Originally Posted by Steve Williams:
“I recall the BBC specifically asking for contestants who were disabled or from an ethnic minority on Big Break - I certainly remember a number of blind contestants - as it was one of the few quizzes the disabled could actually participate in. Although given they had to meet Jim Davidson, I don't know how many fancied it.
The first ever episode of Big Break, in 1991, got 16.5 million viewers, and it was a big show in its day even though it was clearly just Bullseye-but-with-snooker.
Davidson's first series of the Gen Game was awful, they fiddled the format a bit and it was all a bit of a mess. I remember he had the worst catchphrase ever, going into the conveyor belt, where he said "If you don't know what happens here..." and the audience had to shout "...you're already dead!", which was crap. I remember the contestants entered in a 2CV, that was quite good.
As you say, Jim's second series got rid of most of the contrived bits and Jim seemed a bit more relaxed, which was of course later to become to the show's detriment because it became a load of self-indulgent unfunny rubbish. They also changed producer, I remember Guy Freeman did Jim's first series, but didn't do the second as he took over on Noel's House Party - and he was the one who was sacked mid-series because Noel had fallen out with him, the beginning of the end for that show.
I remember when Brucie was in charge, the Gen Game's ratings fell during the 1992 series so in 1993 it was moved back to Fridays - as the first series in 1990 was - but rather fortunately it was during the six months that ITV had moved The Bill to Saturdays, so it didn't go up against that but You Bet, and the Gen Game's ratings rocketed again, I'm pretty sure it was its highest rated series, and they "promoted" it back to Saturday the following year. Those were the days, of course, when a series moving from Saturday to Friday was a serious demotion (cf Russ Abbott).”
I have to admit I enjoyed
Big Break.
I think I only ever missed one edition, and that was due to a power-cut. Maybe I deserve some kind of medal.
Yeah, you're right there were quite a few disabled contestants: wheelchair-users and blind people. One of the blind contestants won a skiing prize (either a holiday or a go on a dry-ski slope. I can't remember which.) I remember Jim telling him they'd sort out a better prize for him if he wanted. Quite a few non-white contestants too.
I wonder what Guy Freeman's doing now. I didn't like what he did with the
Generation Game or
Noel's House Party.
and what thanks do they get eh! 
