covered.

Actress and presenter Natalie Anderson shared her great enthusiasm for Knightmare and the tension in watching a dungeoneer being guided; presenter JB Gill described the format; Knightmare itself was represented by clips of Series 5 Quest 1 (1991) and stock photos from 1987.

Knightmare Series 5 Team 1. A wall forms into a blocker in front of Kathryn.

Back in 2013, Channel 5 overlooked Knightmare in its programme 50 Greatest Kids TV Shows. We were pleased to see that rectified by Britain's Favourite Gameshows.

It also qualifies Channel 5 for the honourable list of TV channels which have shown clips of Knightmare. Others include BBC Two (Screenwipe), BBC Four (Children's TV on Trial) and ITV4 (Beer and Pizza Club).

Knightmare Series 5 Team 1. Kathryn faces a causeway of tiles bearing symbols of attack and defence.

Britain's Favourite Gameshows highlighted another children's TV gameshow: CBBC's Get Your Own Back. Like Knightmare, it inspired a live show that made a mark at the Edinburgh Fringe, spawning the crossover term 'gungeoneer' on social media.

First shown on Channel 5 on 31 March and repeated on 5 April, Britain's Favourite Gameshows is available on My5 until 30 April, where it's mysteriously titled We Love Gameshows.

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The Quest 1.3: Ditchling Beacon Visit

Display from the credits of the Mindscape computer game, published in 1991 for the Amiga and Atari ST.

Five go to Ditchling Beacon, by David Learner. A visit to computer game developers Mindscape.

Cedric, the Mad Monk

Cedric, the Mad Monk. Played by Lawrence Werber.

Cedric the 'Mad Monk' guarded the threshold to Level 2 during the early series of Knightmare and tested the teams with riddles.

Book 7 - Lord Fear's Domain

Front cover of

"Unravel my riddles by sunrise - or remain in my world for all eternity..." Details of the seventh Knightmare book, Lord Fear's Domain.

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