Pointless

[Supermike]

It seems very strange to me that all of the contestants in Pointless clap themselves when the answer to their question is revealed. Isn't better to leave it to the audience to clap their answer? I wonder when this changed as it used to be bad manners to clap yourself, or am I getting too old?

[sddsddean]

I've always thought it odd to 'clap yourself' on a show. When I was on Pointless, I'd applaud other contestants and my brother (who was my game partner), but purposely didn't congratulate myself!

[brainiac]

My thoughts entirely. But it happens in other quiz shows, too. I was always taught that it's rude to clap oneself !

[Supermike]

Thanks to you both for your replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's not the done thing. I was begining to wonder if the contestants were told to clap themselves but from our big winner sddsddean it would seem not.

[lcg]

you're right....it is bad manners. you are never too old (or young) to have good manners x

[bednobs]

it's not bad manners - just "Britishness"

[NOX]

I would say it was bad manners- certainly something I taught my kids never to do if they were being publicly congratulated for something as it just looks big headed and weird.

[bednobs]

when i say it's britishness i mean that only in britain would people think it was weird or rude to be happy or proud at doing something right or well, or to give oneself a netaphorical pat on the back for being correct

[bednobs]

metaphorical

[cupid04]

perhaps it's nerves.

[Old_Geezer]

See ? Aren't we lucky to be British ?

[Iluvspikey]

Glad it's not just me! They clap for knowing their own names too! Pity that most of them are thick!

[sddsddean]

I don't think its so much bad manners or Britishness, but just odd. If you are sitting at home watching a quiz show and you get an answer right (especially if its a bit of a tricky one), surely most people just think ' great, glad I got that' and don't sit in the chair applauding themselves. I can't understand what the difference is to actually being on the show...and to cofirm Mike, no, you are not told to applaud yourself. Actually, I don't think we were given any real instructions. Heres a little insight for you though. You know how they say in round 1 and 2 'no confering'. Well, a few times they have a break in recording to check an answer or due to a technical problem or something. When this happens, at least one member of the production team goes to each pair to chat to them so they don't have the opportunity to confer or anything (though as they told us, they can hear everything we whisper on the mikes!).

[Supermike]

Thanks everyone for your imputs, especially sddsddean

[Svejk]

Dean, if you happen to look in again, could you tell me how many editions of the show are recorded in a day. Thank you.

[Svejk]

Also, how much, if any ,of the banter Alexander has with Richard/contestants is scripted?

[weecalf]

Id say it comes from the fact it concerns celebrities .There are two "faces" in the show so every thing they say or do has to be applauded .I ve been to some shows and we have been told to applaud everything that is ment to be funny or entertaining .So contestant would be told to clap like they were enjoying them selves .Entertainment is all about clapping and back slapping .just take a look as those awful awards shows I avoid

[FoxLee2]

A friend of ours has recently been on the programme and gave us a little insight. He got to the final but didn't win the £13,000 on offer. He said 4 shows are recorded in a day and that when there is one of those picture questions - naming actors in a soap or a group of the Royal Family, the contestants can go up to the picture to have a look before going back to their podium to answer. Oh, and that Zander and Richard are just as nice and friendly in reality as they come across on tv.

[sddsddean]

On our series (series 7) recorded Mar - Jul 2012, there were 3 shows a day. 1st at about 2.30, 2nd about 4.00, then they change the audience and do the last show about 7.00 (which means you only see one show if you are in the second audience). However, they intersperse the 'ordinary' shows with 'celebrity' ones, and the celebrity ones are always done in the evening, so you would see one show with famous (?) people.
As far as I could tell, the banter was off the cuff, but I could be wrong. Zander certainly has no notes, Richard has some (mostly about the answers) as his laptop is a prop and doesn't work! Some bits were cut out, normally when things get repeated. One odd thing was if Zander or Richard were doing a 'piece to camera' and they stumbled over a word or something, rather than saying cut or whatever, they would just carry straight on and it would get edited. So if Richard was going to say "The answer to number three is 14", it might come out like " Answer to 14 the answer to three the answer to number 3 is 15 the answer to number 3 is 14", which was abit odd when you first saw it.