It's A Knockout 1977
British Domestic Series

Presenters:
Stuart Hall
Eddie Waring

Referees:
Arthur Ellis
Gennaro Olivieri (Championship Knockout)
Mike Swann

Scoregirls:
Brenda Lee
Dinah May
Pam Nolan

Production Credits:

Production Team: Alan Walsh, Alan Wright; Engineering Manager: Geoff Lomas; Sound: John Drake; Games Arranger: Paul Trerise; Designer: Mel Bibby; Producer: Cecil Korer; Director: Geoff Wilson

A BBC Manchester Production

Key: Domestic Heats ● = Qualified for International Series / ● = Heat Winner Championship Knockout Final ● = Radio Times Trophy Winner  ▲ = Promoted to Position / ▼ = Demoted to Position

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 1

Event Staged: Sunday 10th April 1977
Venue: Wellesley Park, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 22nd April 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Beverley v. Calderdale v. Wakefield

Team Members included:
Beverley - Dave Gibson (Team Captain), Debra Windass;
Wakefield - Alec Thomson (Team Captain), Jeanette Ashton, Andrew Baker, Doreen Bursill, Peter Chambers, Andrew Devey, Andrew Duckitt, Diana Greenwood, Kathleen Ingleson, Donna Lee, Errol Malish, Frank Milner, Christine Sharpe, Rosemary Shelton, Gail Tombs, Christopher Turner, Jeanette Webster.

Games included: Musical Giants, Barrels Up the Slope.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd

 B • Beverley ● ●
 W • Wakefield
 C • Calderdale

28
25
22

Beverley qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Marina di Carrara, Italy:
staged on Wednesday 1st June 1977

The Venue

Halifax, West Yorkshire

Wellesley Park is the home of the old barracks in Halifax and the games were staged in front of them.

Returning Teams and Competitors

Beverley team member Debra Windass later returned to It's A Knockout in 1978 and 1979 as a regular scoregirl, made an appearance as a mermaid mascot for the Bridlington and North Wolds team in the 1980 series, and returned to the role of scoregirl once again for Heat 2 of the 1981 series!

Additional Information

Calderdale was created under the Local Government Act of 1972, and includes the towns of Brighouse, Halifax, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 2

Event Staged: Sunday 17th April 1977
Venue: Alexandra Park, Oldham, Greater Manchester, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 29th April 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Oldham v. Wigan v. Wirral

Team Members included:
Oldham (Full Squad) - Derek Smallwood (Team Manager), Dorothy Emerson (Women's Team Manager), Tom Hill (Assistant Team Coach), Diane Cook (Assistant Team Coach), Stephen Andrews, Sheila Antrobus, Lynne Bowden, Johnathon Boyce, Michael Cannon, Frank Collinson, Carol Driver, Nadia Duda, Tony Edwards, Don Errock, Eric Fitzsimmons, Barry Gordon, Karen Halliwell, Ian Hamilton, Warren Hilton, Syd Jolley, Steve Kenney, Alex Kerrigan, Ruth Lawson, Michael Maloney, Nicholas Marrington, Mark McLoughlin, Tony Nanyn, Fiona Nicholl, Brian Parkinson, Christine Silk, Bob Tait, Alison Turner, Jane Welton;
Wigan (Full Team) - David Blake, Ian Boardman, Pauline Bristow, Diane Greeves, Fred Hazeldean, Billy Higgins, Donald Jenkinson, Mary Martin, Gillian Mather, Kathryn Millar, Anthony Moffatt, John O'Brien, Alan Perry, Michael Pilling, Terry Rimmer, Valerie Rimmer, Kevin Sutch, Michael Sweeney, Janet Swift, Jacqueline Talbot, Brian Wallwork;
Wirral - John Oxton (Team Captain).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd

 O • Oldham ● ●
 WL • Wirral
 WN • Wigan

28
22
21

Oldham qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Évry, France:
staged on Wednesday 15th June 1977

Additional Information

Wirral was created under the Local Government Act of 1972, and includes the towns of Birkenhead, Hoylake, Port Sunlight and Wallasey.

At the time of recording, the venue for the International Heat in France was scheduled to be Lyon in the south of the country. However, due to staging difficulties, this venue was subsequently changed to Évry, located in the north of the country, immediately south of Paris.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 3

Event Staged: Sunday 24th April 1977 from 3.00pm
Venue: Berry Hill Park, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 6th May 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Mansfield v. Macclesfield v. Wirksworth

Team Members included:
Macclesfield - Alec Collins (Team Manager), Steve Midgelow (Co-Team Coach), Steve Smith (Co-Team Coach), Keith Goalen (Co-Team Coach), Robbie Brightwell (Team Advisor), Elaine Banner, Ann Birtwistle, Ian Booth, Richard Collins, Jen Culshaw, Julie Cunningham, Jennifer Goodwin, Alison Hague, Monica Hanson, Beverley Nolan, Dianne Perrit, Niki Seddon, Shirley Willdig;
Mansfield - Elizabeth Chambers, Andrew Colclough, Dianne English, Mervyn Flecknoe, Patric A. Goodall, Paul M. Hanson, Alan Hergrave, Mark J. Kruzynski, Rita R. Marsden, Gary J. Orgles, Ian Pitman, Michael Raybould, Mike Ricketts, David B. Smedley, Lynne Soar, Michael Stamp, Geoffrey R. Stockdale, Rosemary Tasker, Jayne Tennant, Judie Thomas, Trevor Thomas, David J. Wilson, Kay Wilson, Glenda D. Williams, Neil Wood, Richard Young;
Wirksworth - Peter Barry, Gladwyn Grafton, Peter Hallows, Philip Marples, Sid Page, Dave Scotthorne, Doug Smith, Steve Whittaker.

Games (Official Titles): Tweedle Run, Wet Walk, Poster Slope, Plod Along, Rollaring, Weight for the Chase, Coal ‘O’, Cake Stretch, Brimfull;
Marathon: Parcel Push;
Reserve Game: Hop to Swop.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd

 MC • Macclesfield ● ●
 MN • Mansfield
 W • Wirksworth

31
26
17

Macclesfield qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Carouge, Switzerland:
staged on Wednesday 29th June 1977

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - Tweedle Run

The first game - ‘Tweedle Run’ - was played by three teams over two heats and involved one male and one female team member from each team, inside Tweedle costumes. All six competitors race from the start line, through straw bales, to the pile of straw in which six balls are hidden. Five balls will be white and one ball will be black. The person finding the black ball is out together with his or her team partner. The remaining four run again in the second heat, this time for three white balls and one black ball to determine the winning team.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Mansfield (3pts awarded / 3pts total) 2nd Macclesfield (2pts / 2pts) 3rd Wirksworth (1pt / 1pt)

Game 2 - Wet Walk

The second game - ‘Wet Walk’ - was played by two teams over two heats and involved one male competitor standing on a dirigible. He is holding a pole with a bucket suspended from the outer end. A female team mate unhooks the bucket and fills it with water from a tub. She replaces it and the man runs along the dirigible to pass the bucket to another girl who, after unhooking it, empties the water into a scoring container. The team with the most water in their container at limit time will be deemed the winning team.

Running Scores and Positions: =1st Macclesfield (3pts awarded / 5pts total) ▲ =1st Mansfield (2pts / 5pts) 3rd Wirksworth (--- / 1pt)

Game 3 - Poster Slope

The third game - 'Poster Slope’ - was played by three teams over three heats and involved a male competitor and a female team mate, who holds a pot of paste and a brush, standing in a single pair of large trousers which have two legs per side. The man collects a section of poster and the pair ascend the ramp. At the summit, the girl pastes the wall. They turn around to allow the man to position the poster. Having done this, they descend to collect another poster section. They both wear gloves to prevent their hands becoming dirty and to guard against cold weather. The team that pastes the greater number of poster sections in the correct order on the wall within limit time wins.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (3pts awarded / 8pts total) 2nd Mansfield (1pt / 6pts) ▼ 3rd Wirksworth (3pts / 4pts)

Game 4 - Plod Along

The fourth game - 'Plod Along’ - was played by three teams in a single heat. It involved two male competitors and one female competitor from each team. Two men walk on 'Plodpoles' - a board to stand on with a bean bag under each end, held in place by lines round and through holes in the boards above the bags. The men standing on the board hold these lines in tension. At one end of the course, the girl places a ball into the net that runs between them and in this way they 'plodpolate' their way down the course, deftly tipping the ball off into a container at the opposite end. The girl replaces the ball if it falls off on the course. The team that collects the most balls within limit time will win the game.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (2pts awarded / 10pts total) 2nd Mansfield (3pts / 9pts) 3rd Wirksworth (1pt / 5pts)

Game 5 - Rollaring

The fifth game - 'Rollaring’ - was played by three teams in a single heat. It involved two male competitors and one female competitor from each team. The female team member is positioned on top of a drum whjich is worked down the course by two men who stand inside it. The quickest team will win the game.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (6pts awarded / Joker / 16pts total) 2nd Mansfield (2pts / 11pts) 3rd Wirksworth (1pt / 6pts)

Game 6 - Weight for the Chase

The sixth game - 'Weight for the Chase’ - was played by two teams over two heats. It involved one male competitor, and from the opposing team, one male competitor and a female competitor. One man rides a tricycle between a series of weighty objects, gradually collectingthem in a trailer towed behind his bike. At a specific point in the game (either after a given time or once the man has reached a particular point down the course) the opposing team may start. They have one man in a Giant costume, and he cannot see out of it. Therefore, a girl from his team with a loud hailer directs him down the course to chase the man on the tricycle. When the giant stops him, the game finishes and the objects are counted. The team with the most objects collected will win the game.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (3pts awarded / 19pts total) 2nd Mansfield (--- / 11pts) 3rd Wirksworth (2pts / 8pts)

Game 7 - Coal 'O'

The seventh game - 'Coal 'O' ’ - was played by three teams over three heats. It involved two male competitors and a female team mate. Two men wearing miners' boots, with each foot linked together, collect sacks of coal from their female team mate and deliver it to a box at the end of the course, each time going under a hoop. The team delivering the greatest number of sacks within limit time wins.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (3pts awarded / 22pts total) 2nd Mansfield (2pts / 13pts) 3rd Wirksworth (1pt / 9pts)

Game 8 - Cake Stretch

The eighth game - 'Cake Stretch’ - was played by two teams over two heats. It involved one male competitors and one female competitor from each team. One man on an elastic line collects a number of inner tubes to place over a girl who stands on a disc holding a ball up. When she is obscured by tubes with only the ball showing through the top tube the 'cake' is completed. The quickest team to complete the cake will win the game.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (--- awarded / 22pts total) 2nd Mansfield (6pts / Joker / 19pts) 3rd Wirksworth (4pts / Joker / 13pts)

Marathon - Parcel Push

The Marathon game - 'Parcel Push’ - involved two male competitors and one female competitor from each team. Two men and two girls each collect parcels and throw them one at a time onto a canvas strip fixed above the ground. By jumping up and hitting the canvas they bounce the parcels forwards to the angled net at the end of which the parcel must go before falling into the scoring box. The team with the most parcels in the score box at limit time will win.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (6pts awarded / 28pts total) 2nd Mansfield (6pts / 25pts) 3rd Wirksworth (3pts / 15pts)

Game 9 - Brimfull

The ninth game - 'Brimfull’ - was played by three teams in a single heat. It involved one male and one female competitor from each team. One man fills a special hat with water from a tub and places it on the head of a girl sitting in a wheelbarrow which he pushes down the course. Once over a line the girl climbs out, unassisted by the man, and empties the water in her hat into a scoring container. She climbs back in to the wheelbarrow and he pushes her back to collect more water. The team with the greatest amount of water in their container at limit time will win the game.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Macclesfield (3pts awarded / 31pts total) 2nd Mansfield (1pt / 26pts) 3rd Wirksworth (2pts / 17pts)

Reserve Game - Hop to Swop

The reserve game - 'Hop to Swop’ - was available to be played in the event of a games failure - which was not the case in this Domestic Heat. The game was designed for two team members from each team, one male and one female. One man in a sack hops from a line to a girl standing on a disc. He climbs out of the sack. She climbs in to replace him and hops back over the line. The quickest team wins.

Memories of It's A Knockout

Mansfield team member David Wilson was interviewed in March 2012 about his participation in this Domestic Heat by the Mansfield and Ashfield Chad. Wilson, a former Nottinghamshire Police Officer, met his future wife Jayne at the contest and recalled that his involvement began with his responding to an advert in the Chad local newspaper. "It asked for people who were interested in appearing in It's A Knockout to attend a training session at Meden Sports Centre. Around five hundred people turned up on the first day and we were put through our paces. The number were gradually whittled down and around twelve people made the final team." David and Jayne's romance was not the only one that can be dated back to the event, as another competitor ended up marrying one of the cheerleaders!

Returning Teams and Competitors

Macclesfield team advisor Robbie Brightwell had previously participated with his wife Ann (née Packer) as team members of the successful Congleton team when they participated in the 1972 series of the programme. Both had been medal winners at the 1964 Olympic Games staged in Tokyo.

Additional Information

In his introduction to their Marathon heat, presenter Eddie Waring noted that Wirksworth were the first team from Derbyshire to compete in It's A Knockout.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 4

Event Staged: Sunday 1st May 1977
Venue: Pembroke Castle, Pembroke, Dyfed, Wales

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 13th May 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Pembroke v. Cwmbran v. Tenby

Team Members included:
Cwmbran - Geoff Whiston (Team Manager / Team Captain), Susan Brimble (Women's Team Captain), David Ball, Julie Barrett, Alan Chorlton, Peter Davies, Amanda Ellis, Michael Gould, Jan Jenner, Caron Jones, Paula Middle, John Price, Philip Ramsey, David Smith, Alan Tinsley, Keith Wells, Alan Wilmott;
Pembroke - Sandy Buttle (Team Captain), Thea Bigland (Women's Team Captain), Dai Boswell, David Boswell, Terry Davie, John Hammond, Marina Harwood, Graeme Jones, Mike Jones, Mike Lampard, Aileen Miller, Huw Morgan, Petrina Pearson, John Phillips, Trevayne Pudsey, Janet Tallett, Helen Thomas, Andrew Walters;
Tenby - James D. Muir (Team Captain), Penny Hilling (Women's Team Captain), Gaynor Blackmore, Jeremy Bowen-Rees, Stuart Brace, Alan Brindley, Jayne Brindley, Penny Close, Richard Evans, Roland Grigg, Neil Hammersley, Richard James, Barry Llewelyn, Sarah McLaughlin, Rebecca Naden, Cyril Walters, David Williams.

Games (Official Titles): Bag Race, Get to Grips, Best Foot Forward, Ski-Race, Bounce Around, Nosey, Long John Knockout, Board Walk, Giant Race;
Marathon: Pin Head.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd
3rd

 C • Cwmbran ● ●
 P • Pembroke
 T • Tenby

26
25
24

Cwmbran qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Ludwigsburg, West Germany:
staged on Wednesday 13th July 1977

The Venue

The games were played in within the grounds of Pembroke Castle, construction of which was begun around 1093 by Arnulf de Montgomery. In 1189 William Marshall became Earl of Pembroke and began a 30 year transformation of the wooden castle into a stone fortification. Henry Richmond, late King Henry VII was born at the castle in 1547.

After a tumultuous early life, the castle had fallen into ruin by the 1880s. Some renovation work was carried out by antiquarian J. R. Cobb at this time, before it eventually fell to Major-General Sir Ivor Philipps, to begin a major restoration project in 1928 after he had purchased the site. In 1969, a charitable trust was set up to administer the castle, its membership being drawn from family members and Pembroke Town Council representatives.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - Bag Race

The first game - ‘Bag Race’ - saw one man and one girl from each team run from the start line to place each of their feet into a bag and, holding the straps, they hop down the course to stand on a podium. Six people race for five podiums, so one person is eliminated; he or she also eliminates his or her team partner. The game is repeated with four people racing for three podiums to find the winning team.

Game 2 - Get to Grips

The second game - ‘Get to Grips’ - featured two men and two girls wearing clown trousers and flippers who have to run from the start line to climb on to a dome. The team to climb on the dome in the quickest time - and stay on the dome - wins.

Game 3 - Best Foot Forward

The third game - 'Best Foot Forward’ - was played by two men and a girl who are required to go through obstacles wearing massive false feet and carrying buckets of water.

Pembroke’s Graeme Jones, Andrew Walters and Aileen Miller finished this game in joint second place, tied with Tenby’s Cyril Walters and husband and wife team of Jayne and Alan Brindley.

Game 4 - Ski-Race

The fourth game - 'Ski-Race’ - featured two men standing on skis. At the whistle, one girl had to run from the start line to stand on the skis between the two men, who can then start to walk along the course to collect another man - he stands between them. All four then return for the last man, who stands between the two men operating the skis. The team of five then return to the finish line, with the first team to finish winning.

Pembroke won this game a scored double points, as they had presented their joker.

Game 5 - Bounce Around

The fifth game - 'Bounce Around’ - was played two men who had to push a cart up and down a course. On top of the cart, lying on a sponge slab, was a female team member. At the far end of the course she had to collect an additional sponge slab and place it on the cart, before climbing back on top of the thickening sponge, and returning to collect another at the opposite end. The team collecting the greatest number of slabs within limit time would win, which Tenby did!

Game 6 - Nosey

The sixth game - 'Nosey’ - saw two men and one girl wearing fat costumes with large noses on their heads, which they use to pass quoits to one another. At the start a girl had to throw a quoit onto the first man’s nose. He was then required to run to pass it to the next girl, who then had to run to pass it to the second man. In turn, he then had to run to pass the quoit to the first man who has taken up a position on the empty disc. Each competitor had to move up in turn and so on until the last person dropped the quoit in the box for scoring. The team collecting the greatest number of quoits in limit time wins.

Game 7 - Long John Knockout

The seventh game - 'Long John Knockout’ - was played by one man with his leg strapped up, who had to hop down the course on obstacles, collecting various items to deposit in a score box at the end of the course.

David Williams won this game for Tenby.

Game 8 - Board Walk

The eighth game - 'Board Walk’ - witnessed two men and two girls lined up in a square by their ankles. A girl had to fill a bucket with water and then place it on a panel balancing on their heads. They then had to carry the bucket up the course and empty it into the water scoring container. This task completed, they had to return to collect more water. The team with the most water in the container wins.

Marathon - Pin Head

The Marathon game - 'Pin Head’ - took place between the other games in this heat, with teams playing individually. It involved a male team member, wearing a spiked helmet, riding round a circular course on a tricycle. Each time he completed a circle, he would score one point. A girl from the opposing team was in the middle of the circle on a podium and she had to catch a water-filled balloon, which was thrown to her by another girl, outside the circle. The girl in the circle had to throw her balloon to burst on the spiked helmet of the man circling the course. If successful, the man would lose a point for that round. The winner would be the team that had amassed the most points for clean circles after any penalty deductions.

Game 9 - Giant Race

The ninth game - 'Giant Race’ - was played by one man from each team, each of them racing from a start line to finish line wearing a giant costume. They had to race over obstacles on the course with the giant who crossed the finishing line first being declared the winner.

Team Members

The Tenby team sported two very notable competitors in its ranks... Barry Llewelyn was a Welsh Rugby Union international, who played for Llanelli and was capped for his county on 13 occasions. Team Captain 'Jim' Muir was a coach at Tenby Swimming Pool and, as well as holding just about every swimming award and certificate there was, he was also the first person in the United Kingdom to complete the one million yards swimming badge!

Additional Information

The visiting town of Cwmbran was designated a new town in 1949, although there was an older village in the area before this time.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 5

Event Staged: Sunday 8th May 1977
Venue: London Road Recreation Ground, Camberley, Surrey, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 20th May 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Basingstoke v. Surrey Heath v. Windsor and Maidenhead

Team Members (Full Squads):
Basingstoke - Paul Tierney (Team Captain), Sandy Smith (Women's Team Captain), Tony Smith (Team Coach / Deputy Team Captain), Leroy Angel, Colin Barton, Dennis Bray, Doug Burnett, Jacky Byng, Don Coles, Laurie Collyer, Ian Dawson, Babs Dolling, Christopher Gibbs, Dawn Harrison, Alan Hazzard, Vanessa Johnson, Brian Kidston, Mark Mackrill, Keith Rossiter and Sue Stinchcombe;
Surrey Heath - Henry Hutchinson (Team Coach / Team Captain), Roy Cannings, David Coates, Susanne Coates, Pauline Coker, Laura Cowley, John Elcock, Mark Francis, John Hatto, Graham Hinton, June Hughes, Grant Jamieson, Christopher Joel, Patricia Lath, Frances Leppard, John Lawes, Ingrid Moore, Alan Smith, Graham Taylor and Paul Wiltshire;
Windsor and Maidenhead - Mike Revill (Team Captain), Anne Divall (Women's Team Captain), Dave Barlow, Roger Bowden, Debbie Cronshaw, Jackie Eaton, Jane Finlan, Michelle Greene, Tony Greene, Emma James, Barry Mason, Chris Morrell, John Mumford, Jo Oakley, Jean-Pierre Poissonet, John Randell, Nigel Smith, Suk Sohal, Christine Sturrock and Mike Wakefield.

Games (Official Titles): Supermarket, Two for Tea, Gigantic Chase, Jump Bucket, Truck Trip, Hopalong Carpeting, Friendly Feet, Giant Jigsaw and Coin Caper;
Marathon: Jump Up;
Reserve Game: Hop to Swop

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd

 W • Windsor and Maidenhead ● ●
 B • Basingstoke
 S • Surrey Heath

31
25
15

Windsor and Maidenhead qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Windsor, Great Britain:
staged on Tuesday 26th July 1977

The Venue

Camberley, Surrey

Image © Neil Storer, 2015

Surrey Heath and Windsor and Maidenhead were both created under the Local Government Act 1972. Surrey Heath includes the towns of Camberley, Frimley and Frimley Green. Windsor and Maidenhead includes the towns of Ascot, Eton, Maidenhead and Windsor.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - Supermarket

The first game - 'Supermarket' - was played in unison by all three teams, with one male competitor and one female competitor from each team taking part. One man had to push a wheelbarrow with a girl from his team sitting in it. The man was required to collect parcels in one particular colour from each of the containers, loading them in the barrow with the girl. He then pushed the barrow through a hoop to the base of a ramp, where the girl had to climb out and load herself with the maximum number of parcels, the man assisting her. She then had to climb the ramp and descend to drop parcels into a score box. She then had to return to collect further parcels. The team deposting the most parcels in their box within limit time would be declared the winner.

Game 2 - Two for Tea

The second game - 'Two for Tea' - was played individually across two heats by one male and one female competitor from two of the three teams. One man on a tricycle had to collect a pedestal table and cycle up the course, placing it on a tray carried by a girl from his team, standing on a disc. He then had to return to collect various other items, each time placing them on top of the pedestal table. When all items were on the table top, the girl had to proceed to carry this along the course, gripping only the supporting trays. The quickest team with the most objects would win the game.

Game 3 - Gigantic Chase

The third game - 'Gigantic Chase' - was played in a single heat by all three teams by a male competitor from each team. Three Giants chase each other around a circular course. Each Giant had a disc on his back, covered with balloons, and a disc on his front with small pins in it. One man from each team was in a Giant, the object being to burst as many balloons as possible on the back of the Giant in front. The Giant with the most balloons intact at the end of limit time will win the game.

Game 4 - Jump Bucket

The fourth game - 'Jump Bucket' - was played by two of the three teams across two separate heats. It involved one female and two male competitors from these two teams. Two men and one girl wearing flippers had to fill buckets with water and run with them down the course to the long jump. If they successfully cleared a marker line on the long jump, they were then permitted to empty their bucket into the water scoring tub. After three team members have jumped, the line is moved down the landing area in set progressions. The team with the most water in their tub at limit time would win the game.

Game 5 - Truck Trip

The fifth game - 'Truck Trip' - was played individually over three heats by four competitors (2 male, 2 female) from each of the three teams. Two men had to operate a pedal-car, carrying as many large balls from one end of the course to the other. A girl had to load the balls at one end, while another girl was required to collect them at the other. The team that had moved the most balls in the time allowed would be declared the winner.

Game 6 - Hopalong Carpeting

The sixth game - ‘Hopalong Carpeting’ - was played in unison by all three teams, with each represented by 1 female and four male competitors. Two men had to hold a piece of carpet, one at each side. They started with one man standing on it in a sack. He had to then hop on the carpet and proceed down the course to collect on girl in a sack. They had to hop back to collect one man in a sack - he was holding a large flower. They all then had to hop constantly on the carpet to the finish. The quickest team would win the game.

Game 7 - Friendly Feet

The seventh game - 'Friendly Feet' - was played by all three teams over three separate heats. Each team had to field two male competitors and one female competitor on this game. Two men had to stand in Big Feet on blocks, linked together with elastic line. A girl had to load the man with a bale of straw which they then carried down the course to drop in a box before returning to collect another. The team that moved the most straw bales to their box within limit time would be declared the winner.

Game 8 - Giant Jigsaw

The eighth and penultimate game - 'Giant Jigsaw' - was played by two of the three teams over a single heat, with one female and two male competitors participating from each of the two teams. Two men and one girl each had to collect a piece of giant jigsaw from a 'thingy' and assemble it against a panel, gradually building up a picture of an It's A Knockout personality.

Marathon - Jump Up

The Marathon in this event - 'Jump Up' - was played over six individual heats, with teams taking it in terms to compete (the first round of heats took place after Games 1, 2 and 3, with the second round heats following Games 6, 7 and 8). The game involved one male and one female competitor from each team. One man and one girl from the team playing had to stand on discs, throwing footballs through a large hoop onto a net stretched over the pool. One man from the opposing team was positioned on a float underneath the net and had to try to knock out the footballs. If he fell off the float into a pool, a girl from his team would replace him. The team with the greater number of balls in the net in the time allowed across the two heats would be victorious in the Marathon.

Game 9 - Coin Caper

The ninth and final game - 'Coin Caper' - was played over a single heat by all three teams, with one male and one female competitor from each team participating. One man in a Tweedle costume was loaded with large coins by a girl. He had to walk down the course, negotiating obstacles in his path. If a coin fell off, the girl had to reload it. The team which is first to finish, still carrying all coins, will be declared the winner.

Reserve Game - Hop to Swop

The reserve game - 'Hop to Swop' - would have been played in unison and involved two competitors from each team (one male, one female) - but was not needed in this Domestic Heat. One man in a sack had to hop from the start line to a girl who was stood on a disc. He then had to climb out of the sack, and let the girl take his place, climbing into the sack and hopping back over the line. The quickest team to complete the course would win the game.

Additional Information

The recording of the It's A Knockout domestic series would take a break for one week after this competition to allow for the staging of the 1977 It's A Cup Final Knockout at South Liverpool F.C., Holly Park in Liverpool.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 6

Event Staged: Sunday 22nd May 1977
Venue: Westminster Lodge Arena, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 27th May 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Southend-on-Sea v. St. Albans v. Wandsworth

Team Members included:
St. Albans - Howard Darbon (Team Manager), Mike Taylor (Team Coach), Wally Pullum (Weight Training Coach), Tony Smith (Team Captain), Brian Barfoot, Jo Bentley, Andy Harris, Mick Luckhurst, Steve Mizsei, Judi Nardi, Ann Parmenter, Kevin Pickering, Janet Sawyer, Bill Whittlesea, Stuart West; Other Squad Members: Nichola Cooke, Tessa Flaherty, Mandy Jones, Helen Martin, William McKenna, Ashley Wood;
Southend-on-Sea - Peter Bailey, Mike Davison, Lois Gill, Andrew Lagden, Irene Millington, Debbie Newton, Leonard Todge, Alistair West, Martin Wilcox;
Wandsworth - Ray Brown (Team Manager), Chris Kilby (Co-Team Coach), Simon Holmes (Co-Team Coach), Brian Anderson, Nola Audway, Elaine Gant, Diane Ireland, Mark Pink, Jim Preston.

Games included: The Sack Race (Tie-breaker).

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd

 S • Southend-on-Sea ● ●
 STA • St. Albans
 W • Wandsworth

25 (28)
25 (27)
24

Southend-on-Sea qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Antwerpen, Belgium:
staged on Wednesday 10th August 1977

The Host Town

St Albans, Hertfordshire

Image © Alys Hayes, 2020

The Venue

Westminster Lodge Sports Arena

The venue for this heat was used again as the location for the 1979 British International Heat. It was also used for the final (recorded) domestic heat and for the British Championship, when Channel 5 resurrected the show in 1999.

In 1877, following a public petition, Queen Victoria granted city status to the borough and Cathedral status to the former Abbey Church. The new diocese was established in the same year, in the main from parts of the large Diocese of Rochester. Therefore, when It's A Knockout visited in 1977, St. Albans was celebrating its centenary year as a Cathedral City.

Team Selection and Training

As was the norm for all teams due to compete in It's A Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontières, the teams in this heat had been through several months of training and preparation.

The St Albans preparations began with a call for locals to apply to become a part of the squad, resulting in "a vast number of people" turning up for selection. The 30-strong squad was selected from applicants living, working or belonging to sports clubs in the district, and once they had begun training, the team manager, the council's sports officer Howard Darbon, professed that, "I get tired out just watching them!"

The many sports facilities in the district were well-used in the build up to the event on 22nd May 1975, not only by the squad but also by the team's cheerleaders. The squad were put through their paces by team coach Mike Taylor and Wally Pullum (weight training) of Verlea Athletic Club, with gymnasia at St. Albans College and Birklands College being used for training sessions.

Meanwhile, the Southend-on-Sea team selected a squad of 27 - aged between 16 and 34 - after a series of "gruelling tests", which were, "Worse than joining the Foreign Legion," as one hopeful stated.

The third team, from the London Borough of Wandsworth, was formed after the opportunity was given to anyone over 16, living, working or studying in the Borough, to be considered as a candidate for the team. The response was enormous and eventually 115 would-be team members attended strenuous training sessions, designed to eliminate the weakest and leave Wandsworth with a strong, capable team.

Returning Teams and Competitors

Tony Smith ran and captained the St. Albans side this year and in 1979. He also ran the BBC Demo Team for the 1977 Jeux Sans Frontières event at Windsor. Tony also played for Stevenage in 1978 and assisted the Hertsmere and Welwyn Garden teams in, respectively, the 1980 and 1981 seasons. Tony's long association with the series hit new heights in 1999 when he was employed by Ronin Entertainment as Course Referee on the Channel 5 It's A Knockout in 1999 and 2000.

St Albans team member Mick Luckhurst was a pupil of St Columba's College, St. Albans, and was taught by team captain Tony Smith, who was a PE teacher at the college. Luckhurst later become a famous kicker for the Atlanta Falcons, for whom he played in seven NFL seasons. When British broadcaster Channel 4 transmitted NFL games, Mick was employed by them as a presenter.

St Albans team member Steve Mizsei had previously represented Luton in the 1972 domestic and international competitions. Steve, along with Judi Nardi, would go on to compete for Stevenage in 1978 and return for St. Albans in 1979. The pair are pictured, left, winning one of the games in this Domestic Heat for the St. Albans team on the Westminster Lodge turf. Fellow St. Albans team member Stuart West would go on to represent Welwyn Garden City in 1981.

Additional Information

At the end of normal competition, St Albans and Southend-on-Sea were tied at 25 points each. A tie-break game - a sack race - was staged, in which St Albans squandered a flying start and Southend-on-Sea came through to win. The scoreboard at the end showed Southend with 28 points and St. Albans 27. St Albans team member Judi Nardi was involved in three consecutive 'sack race' tie breakers. In this heat, she and Kevin Pickering lost out to Southend; for Stevenage in 1978, Judy and Steve Mizsei won against Hemel Hempstead and later that year, she and Steve lost a tie breaker to Sandwell in the Championship Knockout.

The souvenir programme issued to audience members at the Westminster Lodge venue included a wildly inaccurate claim suggesting that Wandsworth was the first London Borough ever to take part in the It's A Knockout Domestic Series. Long memories were obviously not in abundance in either the Wandsworth team or at the BBC, who no doubt provided this gem of information, as Merton and Richmond-upon-Thames, also London Boroughs, had both taken part in the series in 1968.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1977

Heat 7

Event Staged: Sunday 29th May 1977 from 3.30pm
Venue: Crawley Sports Centre, Crawley, West Sussex, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 3rd June 1977, 8.00-9.00pm

Teams: Crawley v. Dartford v. Maidstone

Team Members included:
Crawley (Full Squad) - Ron Brooks (Co-Team Manager), Jack Chapman (Co-Team Manager), Lee Creasey (Team Coach), Margaret Salter (Women's Team Coach), Aideen Brooks, Malcolm Calloway, Nick Cannon, John Cave, David Clifton, Shirley Cook, Lesley Davison, Jackie Dawson, Kathleen Howells, Barry Hyslop, Penelope Lewis, Paul Norris, Roger Pitts, Ian Prebble, Patricia Quinlan, Anthony Rea, Paul Roberts, Ann Rye, Margaret Salter, David Smith, Martin Smith, Simon Taylor, Simon Tubb, Maurice Ward, Jeffrey Young;
Dartford - John Dyer (Team Manager), Len Morris (Team Coach), John Beckford, Graham Colman, Edward Day, Michael Dyer, Tracey Hoile, Anthony Howatt, Pat Larmour, Valerie Nicholls, Christine Torsey, Janet Young;
Maidstone - Cllr. Peter Robinson (Team Manager).

Games (Official Titles): What a Waddle, All Balloons, Barrow Balance, Table Manners, A La Cart, Flipping a Ball, Tight Squeeze, A Little Potty, A Giant Race;
Marathon: Nimble Footwork;
Reserve Game: Hop to Swop

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd

 C • Crawley ● ●
 D • Dartford
 M • Maidstone

27
24
22

Crawley qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Doetinchem, Netherlands:
staged on Wednesday 24th August 1977

Additional Information

At the end of the competition, British World Champion boxer, Alan Minter presented the winning team, Crawley with the trophy. Crawley's team mascot was a large kangaroo which had Alan Minter’s boxing glove attached to the end of its tail.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Championship Knockout 1977

Domestic Final

Event Staged: Sunday 19th June 1977
Venue: Arena North, Park Hall, Charnock Richard, Lancashire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 Wales (CYM): Sunday 4th September 1977, 1.55-3.10pm

BBC1 (GB exc. Wales): Wednesday 7th September 1977, 6.50-8.05pm

Guest Stars: Entertainer Frankie Vaughan and his son, Andrew

Theme: Domestic Re-run

Teams: Beverley v. Crawley v. Cwmbran v. Macclesfield v. Oldham v. Southend-on-Sea v. Windsor and Maidenhead

Team Members included:
Beverley - Dave Gibson (Team Captain), Debra Windass;
Crawley - Jackie Dawson, Margaret Salter, Simon Taylor;
Cwmbran - Geoff Whiston (Team Manager / Team Captain), Susan Brimble (Women's Team Captain), David Ball, Julie Barrett, Alan Chorlton, Peter Davies, Amanda Ellis, Michael Gould, Jan Jenner, Caron Jones, Paula Middle, John Price, Philip Ramsey, David Smith, Alan Tinsley, Keith Wells, Alan Wilmott;
Macclesfield - Alec Collins (Team Manager), Steve Midgelow (Co-Team Coach), Steve Smith (Co-Team Coach), Keith Goalen (Co-Team Coach), Robbie Brightwell (Team Advisor), Elaine Banner, Ann Birtwistle, Ian Booth, Richard Collins, Jen Culshaw, Julie Cunningham, Jennifer Goodwin, Alison Hague, Monica Hanson, Beverley Nolan, Dianne Perrit, Niki Seddon, Shirley Willdig;
Oldham (Full Squad) - Derek Smallwood (Team Manager), Dorothy Emerson (Women's Team Manager), Tom Hill (Assistant Team Coach), Diane Cook (Assistant Team Coach), Stephen Andrews, Sheila Antrobus, Lynne Bowden, Johnathon Boyce, Michael Cannon, Frank Collinson, Carol Driver, Nadia Duda, Tony Edwards, Don Errock, Eric Fitzsimmons, Barry Gordon, Karen Halliwell, Ian Hamilton, Warren Hilton, Syd Jolley, Steve Kenney, Alex Kerrigan, Ruth Lawson, Michael Maloney, Nicholas Marrington, Mark McLoughlin, Tony Nanyn, Fiona Nicholl, Brian Parkinson, Christine Silk, Bob Tait, Alison Turner, Jane Welton;
Southend-on-Sea - Peter Bailey, Mike Davison, Lois Gill, Andrew Lagden, Irene Millington, Debbie Newton, Leonard Todge, Alistair West, Martin Wilcox;
Windsor and Maidenhead - Mike Revill (Team Captain), Anne Divall (Women's Team Captain), Dave Barlow, Roger Bowden, Debbie Cronshaw, Jackie Eaton, Jane Finlan, Michelle Greene, Tony Greene, Emma James, Barry Mason, Chris Morrell, John Mumford, Jo Oakley, Jean-Pierre Poissonet, John Randell, Nigel Smith, Suk Sohal, Christine Sturrock and Mike Wakefield.

Games: Catching the Pollen, Crossing the Pool, Barrel Roll, Jumping the Gap, Balancing the Glasses, Ski Race, Collecting Footballs and The Golden Eggs;
Marathon: Picking the Cherries.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th

 M • Macclesfield ● ●
 B • Beverley
 O • Oldham
 C • Crawley
 W • Windsor and Maidenhead
 CW • Cwmbran
 S • Southend-on-Sea

46
37
36
35
32
28
25

The Windsor and Maidenhead score was shown incorrectly as 31pts
in the programme and should be 32pts

Made in Colour • This programme exists in the BBC Archives

JSFnetGB Series Guide pages researched by
Neil Storer and Alan Hayes
with Ischa Bijl, Julien Dessy, Sébastien Dias, David Hamilton, Denis Kirsanov, Paul Leaver, Philippe Minet,
Christos Moustakas, David Laich Ruiz, Marko Voštan and JSFnet Websites