100%

1 9 9 7 – 2 0 0 1 (UK)
1,030 x 30 minute episodes

This cheap and cheerful computer-generated quiz show from Channel 5 debuted on 31 March 1997, the day after the launch of the channel.

The show aired weeknights at 5.30/6.00 pm and was billed as “The game show without a host” although Robin Houston read the questions off-screen as a disembodied voice but was never seen by the viewers or contestants.

Contestants were asked 100 multiple choice questions and pushed buttons to register their answers. The champion won a paltry £100.

The shows were pre-recorded “as live” in batches, usually over a weekend with ten shows being recorded on a normal recording day.

A weekday afternoon spinoff series called 100% Gold featured older contestants and was presented by Melinda Walker. There was also a late-night series called 100% Sex with questions of a more adult nature.

A number of one-off specials were produced, usually to tie in with a themed day or evening by Channel 5. Examples included “Prisoner: Cell Block H” (1997), “James Bond” (1997), “Diana Princess of Wales” (1998), “ABBA” (1999), “Elvis” (2000), “the 1970s” (2001) and “the 1980s” (2001).

A special entitled “Accidents & Disasters” which aired on 2 August 1998 caused something of an outcry as contestants from the emergency services were subjected to 100 questions – read cheerfully by Robin Houston – about the death toll of major disasters and accidents throughout history.

The final episode of 100% aired on Christmas Eve 2001.

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