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Challenge Anneka
Series 8 logo (2023)
GenreReality
Created byAnneka Rice
Malcolm Heyworth
Presented byAnneka Rice
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series8
No. of episodes70 (inc. 5 specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Running time40–70 minutes
Production companiesChatsworth Television (1987)
Mentorn (1989–95)
ITV Productions (2006–07)
Twofour & Krempelwood (2023)[1]
Original release
NetworkBBC1
Release8 September 1989 (1989-09-08) –
15 October 1995 (1995-10-15)
NetworkITV
Release26 December 2006 (2006-12-26) –
6 June 2007 (2007-06-06)
NetworkChannel 5
Release18 March 2023 (2023-03-18) –
2024 (2024)

Challenge Anneka is a British entertainment reality programme that originally aired on BBC1 from 8 September 1989 to 15 October 1995 and is hosted by Anneka Rice.

It was announced on 6 November 2006 that the series was returning, but this time on ITV. The first of the two specials was shown on Boxing Day 2006. The second was transmitted 6 June 2007.

On 23 May 2022, Channel 5 announced that they had commissioned a revival of the series, with four episodes being ordered by the broadcaster.[2] Two episodes were broadcast on 18 and 25 March 2023. The third episode was broadcast on 14 May 2023 and the fourth is yet to air.[3]

Format

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Series 1 and 2 logo (1989–1990)
Series 3 to 6 logo (1991–1994)
Series 7 logo (1995)

The series was devised as a vehicle for Anneka Rice, who had previously appeared on Treasure Hunt, one of the first big hits for Channel 4 and was piloted in 1987's edition of Children in Need. It was produced by Tom Gutteridge of Mentorn, who also produced the US version with Erin Brockovich. The format of Challenge Anneka involved Rice being given a task to accomplish within a certain period, usually two or three days. She was supposed to have no knowledge of what the task of each particular episode would be before it began, and would have to organise its accomplishment by persuading companies and people to contribute their time and resources for free. The task would usually be in aid of a charitable cause, for example building a play area for children within the local community, or something similar.[4]

Rice would be based during the 'challenges' in a large blue truck, and for her frequent trips to persuade companies and people to take part she initially employed the use, in the first 3 series, of a Volkswagen based beach buggy, and then went on to use a kit built Dakar 4x4 vehicle from series 4-7. For the ITV Specials, a Jeep buggy was used. In Series 8, Rice had the use of both a beach and a 4x4 buggy. For series 6 and 7, she had a dog called Pedro. Series 7 differed from the previous six series with new variation of theme tune, logo and on alternating episodes, a format tweak involving small scale mini Challenges running alongside the main Challenge. She was also distinguished by her frequent use of her mobile phone to organise the projects, years before they became common everyday objects for people in Britain.

Another trademark aspect of the series would be the frequent on-screen presence of Rice's soundman, Dave Chapman, part of the camera team who followed her around as she attempted to accomplish the challenges and who often found himself having to lend a helping hand.

Most of the popularity of the series came from the tension of whether Rice and her teams of volunteers would accomplish their tasks before the deadlines set. Sometimes they would fail, but usually on such occasions those who had agreed to help out would carry on the following day to complete the work.

The format was sold to many European countries, each with a different host. In the late 1990s, the show was produced by Mentorn in the United States as Challenge America (ABC), hosted by Erin Brockovich.

ITV revival

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Challenge Anneka returned in 2006 with a 'one-off' special on ITV, on Boxing Day and featured the team helping World Vision to rebuild a maternity clinic, a cricket pavilion and a children's play centre in Sri Lanka after the 2004 Tsunami disaster.

There were plans for two more UK specials in 2007 – Rice walked on stage, along with television crew, during a McFly concert in Cambridge, and asked the band if they would record a single for charity – this formed part of the Challenge Anneka challenge recording an album to raise money for Children's Hospices around the UK, broadcast on 6 June 2007 on ITV. The album, Over the Rainbow was released on 4 June 2007. The two specials gained 3.34m (8pm, 26 December 2006) and 2.8m (9pm, 6 June 2007) viewers on ITV. A third special, reported in the press at the time of the revived format, was never completed, as ITV dropped their plans to revive the series in a frequent format.

Following ITV abandoning their plans of a full revival, in 2009 Rice approached the BBC about a proposed revival as part of Children in Need night (where the format of Challenge Anneka had first been tested in 1987) to mark the 20th anniversary of the series. The BBC did not proceed with the proposal, citing that the series was no longer in the public consciousness.

Channel 5 revival

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On 23 May 2022, it was announced that the series would be revived again, this time on Channel 5 for a four-part series. This was shot from September to November 2022: Dementia Village 27-30 Sep; Sprouts 19-21 Oct; Sea Cadets 2-5 Nov; Foal Farm 16-18 Nov.

Episode 1 (Foal Farm) gained 1.25m viewers for the 90 minute programme on Saturday 18 March 2023 at 8.50pm, with the second episode losing more than half its viewing audience (0.66m) on Saturday 25 March 2023 at 8.30pm. This resulted in Channel 5 postponing the last two scheduled episodes. The penultimate episode was transmitted on Sunday 14 May 2023 at 7.30pm (0.52m) and the final one has yet to air.

Transmissions

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Main article: List of Challenge Anneka episodes

Regular

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Series Start date End date Episodes Presenter Channel
Pilot 27 November 1987[5] 1 Anneka Rice BBC One
1 8 September 1989[6] 10 November 1989[7] 10
2 10 November 1990[8] 12 January 1991[9] 10
3 14 September 1991[10] 16 November 1991[11] 10
4 18 September 1992[12] 27 November 1992[13] 8
5 4 September 1993[14] 16 October 1993[15] 7
6 3 September 1994[16] 15 October 1994[17] 7
7 27 August 1995[18] 15 October 1995[19] 8
8 18 March 2023 TBC 4 Channel 5

Specials

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Date Entitle Channel
3 January 1992[20] Return to Siret Special Report BBC One
11 September 1992[21] Series 1–3 Highlights
27 August 1993[22] Live Croatia Appeal Special
26 December 2006[23] Sri Lanka Tsunami Special ITV
6 June 2007[24] Hospice CD Special

References

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  1. ^ "Channel 5 ready to Challenge Anneka again". C21media. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Challenge Anneka returns to British TV screens 30 after it was first aired". ITV News. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  3. ^ "CHALLENGE ANNEKA REMOVED FROM CHANNEL 5 SCHEDULES". TVZoneUK. 28 March 2023.
  4. ^ "My Life in Media: Anneka Rice". Independent.co.uk. 17 September 2007.
  5. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 27 November 1987". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 8 September 1989". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 10 November 1989". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 10 November 1990". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 12 January 1991". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  10. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 14 September 1991". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 16 November 1991". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 18 September 1992". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 27 November 1992". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  14. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 4 September 1993". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  15. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 16 October 1993". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 3 September 1994". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  17. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 15 October 1994". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  18. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 27 August 1995". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  19. ^ "Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 15 October 1995". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  20. ^ "Challenge Anneka Special Report – BBC One London – 3 January 1992". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  21. ^ "The Best of Challenge Anneka – BBC One London – 11 September 1992". BBC Genome Project. 11 September 1992. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  22. ^ "Challenge Anneka Special – BBC One London – 27 August 1993". BBC Genome Project. 27 August 1993. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  23. ^ "Challenge Anneka (Challenge Anneka: Tsunami Appeal)". ITN Source. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  24. ^ "Challenge Anneka (Challenge Anneka: The Album)". ITN Source. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
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