1960s

Many of the popular quiz shows of the 1950’s continued into the 1960’s. They included, what’s my line, double your money and double or drop as part of crackerjack. By the end of the 1960’s there were three channels BBC1, BBC2 and ITV. Having a television set was a luxury item. In 1962 there were 12.8 million households in the UK that had a television set this was out of a total of 16.6 million. In 1966 there where 15.4 million households in the UK that had a television set this was out of a total of 17.8million.

Upper class ‘RP’ (received pronunciation) accents were replaced by cockney or northern accents. People hair got longer women's skirts got shorter and Britain gained confidence. In 1966 England won the world cup.

The new quiz shows launched in the 1960s include……. • Top of the form (1962) • University Challenge (1962) • Call my bluff (1965) • Ask the family (1967) All these shows featured challenging questions and were designed to appeal to the new middle classes created by the 1960s economic boom times as well a better educated audience.

Ask the family was first shown on BBC1 in the year 1967. It ended in 1984. It was hosted by Robert Robinson, it was broadcast early evening. Like university challenge a knockout format leading to two semi-finals and a final. Contestants were always a family of four. Some questions were aimed at children only or father and eldest child only. As well as General knowledge, Ask the family was famous for puzzles e.g. number sequences and a mystery objects. Its theme music was also distinctive a piece called ‘Acka Raga’ performed by John Mayer on the sitar.

The show again returned to the BBC, when it was shown at tea time on BBC2 and presented by children’s presenters Dick and Dom. Dick and Dom’s ask the family broke with its wholesome origins with a format in which the questions were secondary to the presenters antics and it attracted some controversy, the creator of the 1967 show Patricia Owtram, derided the show saying ‘I was disgusted that in the first Dick and Dom programme a boy who gave a wrong answer was forced to wear a donkey mask and be hooted’. However it only lasted one series.