Cluedo is a British game show based on the board game of the same name. Each week, a reenactment of the murder at the stately home Arlington Grange of a visiting guest was played and, through a combination of interrogating the suspects (of whom only the murderer could lie) and deduction, celebrity guests had to discover who committed the murder, which of six weapons (not usually the original six from the board game) and in which room it was committed, whilst viewers were invited to play along at home.
Format[]
Each episode starts with the host introducing the six possible weapons that change with each episode, and the same suspects and rooms. Then a ten-minute prerecorded scenario plays out which culminates in the murder of a guest at Arlington Grange. This is followed by the studio sleuths cross-examining the characters to uncover further information. When one team succeeds, a spotlight shines on the culprit as they explain how and why they committed the crime. Obviously, despite the episode ending with one of the suspects confessing to murder, all six would return in the next episode as if nothing had happened.
Cast and characters[]
The following are the recurring suspects of each episode of Cluedo:
- Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock: Wealthy society hostess and the owner of the Grange, which she inherited from her second late husband.
- Colonel Mike Mustard: A dashing ex-officer of the Special Air Forces and has an intimae relationship with both Mrs. Peacock and her step-daughter Miss Scarlett.
- Reverend Jonathan Green: The pastor of the parish, who relies on Mrs. Peacock's generosity.
- Professor Peter Plum: Nuclear physicist that is involved with the British government.
- Miss Vivienne Scarlett: The beautiful and scandalous step-daughter of Mrs. Peacock, who has a series of relationships with various men, including Colonel Mustard.
- Mrs. Blanche White: The royal housekeeper of the Grange, who has been with Mrs. Peacock for over twenty-five years.
| Character | Series 1 (1990) | Christmas Special (1990) | Series 2 (1991) | Series 3 (1992) | Series 4 (1993) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock | Stephanie Beacham | Kate O'Mara | Rula Lenska | Susan George | Joanna Lumley |
| Colonel Mike Mustard | Robin Ellis | David Robb | Michael Jayston | Lewis Collins | Leslie Grantham |
| Reverend Jonathan Green | Robin Nedwell | Derek Nimmo | Richard Wilson | Christopher Biggins | Nicholas Parsons |
| Professor Peter Plum | Kristoffer Tabori | Ian Lavender | David McCallum | Tom Baker | John Bird |
| Miss Vivienne Scarlett | Tracy Louise Ward | Toyah Wilcox | Koo Stark | Lysette Anthony | Jerry Hall |
| Mrs. Blanche White | June Whitfield | Joan Sims | Mollie Sugden | Pam Ferris | Liz Smith |
NOTE: In the first series, the character of Mrs. White's husband, Mr. White (played by Graham Rigby) was present in the episodes. In series afterwards, Mr. White would be only mentioned in pasting, as he passed away.
The Host[]
Cluedo has been hosted by the following:
- Writer James Bellini presented Cluedo for was the host for Series 1 and the Christmas special.
- Broadcaster and TV personality Chris Tarrant was the host for Series 2. On his stint as host, Tarrant was later quoted as saying "I absolutely hated hosting Cluedo, it's the worst thing I've ever done. It took forever to make the thing. We used to have to turn the studio audience over just to make sure they didn't get any bed sores."
- Journalist and television presenter Richard Madeley hosted both Series 3 and Series 4. He was also a contestant in Series 2, with his wife Judy Finnigan.
Episodes[]
Main Article: List of Cluedo (British game show) episodes
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 July 1990 | 29 August 1990 | 6 |
| 2 | 24 April 1991 | 5 June 1991 | 6 |
| 3 | 4 May 1992 | 8 June 1992 | 6 |
| 4 | 19 April 1993 | 24 May 1993 | 6 |
Specials[]
| Date | Entitle |
|---|---|
| 26 December 1990 | Christmas Special |
International versions[]
The gameshow was imported in various countries, most notably to Australia where it ran for two seasons (1992-3). Encyclopedia of Television suggests the Australian version came into development as part of a strategy by production company Crawfords to diversify into co-productions with overseas properties - in this case, the British game show.
Il delitto è servito (Italian game show)[]
The Italian version of Cluedo was called Il delitto è servito (The crime is served) and ran from 1992 to 1993 on Canale 5 and Rete 4. It was hosted by Maurizio Micheli, who also conceived of the Italian adaption. directed by Paolo Zenatello, produced by Nanni Mandelli, cinematographer Andriano Bernacchi. The show was Micheli's debut as a presenter. Each episode saw a crime committed at the six-room Villa dei Castagni. It was by Italiana Produzioni and Mediaset networks. Prior to directing the show, Zenatello had director other television game shows for Fininvest including Caccia al tesoro (Treasure Hunt). Maurizio Micheli commented, "strange to say, it's a smart quiz."
The show was first broadcast on Friday evenings, and later on Saturdays. It was cancelled in February 1993 due to poor ratings.
Cluedo – Das Mörderspiel[]
The German version called Cluedo – Das Mörderspiel lasted for one season in 1993. The series is set in Schloss Leonberg (Castle Leonberg), while the gameplay is based on Australia's instead of Britain's, where the audience interviews the suspects instead of celebrity teams, and are playing for a holiday if they solve the case. Later in the scenario, after the murder has occurred, the Inspector (Hauptkommissar Rolf Taller) appears to investigate the murder, thereby revealing more information. Each episode is 50 minutes long.
Cluedo (French game show)[]
The French version ran for two seasons (1994-5). The cast consisted of Bernard Menez as Doctor Olive (Docteur Olive), Andréa Ferréol as Mrs Periwinkle (Madame Pervenche), André Pousse as Colonel Mustard (Colonel Moutarde), Marie-Pierre Casey as Mrs White (Madame Leblanc), David Brécourt as Professor Purple (Professeur Violet), and Carole Fantony as Miss Pink (Mademoiselle Rose).
The hosts were Christian Morin (Season 1) and Marie-Ange Nardi (Season 2).
There was an inspector character, Inspecteur La Truffe (played by Maurice Risch), who interacted with the audience and the contestants.
Unlike its other counterparts, the French series is set in a hotel, and most of the characters depictions from the other shows are changed. Mme. Pervenche is the owner and manager of the hotel; Mlle. Rose is the receptionist; Mme. Leblanc is the housekeeper and cook; Doctor Olive is a physician with political ambitions; Colonel Moutarde is a retired veteran and a resident of the hotel; and Prof. Violet is a young archaeologist.
Cluedo (Portuguese game show)[]
The Portuguese version lasted for one season in 1995.
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The Swedish version entitled Cluedo – en mordgåta lasted for one season in 1996. The murders occurred at the Döinge hus (Dead House), while the storylines were written by Hans Alfredson and Rickard Bergquist. Similar to the Australian series, Criminal Inspector Bert appears in the prerecorded footage to help provide further evidence. The audience tried to guess the correct solution and played for a trip for two to England.
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