Noel’s House Party was set in a stately home in the fictitious hamlet of Crinkley Bottom, with the show’s guests turning up at the door and being either invited in to do their turn or sent away by the host.
Debuting on 23 November 1991 and broadcast live, the 50-minute show quickly attracted a viewing audience of 4 million.
At its peak in 1993, Noel’s House Party was regularly pulling in audiences of 15 million.
Unfolding before a childishly enthusiastic studio audience, ingredients included celebrity victims receiving Noel’s ‘Gotcha Oscar’ for allowing themselves to be the fall guy in embarrassing set-up situations and the operation of a Saturday morning kiddie slot hold-over, a ‘gunk tank’ which caused the studio audience to whoop with delight.
The show’s most infamous creation was undoubtedly Mr Blobby – a vile pink-and-yellow rubberised heap of boggle-eyed manic activity.
Blobby became a monster – albeit a monster with numerous merchandising opportunities, including a Christmas #1 single and theme parks at various sites around the UK, including one at Morecambe, which folded amid recriminations and legal action between Lancaster City Council and Noel Edmonds’ company, Unique.
Debuting on 23 November 1991 and broadcast live, the 50-minute show quickly attracted a viewing audience of 4 million.
