Shooting Stars

1 9 9 5 – 1 9 9 7 (UK)
2 0 0 2 (UK)
2 0 0 8 – 2 0 1 1 (UK)
70 x 30 minute episodes

This surreal BBC2 pseudo-quiz show – created and hosted by Vic Reeves (real name, Jim Moir) and Bob Mortimer – began life as a one-off Christmas special in 1993 and then ran from 1995 to 1997, with Ulrika (-ka-ka-ka-ka) Johnson and comedian Mark Lamarr as team captains, regularly attracting an audience of six million viewers.

The show made a comeback in 2002 when it was brought back to the digital channel BBC Choice, with novelist Will Self replacing Lamarr as team captain.

Shooting Stars then returned to BBC2 for another three series from 2008 until its cancellation in 2011.

The regulars were joined by a conveyor belt of celebrity guest contestants, including Johnny Vegas, David Baddiel, Jarvis Cocker, Carol Vorderman, Clare Grogan, Stephen Fry, Tess Daly, Vanessa Feltz, Kate Garraway, Wendy Richard, Anna Friel, Neil Morrissey, Caroline Aherne, Chris Evans, Leslie Ash, Bill Oddie, Alvin Stardust, Peter Stringfellow, Richard E. Grant, Richard Wilson, Griff Rhys Jones, Robbie Williams, Donna Air, Jo Brand, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Anneka Rice, Carol Smillie, Dave Lee Travis, Robbie Coltrane, Adam Ant, Denise Van Outen, Melvyn Hayes, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Fern Britton, Miranda Richardson, Patsy Kensit, Larry Hagman, Zoë Ball, Martin Freeman, and many many more.

Vic and Bob asked questions of the two celebrity teams with points awarded for “correct” answers, although the scoring – tracked by temperamental “big baby” scorekeeper George Dawes (Matt Lucas) – was largely arbitrary.

In a round entitled “The Dove from Above” – after a large prop animal which was suspended above the contestants – if a contestant answered incorrectly, Vic would respond “UVAVU”. If the contestant chose a prize-winning option, Vic would respond “ERANU”.

The prize was invariably a bizarre and practically useless device.

Hosts
Vic Reeves
Bob Mortimer