Total Wipeout isnt a Wipeout with me (Total Wipeout)

Member Name: Drewster_Rooster

Product:	Total Wipeout
Date:	02/11/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fun, exciting, funny

Disadvantages: not enough episodes

As the line up of the "celebrity" version of this show has been announced in the past few days I thought it fitting to submit a review on the Saturday night version of this game show.

Presented by Richard Hammond and Amanda Byran the show reminds me of a cross between "Its a knockout" and the obstacle course of "Krypton Factor" it features 20 contestants who compete against each other, the clock and the ever increasingly bizarre and difficult stages to end up with the winner who goes home with £10,000. Heat winners in the 2009 series were invited back for a "champion of champions" round where the winner was crowned the ultimate Total Wipeout champion.

Split into 4 different rounds the show progresses until the winner is crowned:

Round 1: The Qualifier: 20 contestants make their way round a large obstacle course against the clock, most famous for "the big red balls" the competitors must try and jump and land their way over a set of 4 large balls spaced equally apart, this is rarely achieved and most end up spectacularly wiping out into the water waiting below.

Round 2: The Sweeper: The 12 fastest contestants from round 1 are made to stand on tall circular podiums whilst a mechanical "arm" comes sweeping towards them. They must either jump or duck the arm and the 5 who manage to stay on the longest progress onto round 3.

Round 3 used to always be "Dizzy Dummies" where the 6 remaining contestants are strapped into harnesses on a human "merry go round" and spun quickly for 40 seconds, after that time they are able to release themselves and have to make it across either a set of obstacles in water or across "tippy tables" where they have to jump onto a large obstacle which is hinged in the mddle and make their way up and over onto the next table before reaching the end. The first 3 over 3 rounds make it to the Final.

Series 2 of the programme introduced an alternative round 3 called "The Dreadmill" where the last 6 contestants to remain on the sweeper have to remain inbetween 2 lines on a large treadmill (running on the spot) whilst a large ball swings overhead getting closer and closer to the competitors. The competitor who loses their footing first gets knocked out and the 3 who win their heats go onto the Final.

Round 4 is the Final Wipeout Zone, a large, daunting obstacle course that features a barrell run where the 3 finalists have to run up an oiled walkway whilst facing oncoming barrells, if they dont manage to get over the barrells they are pushed back to the start and have to do it all over again. They then have to swing their way across monkey bars whilst rushing water pours over their heads before making their way to spinning circular tables which they must jump on, then jump off onto a rolling beam, once across they are met with the final part - the launch pads - staggered trampolines that they must have to hop across to finally reach the end, push a button and stop the clock.

The person who completes round 4 in the quickest time is declared the winner and goes home with £10,000.

Each of the rounds features some genuine laugh out loud moments where the competitors dont quite manage to beat the obstacles. Its a fun programme which contains excitement and thrills and is a great Saturday night programme. You get a good mix of competitors from students and housewives through to soilders and fitness instructors, the hosts - Hammond and Byran bring wit and humour to the show and I really enjoy watching it.

Series 3 is in production to be shown next year on BBC1 and as I said in my introduction a celebrity version has been commissioned whose line up includes: James & Ola Jordan (Strictly Come Dancing) Kevin Adams (Fame academy fitness instructor) actor Luke Bailey, Eastenders actor Joe Swash (winner of Im a celebrity...) comedian Tim Vine, Carrie Grant (vocal coach and also from Fame academy) actress Adele Silva, ex-athlete Fatima Whitbread and TV personality Kaye Adams.

The show gets viewing figures of around the 4-6 million mark and is consistently in the top 20 BBC1 watched shows. If you havent seen it I would definitely recommend a viewing, although not showing at the moment on BBC regular repeats appear on BBC3 and YouTube features many of the episodes. Also on YouTube are the American and Australian versions and both of these are on parr with the British version, the hosts of the American version are very funny and the shows are worth watching just for them.

All in all 4/5 from me, would have liked to have seen more than 9 episodes in season 2 and sometimes Richard Hammond is a bit annoying, but still a great fun way to pass an hour on a Saturday night when Xfactor and Strictly are not on.

Summary: Thanks for reading