Let's be honest, we've all been there – slumped on the sofa in front of the telly, bag of crisps in one hand, drink in the other, watching a quiz show, calling out answers before the contestant while priding ourselves on our impressive general knowledge skills. "I could do better than that!" we scoff as we grab another pack of salt and vinegar.
But spare a thought for that poor soul before you lambast them for giving yet another wrong answer. It's different when you're in a TV studio, under the hot lights, with four cameras in your face and 200 people staring at you, not to mention the millions more watching at home. Under that kind of pressure, your mind can go blank, or play tricks on you, causing your tongue to become more tied than a severely knotted shoelace. Indeed, parts of your body that hadn't previously sweated may start sweating for the very first time. Could
you handle it?
The BBC offers a
stack of opportunities for Joe and Josephine Public to get their mug on the box. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be a quiz show. I mean, not everyone enjoys being humiliated by
The Weakest Link's Anne Robinson (though some clearly do) - the
Antiques Roadshow is always looking for people. The worst thing that can happen to you there is to be told that the old painting handed down through generations of your family that you thought was going to set you up nicely for retirement is actually worth less than the bus fare you paid to get you to the show.
Other possibilities include some bearded bonhomie with the Hairy Bikers on
The Hairy Bikers' Family Cook-Off; the curiously titled
Hotter Than My Daughter; a show looking for women who aren't working called
Working Girls; a programme requiring renovation enthusiasts called
Britain's Empty Homes; the mighty
MasterChef; and the wonderfully whacky
Total Wipeout.
So as you can see, there's a vast range of shows in need of participants (many more can be found at the
BBC website), so have a browse and take your pick.
Not only will you be able to get an up-close-and-personal look at how TV shows are made, it should also be a fun experience; indeed, the shows' producers
want you to have a good time, so enjoy yourself and have a laugh.
