Richard Osman has revealed how gameshows prevent contestants from winning big money to keep costs down.
The 54 year old has been the face of a number of programmes including the likes of BBC‘s Pointless, Richard Osman’s House Of Games and Two Tribes.
During an appearance on Marina Hyde’s The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, the host gave an insight into why players going home with a big lump sum of cash doesn’t happen all the time.
Richard said: ‘The questions wouldn’t be weighted particularly in that way.
‘But lots of formats have ways of ensuring there isn’t a payout.
‘So, you’ll do like a final round where you could win or you couldn’t win the jackpot.’
Richard Osman (pictured) has revealed how gameshows STOP contestants from winning big money – and the truth behind your favorite quiz shows
The 54-year-old has been the face of a number of programmes including the likes of BBC’s Pointless, Richard Osman’s House of Games and Two Tribes
One huge gameshow is Pointless, which has been on our screens since 2009.
There has been 1779 episodes across 33 series, which have been hosted by Richard and Alexander Armstrong, 55.
BBC iPlayers synopsis reads: ‘Quiz in which contestants try to score as few points as possible by plumbing the depths of their general knowledge to come up with the answers no-one else can think of.’
And he revealed that players getting their hands on the cash prize all depends on budgets.
Richard added: ‘You always have an algorithm.
‘Daytime budgets are very small, but in your budget will be a line item for prize money.
‘So, when we used to make Deal or No Deal, for example ― and it’s a good example, because it’s all about money ― you’ve got that £250,000 box all the way down to the 1p box.’
He explained on the podcast Pointless is able to prize £16,500 per day – which means that if one person hits the jackpot, others will suffer from that.
Pointless has been on our screens since 2009 and there has been 1779 episodes across 33 series, which have been hosted by Richard and Alexander Armstrong, 55 (pictured)
The telly star has presented a number of other shows over the years.
Some include Have I Got News For You, The One Show, Insert Name Here, Child Genius, The Nightly Show and The Thursday Murder Club.
But Richard has also landed various other non-presenting appearances.
He’s taken part in QI, Room 101, Celebrity Juice, 8 out of 10 Cats, Loose Women, Saturday Kitchen, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and Saturday Kitchen.
Not only that, Richard has also produced a lot of gameshows.
These include programmes such as Pointless, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Total Wipeout, Prize Island, Only Connect, Have You Been Watching and 10 O’Clock Live.
