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.

You Might Also Like...

The Eyeshield - Issues 30 to 39

The eyeshield

Jake Collins presents issues 30-39 of Knightmare fanzine The Eyeshield, first published in June 1996 by Paul McIntosh.

Series 6 Quest 5

Series 6, Quest 5. Sidriss regains her senses as Sylvester Hands ties up dungeoneer Ben.

Team 5: Ben, James, Alan and Nathan from Salisbury.

The Quest 3.1: Dungeoneer's Diary

Book with pen

For the first time this year we encouraged teams to write in a diary which we kept in their hospitality room at the studio.

See Also