[michael21]

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/b...e?referrer=RSS

ITV is in talks to bring back classic gameshow Catch Phrase for the first time in 10 years as it seeks to continue a strategy of reviving successful formats.

It is understood that the commercial broadcaster is discussing piloting the show, which is owned by DRG and was pitched to international broadcasters at MipTV earlier this year.

If a pilot is commissioned, it will be produced by STV Productions. The Scottish broadcaster’s production arm has an established relationship with DRG, which distributes Taggart and STV’s new Braveheart-style drama Wallace.

DRG has updated the original Pasetta Productions and Steven Radosh Catch Phrase format, introducing 3D graphics and a fresh end game.

The gameshow shot to prominence in the 1980s with host Roy Walker asking two contestants to guess a familiar phrase depicted by a computer animation. Walker urged contestants to “say what you see” and consoled them if they were wrong with the knowledge that “it’s good, but it’s not right”.

Catch Phrase ran for more than 300 episodes on ITV from 1986 to 2002 and was originally commissioned by the broadcaster’s current controller of entertainment John Kaye Cooper.

ITV is also talking to advertisers about a six-part series of Play Your Cards Right after piloting the format with Vernon Kay last year.

It has not yet formally been greenlit as producer Thames and ITV are in talks with the Gambling Commission about minimising any gambling connotations associated with the show. It is expected that they will overcome any concerns raised by the commission.

ITV has also ordered a special episode of Surprise Surprise with Holly Willoughby, while in recent months BBC1 has dusted off Jim’ll Fix It and Challenge has revived Blockbusters.

say what you see