IT’S the comical quiz show where competitors have to find the least likely answers to general knowledge questions.
Now two former Pointless contestants have spilled the beans on what really goes on behind the scenes of the BBC show.
Game show lovers Gary Woodward and Bethan Thomas walked away with Pointless trophies after losing out on a cash prize during their appearances in 2013 and 2016 respectively.
Bethan, 31, from Brighton told The Celeb Report she was shocked by the strict rules about what she was – and wasn’t – allowed to wear.
She recalled: “I wear quite a lot of black or sequins and they were like, ‘No you can’t wear that, can’t wear spots’.
“So I went for a floral number and my friend did too. When we were on, someone told us we looked like Kew Gardens.”
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Bethan claimed the production crew also have a “very specific” look they are after, which she said is not always to the contestant’s taste.
She explained: “They did our make-up, which I wasn’t sure about.
“They give you TV make-up, so I was very heavily contoured and bronzed, which really isn’t me!”
Business manager Bethan was also surprised by how long filming took, claiming it was “twice as long as what you see on the telly”.
The business manager told The Celeb Report: “We were there all day. It took hours. There’s so much waiting around between takes, it was a long time.”
After the questions are read out, Bethan told how contestants are allowed to walk up to the screen and read them more closely.
“They edit it out but they let you go right up to it and stare at it from a metre away, so you can get a good look at it properly,” she said.
Audition ‘test’
Getting on a game show is no easy task and requires hopefuls to attend a group interview where their general knowledge – and personality – is put to the test.
Bethan recalled: “My friend was really on it and within a few weeks of putting in our application, we were invited to try out for the show.
“They made us play games – it felt like I was at a comedy improvisation thing, it was like they were trying to get us to be funny and I felt really under pressure.
“You could see a lot of people really trying to crack a few jokes and pull a few faces to get on.
“I remember being in a circle with them all and just thinking, ‘If they pick me, I’ll be surprised,’ because I really didn’t put any effort in. But we got picked and it was great.”
‘Big gaps’
For viewers at home, the transition between contestants giving their answers and them appearing on the board appears smooth.
But Gary, 41, claims there are “lengthy gaps” on the show that last “between five and 10 minutes” at a time.
The TV worker from Peterborough told The Celeb Report: “They use the breaks to touch up make-up, tweak microphones and hand out question cards so they appear fresh.”
Gary also suspects there’s another reason for the big pauses – to ensure the show’s team gets nothing wrong, to avoid complaints.
He said: “I think they are checking the spellings of words and doing last minute fact-checking.
“I remember walking behind a curtain and seeing them typing answers into Google.
“I guess they don’t want to look stupid or to get complaints if they spelled something wrong like ‘Britain’, or to avoid accusations of unfairness.”
Selection process
While waiting for their moment in the spotlight, contestants are grouped together in a room where they hang out until they are called.
Gary said producers try to make players “feel comfortable and have a good time” by offering them baguettes and the Pointless card game to kill the time.
To decide who is up next, Bethan says contestants’ names are drawn from a hat – but Gary believes there are other factors at play.
He said: “They select contestants to make sure there is a variety – including where people are from, how tall they are, their race, age and skin colour. There’s a lot involved in it!”
Once selected they are escorted to the studio, where it can be quite daunting, according to Bethan.
She said: “Walking to your podium is like hell on earth. It’s like, ‘Oh my god it’s actually real’.
“It was really hot, I was sweating like a pig in chiffon under those studio lights. The make-up I didn’t like was dripping off. Every time I thought they weren’t looking, I’d wipe my face.”
Stolen trinkets
If you don’t win the jackpot, you walk away with a Pointless trophy – which Bethan gave to her dad as a paperweight.
She added: “My friend took away his name badge. I didn’t because they told us we have to hand them back.
“I was very honest and gave it back, and then we got back and my friend Jonathan was like ‘I’ve got mine’ and wore it around town for ages!”
Chatty hosts
Both Gary and Bethan insisted that boffin hosts Richard Osman and Alexander Armstrong were as nice as they appear on the small screen.
Bethan said: “They come up and talk to you, do a bit of preamble and make you feel comfortable.
“Richard said he has family in Brighton, so I was telling him about that. They were really nice. I was a bit star-struck, actually.”
Gary said the hosts “kept the energy up” ensuring “it was never awkward”.
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He added: “I’ve made 21 game show appearances and Pointless was by far my favourite one.
“They make sure you’re not tired or bored and keep you happy, which shows well on camera as everyone seems to enjoy it.”
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