Richard Osman fears 'big scandal' hitting House of Games as he addresses end of filming

Richard Osman has revealed why pre-recording his show House of Games can be "a nightmare" after his podcast co-star highlighted a potential issue. Breaking down the process, the presenter shared that filming for his BBC show had been completed already over a four-month process, including the 2024 Christmas episodes.

He shared: "You record them when everyone is available and you record them all in one go. Last week was the last bit of filming for this year, so we're not going back into the studio this year."

As he tried to continue, his podcast co-host Marina Hyde chimed in to highlight what "a nightmare" it could be should one of the contestants be involved in a scandal from now until the show airs. She shared: "I hope none of your contestants are involved in a huge scandal eg. in November and then you'll start with someone on the Christmas [shows] who has done something absolutely unspeakable."

Insisting this had already been a thought, Richard replied: "Don't, of course it's the nightmare. Anytime you ever do anything in advance, it's the complete nightmare."

Sharing another reason he wasn't so keen on pre-recording, the BBC star added on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast: "Because Christmas is on a Wednesday, the BBC is still not sure what day it is going to go out.

"So I'm presenting it, firstly I can't say, 'It's Monday's House Of Games' which I like to say because it could go across a week, we don't absolutely know.

"Secondly, I don't know what day is [the show's] Christmas Day, I don't know if it's pre-Christmas or post Christmas.

"That, I hate because the one thing I love doing when presenting TV shows is thinking about what the viewers are doing when I'm presenting."

Richard's show, which first aired in 2017, features four celebrities competing against each other in a series of fast-paced rounds of games.

Those who take on the challenge can win daily prizes across five consecutive days and the weekly title of being crowned as House of Games champion.

Points are accrued depending on where the individuals finish on each day and the points are doubled on Friday's show.

In 2022, Richard stepped down from Pointless after 13 years to focus on his writing career, but clarified he would still be hosting the celebrity edition of the BBC quiz show.

Announcing the news on the platform X at the time, he wrote: "SOME NEWS! After 13 wonderful years I’m leaving daytime Pointless, to concentrate on writing. Will still be doing the celebrity shows and House Of Games.

"It has been the GREATEST pleasure and I can’t wait to start watching as a viewer. Thank you to everyone."

The BBC later confimed that Richard's co-star Alexander Armstrong will continue to present the daytime show with a rotating line-up of presenters.

More recently, the presenter teased fans with a picture of a director's chair from a movie set as filming for Netflix's adaption of his Thursday Murder Club gets underway.

Alongside the snap this week, he wrote: "Oh, it's HAPPENING."