Game shows had their renaissance during the 1980s with several of the UK's most iconic shows first airing. The decade was home to the likes of Blind Date, Treasure Hunt and Play Your Cards Right.
Several of the shows have undergone various revamps with separate hosts, but it can still be difficult to capture that original 80s magic.
One of the hardest pieces of magic to capture is the joy that the show's original host brought. It's impossible to think of Blind Date with anyone other than Cilla Black presenting it, while Anneka Rice and Kenneth Kendall proved to be an incredible duo on Treasure Hunt.
But what happened to these stars? Read on for all you need to know…
© Alamy Stock PhotoCilla became iconic because of Blind Date
Cilla Black
While Cilla originally rose to fame as a singer in the 1960s, she reinvented her career in the 1980s by becoming a presenter on light entertainment shows. The biggest of these was Blind Date, which saw contestants find their perfect match through a series of questions.
Cilla remained on the show until she quit live on-air in a special episode in 2003. Cilla started to wind down following the conclusion of the show, although she recorded a pilot episode for Sky of a series to be called Loveland, where contestants would be hidden behind animated versions of themselves.
On 1 August 2015, Cilla suffered a stroke and sadly died at her Spanish holiday home. The star was 72 at the time of her death. Cliff Richard sang at her funeral, while close friend Paul O'Grady read her eulogy.
© Alamy Stock PhotoBefore Strictly, Bruce was the host of Play Your Cards Right
Bruce Forsyth
While many fans will remember Bruce for his time presenting Strictly Come Dancing, before he starred on the BBC's biggest hit, he hosted Play Your Cards Right on ITV. The show saw contestants guess how many surveyed people had given a certain answer before their opponent had to guess whether the actual number was higher or lower.
Although the show was cancelled and revived several times, one thing that remained constant was that the legendary entertainer was always at the helm, and he remained in place until the final episode aired in 2003.
Bruce spent most of the rest of his career on Strictly Come Dancing, until he stood away from the show at the end of its 2013 series. He was admitted to hospital following a fall in October 2015 and stopped making public appearances. The star died at the age of 89 on 18 August 2017 after contracting bronchial pneumonia.
© Alamy Stock PhotoJim hosted Bullseye when it first aired
Jim Bowen
Now hosted by Freddie Flintoff, darts match and quiz show Bullseye is still on air. When it first aired back in 1981, it was hosted by comedian and actor Jim Bowen. The star was responsible for some of the show's biggest catchphrases, including "look at what you could have won" and "BFH: bus fare home".
Jim stepped away from the show in 1995 and had a successful radio career. He started on BBC Radio Lancashire, before resigning in 2002 after using a racial slur, before presenting a show on Indigo FM.
Jim died at the age of 80 on 14 March 2018.
© Getty ImagesOur surcey said!
Bob Monkhouse
Family Fortunes has been through several iterations since it first aired in 1980. While it's been presented by the likes of Les Dennis, Gino D'Acampo and Max Bygraves, the show's original host was comedian Bob Monkhouse.
The comedian, known for his witty one-liners also presented a slew of other gameshows during his life, including Opportunity Knocks and Celebrity Squares. Bob left the show in 1983, and continued to have an incredible career, including hosting Wipeout and his own talk-show, The Bob Monkhouse Show.
Bob died at the age of 75 on 29 December 2003 following a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The star posthumously appeared in a 2007 advert for Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of the illness. The ad was created using computer animation techniques and a sound-alike actor.
© TV Times via Getty ImagesKenneth and Anneka were a formidable pair on Treasure Hunt
Kenneth Kendall and Anneka Rice
Treasure Hunt was an exciting show that debuted in 1982 and featured contestants attempting to follow a set of clues to discover hidden treasure. While the show was presented by Kenneth Kendall, its breakout star was Anneka Rice as the "skyrunner" who would travel to various locations via a helicopter.
While Kenneth had an incredible broadcasting career before Treasure Hunt, he stepped away from the public eye. He died at the age of 88 on 14 December 2012.
Meanwhile, Anneka has hosted several shows since the success of Treasure Hunt, including Holiday, Combat, The Wright Stuff and Sunday Feast. In 2019, she competed on Strictly Come Dancing alongside Kevin Clifton, although the pair were the second couple to be eliminated.
Since 2023, she has hosted a revival of Challenge Anneka, which sees the TV star attempt to complete a complex task in just a few days.
© Alamy Stock PhotoBob starred in quiz show Blockbusters
Bob Holness
Bob was the original face of Blockbusters, which saw contestants attempt to move from one side of a board to the other while answering general knowledge questions.
Although the show would prove to be Bob's biggest hit, the star also presented on the likes of Raise the Roof and Call My Bluff, as well as having his own radio shows. The star sadly died at the age of 83 on 6 January 2012.
© Getty ImagesRoy captured the hearts of the public on Catchphrase
Roy Walker
While Catchphrase still continues to air, the show was pioneered by comedian Roy Walker, who hosted the show between 1986 and 1999.
Roy continues to work, appearing as a guest on several popular shows during the 1990s, like Light Lunch and Gagtag. In 2008, he presented the radio series The Way We Tell 'Em, and he also joined the cast of The Real Marigold Hotel in 2016.
The star is a father to three children, including TV presenter Mark and actress Josie Walker.
