First we have Sunday’s Deal or No Deal Live which featured contestant Kevin. The live shows are played the same as the recorded shows with some differences. The box openers are a mixture of friends and family for that player and former contestants from past shows. With some who played their show as far back as 2006. The live specials also had special guests who opened their box. Namely, McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Harry Potter star Oliver Phelps. Since the show is done live, a clock is used to indicate how much time they have to complete their game. We pick up the action at the five box stage.

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Next we have The Chase. The latest series has produced many records, amusing questions and with a new Chaser as well. We will feature more on The Sinnerman over the weekend. Monday’s episode featured a question asking  a certain sportswoman. As you will see below, Bradley Walsh and Anne Hegerty tried to keep a straight face.

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While on the subject of records. Wednesday’s episode produced another record for the show. Adam is the final contestant and faces The Beast.

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Videos courtesy of Remarkable Television (an Endemol company), Channel 4 and ITV Studios.

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This is perhaps my favorite £250,000 win that Deal has had.  Beyond the fact that there were no gimmicks, no insultingly low offers, and that she generally had to make a gamble, she was someone I truly wanted to win badly.  She was gutsy, she deserved it, and it was flat out one of the best episodes the show has had.  I’m extremely happy to see Tegen Roberts become the fourth person on Deal or No Deal history to win the £250,000 top prize.  Apparently more big games will be coming soon, so stay tuned.

Also, apparently only young ladies in their 20s can win the game.  It’s strange.

Video courtesy Endemol and Channel 4.

*Millionaire fans: be sure to check out host Meredith Vieira on Live with Regis and Kelly this morning (typically 9:00AM ET).  Check your local listings.  She’s there to promote the 10th season of the quiz show currently airing in syndication.  From the clip I saw Regis had a funny reaction to the new format last year.  Let’s see what happens this time.

*Speaking of Millionaire, the crew has restarted their “Backstage Pass” feature, showing fans videos of highlights or rare behind the scenes look at the show.  The first of the season is a look at highlights from the 9th season.  Check it out.

*Let’s Make A Deal has been updating a producer’s blog recently which seems to have been hidden until a tweet went out yesterday.  Little details are being let out, including details on bigger cash and prizes.  The most interesting thing to me?  Let’s Make A Deal celebrates its 500th episode this season in 2012.  Congratulations to them.

*Channel 4′s Deal or No Deal is going live.  For two weeks at a date announced soon the Noel Edmonds hosted show will pick its contestants live and it could be you, if you’re in the United Kingdom.  You won’t know you’ll be playing until you’re in the game.  Sounds like a cool gimmick.  We’ll give you more details when they’re out.

*MTV debuted a new game show this week called The Substitute.  It airs daily at 4:30PM ET.  It’s another surprise on-location game show where unsuspecting students find out their substitute teacher is actually a game show host and they’ll be playing challenges to win up to $5,000.

*No confirmed word what this is yet, but a new family game show is casting for contestants.  They need a family of both parents and kids aged 8-16 who live in Los Angeles.  You can win up to $10,000 so it’s looking like it’s for a cable network.  If this fits your bill click here to check out the casting notice.

*Who Wants to be a Millionaire will be entering its tenth syndicated season this September.  Every year for the past few seasons they’ve undergone some major changes.  Whether it be a clock, removal of useful lifelines, a new money chain, or a revamp like last year.  This season seems to be pretty standard except for one addition.  Some special days will be “Double Your Money” days.

In Double Your Money days, which come up at the discretion of the producers, one of the questions will be randomly selected to be the doubled question of the game.  If you answer that question correctly the value behind the question (remember, it’s all random and independent now) is doubled and added to your bank.  This means up to $50,000 can be won on a single question.  If you Jump the question, you still don’t get the cash for it.  This does mean, though, that playing a perfect round and being lucky enough to double the $25,000 question means your bank could eclipse $90,000.  This does also mean that the first question, which could be easiest, could be worth $50,000.  Interesting change.  Can’t wait to see it played out, whenever that may be.

*Check the bottom of the page.  If you’re a regular viewer of GSN we’ve finally updated the PDF schedules.  You can find specific episode numbers and more information on there.

*According to our British correspondent @TravisAPenery, the popular BBC lottery quiz show Secret Fortune will be returning to the network on Saturday, August 20th.  Secret Fortune was recently granted a million dollar pilot for CBS hosted by Donny Osmond.  We’re waiting to hear word on that.  We’ll be covering the British version again, though.

*Another BBC game show looks like it’s coming sometime the week of the 20th according to the press site, although I’m glad to be corrected by someone who knows more.  The show is called Epic Win.  Contestants try to wow three judges with some act.  If they do each of the judges puts up to £1,000, secretly, for a total of £3,000 possibly.  The contestant then faces a money clock sort of mechanic where dollar values keep flashing before the contestant and (s)he must claim one before the person goes too high and they leave with nothing.  I like quirky talent shows but the ending seems tacked on.

*Australian Deal or No Deal had some pretty exciting games last week.  Here’s one of the highlights.

Logo courtesy Valleycrest Productions Ltd.

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I know many will say she’s crazy, but I applaud her.  That took guts.  She came there to play, she did, and stuff happens.  The same people calling her crazy would be praising her if the game went perfect.  She gave us an unbelievable moment – probably one of the most memorable Deal moments ever – and I don’t know what more you can ask for.  Good for her.  She’s at peace with what happened and kept her spirits up.  Very entertaining game.

Video courtesy Endemol and Channel 4.  Video will be removed one week after broadcast.

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First off, no nasty comments about what happened.  Next, the reason I posted it is because I got emails about it and I tend to agree.  I praise the UK version of Deal for its very solemn, serious tone and great attitude.  However, I think today pushed the boundaries a bit too far.  It’s fine to go out-there, but I think this nearly stepped over a line.  I think it also raises a debate on whether you should put people who clearly cannot handle the pressure through one mean or another on a show like this.  Note that I’m not saying all shows and I swear I mean no offense.  But Deal is a show that’s solely driven on guts and emotion.  Rob had trouble with it and it created something that’s brutally difficult to watch.

Usually there’s some good TV moments to come from uncomfortable moments.  I don’t see any real amount of good here beyond the Banker’s call at the end.  There wasn’t an ounce of fun or enjoyment in the last 15 minutes, and while I know that’s how life goes, this was too much.  I really don’t know.  I also don’t think anyone could have preplanned this to happen, so I don’t know what to think.  I know they had the best intentions and frankly they had no reason to say no to him.  It was an emotional and inspirational story.  But the aftermath makes you wonder, that’s all.

Video courtesy Endemol and Channel 4.  Video will disappear a week after broadcast.

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s episode (Tuesday) which looks to be showing off just about the polar opposite.

Speaking of British game shows, you can vote for your favorite, and it might get a TV Choice award! (Unfortunately, in order to vote for a game show, you have to vote in other categories first.) If you’d like to vote, view the complete list and cast your ballot.

Over on Facebook, The $100,000 Pyramid has a Facebook app coming soon. Like it now to be notified of its release.

Finally, Good Morning America’s Josh Elliott and Melissa Rycroft visit the set of Wipeout for their Reality Week. Shall we see how they did on the course?

*ABC announced their Fall 2011 schedule.  Who here expected Shark Tank to last three seasons?  Not I, a fan of the show.  I’m very happy to announce the critically acclaimed reality show has been picked up for a third season.  The show sees entrepreneurs come before a panel of five Sharks, wealthy entrepreneurs themselves, to ask for cash to fund their ambitions and dreams.  This season added celebrity Sharks such as Jeff Foxworthy and Mark Cuban, who has been a great addition.  Very glad to see such a unique and interesting reality show return.

*This is pretty good.  As we’ve been talking about, last Friday saw a record breaking moment on Deal or No Deal which culminated in contestant Suzanne winning the £250,000 jackpot.  As with shows in America, Suzanne had to keep it a secret from her family.  Want to see how they reacted?  Take a look at the clip below.  It’s great to see stuff like this.

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*You can’t make this stuff up.  GSN is considering doing a bible quiz show.  This is somewhere between idiotic and very poor decision making.  Mike Huckabee was first asked to host but he declined.  He may be doing a new version of Hee-Haw instead.  I don’t even really know what to say about this.  Regardless of my feelings on the matter, it’s very funny that they’ll be doing about an hour and a half of penis jokes during their relationship block, and then they’ll cut to questions about jesus.  Amazing, guys.

*Speaking of penis jokes, Baggage returns for a new season on Monday, June 6th, at 7:30PM ET on GSN.  It will precede the season debut of Lingo.

*Live close to Scotland?  BBC’s popular quiz show Secret Fortune is taping new episodes.  Click here to get some tickets.  It’s a fun show to watch, and seeing game shows in person is very fun.  If you’re close definitely give it a shot.

*Here’s what’s on for game show fans tonight:

• ABC: Dancing With the Stars at 8:00PM ET
• NBC: The Biggest Loser at 8:00PM ET; The Voice at 10:00PM ET
• GSN: Catch 21 at 5:00PM ET (new); The Newlywed Game at 6:30PM ET (new); Love Triangle at 7:00PM ET (new); Improv-A-Ganza at 8:00PM ET (new)

*ABC announced some debut dates for their numerous summer game shows.  Wipeout will return from its very brief hiatus for a new series of episodes on June 21st for a sneak preview.  The actual season debut will be June 23rd.  Each episode is at 8:00PM ET.  The sneak preview episode will lead into Wipeout‘s companion show, 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show, beginning June 21st at 9:00PM ET.  The quiz show sees contestants trying to avoid wrong answers which remove them from the game in extremely physical ways.

ABC has then moved the season debut of its new Mark Burnett globe trotting game Expedition Impossible to Thursday, June 23rd, at 9:00PM ET, following Wipeout.  The show features 13 teams of three racing across the globe in an attempt to win $150,000 and a new Ford Explorer.  Finally, ABC has pushed the debut of its final game show, Take the Money and Run, to Tuesday, August 2nd, at 9:00PM ET.  Take the Money and Run challenges teams to outrun real life law enforcement to win up to $100,000.

*Los Angeles readers: here’s another chance to earn some easy cash for watching a game show.  GSN’s Baggage is taping today at 8:00AM ET and continues taping for a while.  They’re giving you $8 an hour, for a six to eight hour tape session, to sit there and laugh and people saying horrible things about themselves.  Not a bad way to earn about $50.  Click here if that sounds good to you.

*Got a pretty interesting email last night.  I get master logos sent to me on occasion to use for posts.  One of them was the master logo for Million Dollar Mind Game, the ABC game show which won’t be airing.  Very nice of the person to send it.  The other logo I was sent was for The $500,000 Pyramid, which you can see at the top or below.  I’ve got some sources telling me that it’s possibly a logo from the newest CBS pilot in 2010 when they were testing out different dollar amounts.  Pretty cool logo.

Million Dollar Mind Game logo

The $500,000 Pyramid logo

*Remember the recording breaking Deal or No Deal game we showed you a few days ago?  The show caught up with the big winner and talked to her for a bit.  Check it out here.

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*It was previously announced that the new season of Family Feud will tape in Atlanta, Georgia, the home base of host Steve Harvey.  The show will tape its 150 episode season at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center starting this July.

*Here’s today’s schedule:

• ABC: Dancing With the Stars at 8:00PM ET
• GSN: Catch 21 at 5:00PM ET (new); The Newlywed Game at 6:30PM ET (new); Love Triangle at 7:00PM ET (new); Improv-A-Ganza at 8:00PM ET (new)

This is the Banker’s Birthday week and it’s Cowboys and Indians.  The usual flow of the game, by this point, forces the contestant to go three boxes before receiving an offer.  However, the contestant won the right to go one box at a time, plus she won a holiday.  Look at that board.  Will she be the third £250,000 winner in the show’s long history?  Take a look.  Trust me, this is a moment game show fans won’t forget for a while.  I know I won’t.  Be sure to comment and let us know what you think.

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Video courtesy Channel 4 and Endemol

*I’m not trying to beat a dead horse, but it does need repeating.  GSN’s ratings are regularly published on the blog Son of the Bronx.  We’ve discussed the disappointing ratings for their new shows Love Triangle and Improv-A-Ganza already.  I think some positive mention needs to be made of Catch 21 and 1 VS 100.  The shows air daily at 5:00PM ET with no alert from the network.  If you don’t read here or don’t regularly check the schedule, you had no clue.  Catch 21 regularly gets better ratings than just about everything, except The Newlywed Game, that GSN heavily promotes.  1 VS 100 is at least tied but often beats it, and again with no promotion.

It would be a massive, massive bonehead decision not to renew these two (or at least Catch 21) while all the other shows are tanking.  It would really seem like a no-brainer.  Given the ratings history I can’t imagine a block of Catch 21, 1 VS 100, and Lingo doing poorly.  I don’t think anyone is asking for the moon.  Just to put some resources on shows that are actually attracting viewers.  Catch 21 has new episodes and you’d never know it.  People apparently want to see it.  Just saying.  Again, click here for a massive list of GSN ratings.

*Interested in seeing live versions of The Price is Right and Let’s Make A Deal?  The live casino versions are still going strong all around North America and many shows are going through the next few weeks.  The Price is Right is actually in Canada this weekend and for the next few weekends, as well as in Las Vegas with Emmy nominated host Todd Newton. Click here to visit Ticketmaster and get in.  If you’re in Canada, this is a great way to take part in a classic game show.  Let’s Make A Deal is also live at The Palace Theater in Atlantic City.  It’s hosted by Alan Thicke.  We’ve got some friends involved with the show, so click here to get tickets and support them.

*I’m a long time musician and VH1′s Save the Music program is something very important to me.  Seeing programs like this taken out of schools isn’t good, so I’m glad to see TrivWorks, the New York City based live trivia team, and the Bell House presenting a special “Night of Pop Culture Trivia” to support the cause.  It’s taking place at The Bell House in New York City on Tuesday, June 14th and it will be hosted by Grand Slam and World Series of Pop Culture‘s Pat Kiernan.  Tickets are just $20, it’s for a great cause, and it’ll be a lot of fun.  Click here to learn more.

*Channel 4 in the United Kingdom has picked up the quiz show Quiz Trippers.  The show follows five pub quiz enthusiasts who spend a week traveling Britain, taking part in pub quizzes and trying to earn money.  They’ll be given basic food and water but can spend their winnings on whatever they choose.  This is actually a pretty interesting concept for a show so I’ll be looking for this one when it airs this summer.

*Today is a very, very big episode of Deal or No Deal for Channel 4.  @OfficialBanker has been teasing it, and apparently something never done before will happen, on Friday the 13th of all days.  He’ll be live tweeting the game and is asking others to do so also with the hashtag #dealornodeal.  We’ll have a look at what happened later today, so be on the lookout.

*Did you watch Who Wants to be a Millionaire last night?  A very funny moment occurred.  Contestant Rebecca Goldstein was asked a normal question: “Though most planets are named after Roman deities, what is the only one named for a figure in Greek mythology?  Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus.”  What Rebecca responded with wasn’t as normal.  Logo and video courtesy Valleycrest Productions Ltd.

*Family Feud continues to be the funniest game show on the air.  Their large social networking push over the last year has as much to do with the new success of the long running game as Steve Harvey does.  They’re constantly uploading moments.  You can click here to visit their YouTube page, if you want, and see them.  In the meantime, here’s one of our favorites below.

*BBC Two’s popular quiz show Pointless is finally starting to expand out from England.  One of the first countries to give it a shot is France.  If you live in England and want to see a taping of the French version, click here. Pointless is best described as reverse Family Feud where teams of contestants have to give the least popular, or pointless, answer to surveys and trivia questions.  We’ve featured it in the past.  Click here to see it.

*The British version of Deal or No Deal is still rolling along.  They haven’t had a jackpot £250,000 winner since 2009.  Next week is a special themed week celebrating the Banker’s birthday.  A cowboys and Indians theme will be used.  Judging by the trailer the show recently released, there’s a chance we may have another massive winner.

*Ratings for GSN’s new series Love Triangle and Improv-A-Ganza are being released often now, and it’s not looking good for either.  While it’s middling, at best, for Love Triangle, Improv-A-Ganza is not doing well.  It’s disappointing because I’m a big fan of the show and wanted it to work out, and I still watch it often, but it’s not working on the network.  Click here to check out recent figures.  The schedule change seems to have damaged their other big show Baggage and the rest of the evening schedule.  I’d be expecting some changes to be made very soon.