Sir Bruce Forsyth to be REPLACED by Mel and Sue for The Generation Game revival
THE GENERATION GAME will return to screens later this year after the BBC announced a revival with hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins.
Mel Giedroyc addresses wrong contestant on Pitch Battle
Dating back to 1971, the show's longest-serving host was Sir Bruce Forsyth, before Larry Grayson and Jim Davidson later took over the presenting duties.
Returning to BBC One for a four episode run, the classic programme will combine elements from the original series alongside brand new games and challenges.
It was previously reported that Mel and Sue were linked to host the reboot as part of a package for not moving to Channel 4 with The Great British Bake Off, before today's confirmation.
Speaking of the announcement, the presenting pair said: “It’s a cuddly toy, it’s a toaster, it’s a circular power saw, no it’s Mel and Sue doing The Generation Game! We can’t believe it, we are so excited!”
Director of content Charlotte Moore said: “The Generation Game is an iconic BBC One show, so to be able to bring it back for today’s audience with Mel and Sue overseeing things is a wonderful moment for the channel.”
Guy Freeman, Editor of special events and formats at BBC Studios added: "This is the TV show that viewers most wanted to see back on their screens and so we are thrilled to be able to make that happen with Mel and Sue, who I know will have just as much fun hosting it as contestants will playing it."
Pairs of family members across generations will battle it out in a series of performance and task based games with the ultimate goal of facing the conveyor belt to take home an array of prizes.
Joined by a panel of celebrity judges, the stars will score families after each game and ultimately decide which pair faces the conveyor belt.
It comes after years of secret planning by the BBC to bring the show back out of the archives.
BBC bosses initially had Paul O'Grady in mind to revive the show in 2004, before comedian Miranda Hart was in the running by 2014.
The Generation Game will return to BBC One later this year.