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The new Crystal Maze on Channel 4 was a ridiculously enjoyable hour of nostalgia and giggles, all in the name of charity.
Stephen Merchant welcomed five celebs into the classic game show to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer, and it’s certainly going down as one of 2016’s TV highlights.
1) Josh Widdicombe shall henceforth be known as Puzzle Boy
Now here’s a revelation: Josh Widdicombe’s first job was writing puzzles and poems for Dora The
Explorer magazine. What a time to be alive.
One of the highlights of the episode was his proficiency at the brain-teasing tasks – and increasing embarrassment at constantly being called Puzzle Boy. Sorry Josh, but that’s going to stick with you forever now.
2) Stephen Merchant Crystal Maze went down a storm and he should host a game show…
…ideally the actual Crystal Maze, of course. The comedian proved a brilliantly game frontman for the show, showing a clear love for the original while poking fun at everything and everyone.
Rather than doing an impression of Richard O’Brien (shaved head aside – no, that wasn’t a bald cap), he channelled his own comedy energy and it worked perfectly.
3) Michelle Keegan wasn’t born for game shows
She might have been great in the latest series of Our Girl, but Michelle Keegan wasn’t the best contestant when it came to her tasks in The Crystal Maze – getting particularly tangled up in the Aztec zone.
Still, at least she didn’t get locked in like half of the contestants back in the day, which always inevitably led to you yelling ‘get out!’ from the comfort of your sofa.
4) The Crystal Maze game in London looks amazing
The special episode was filmed in the real-life Crystal Maze game near King’s Cross – and though it’s not cheap to sign up, the broadcast showed off how well it’s been put together. If you’re interested in having a go, have a look at the website here.
5) The show should definitely make a full-time comeback
Look, if Robot Wars can make a fully-fledged return, so can The Crystal Maze.
The special episode wasn’t just entertaining because of nostalgia - it was a genuinely fun hour of television.
This sort of game show never really gets made anymore, and in a dark, dark year we could do with this kind of daftness back on our screens. Make it happen please, Channel 4.
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