Slippery ramps, giant foam costumes, pools of water and a man from Halifax with a whistle. In this episode of My 70s TV Childhood, the classic British TV podcast about growing up in 1970s Britain, I'm looking back at It's A Knockout and its glamorous European big brother, Jeux Sans Frontières. Ordinary people represented their towns while dressed as penguins, teapots and garden sheds, and the rest of us watched from the comfort of a dry sofa. It was one of the shows that shaped a generation, and one most of you will remember.

Our theme tune game, the My 70s TV Childhood Theme Tune Game, is nearly ready to go into production. If you'd like a copy, or fancy it as a nostalgic gift for the dad who has everything, register your interest at www.my70stvchildhood.com. There's no commitment; it simply helps us judge how many to make, and every copy sold helps support the podcast.

What to Expect

• Your town on the telly: how a simple idea turned rivalry between towns into family entertainment, starting with Lancashire against Yorkshire in 1966.
• From Intervilles to Jeux Sans Frontières: the French and Italian roots of the format, and why the European shows always seemed to be held in a chateau while ours were in a leisure centre.
• Eddie Waring, Arthur Ellis and the fil rouge: the rugby league commentator, the international football referee and the running game we kept going back to.
• The joker and the penguins: double points, slippery revolving floors and one of the most famous clips in the show's history.
• A difficult legacy: an honest look at Stuart Hall, the show's main presenter, and the crimes he was jailed for in 2013, and why they can't be treated as a footnote.
• Why it ended: rising costs, changing audiences and the less said about It's A Royal Knockout the better.

Did your town take part, or was your mum or dad ever on a team? I'd love to hear your memories. Email me at oliver@my70stvchildhood.com or leave a comment at www.my70stvchildhood.com.

Take care,

Oliver

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