History Series / FamilyFortunes

* TheAnnouncer: Andrew Lodge (1980-87), Stephen Rhodes (1987-99), Peter Dickson (2000-01/2006-2015), and Roger Tilling (2002).

* PopCulturalOsmosisFailure: Happened with the question "Name something associated with ''Series/TheXFiles''." It just so happened that neither contestant facing off was familiar with the series, and the contestant who did buzz in offered the answer "[[CaptainObvious Television]]."

* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: "Name a way you would toast someone." The buzz-in response given was [[FromACertainPointOfView "Over a fire."]] Les promised to give the contestant the money out of his own pocket if it was up there. It ''was'' (though it came up "Grill" and was worth 12), and he promised to pay her £12.

** If a contestant gave a particularly stupid answer, Les Dennis would sometimes say "If that answer's there, I'll give you the money meself!" Humorously, this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9zZR0fHI&t=1m16s backfired]] at least twice (one for “a way of toasting someone” and “something that dogs do that you wish you could”.) [[note]] Reportedly, after his catchphrase backfired with the dogs question, he stopped saying this phrase for unknown reasons. [[/note]]

It was originally presented by Bob Monkhouse from 1980-83, when Max Bygraves took over. After taking a hiatus in 1986, the show returned in June 1987 and gained its most famous host, Les Dennis, who would host until it ended in 2002. Andy Collins hosted a short-lived daytime version in 2002 as well, whilst Vernon Kay hosted the CelebrityEdition between 2006 and 2015. The civilian version was revived in 2020 (although beginning with some celebrity shows because of COVID-19), this time with Gino D'Acampo hosting.

* GameShowHost: Bob Monkhouse, Max Bygraves, Les Dennis, Andy Collins, Vernon Kay, Gino D'Acampo.

* TwoDecadesBehind: Mr. Babbage remained in use until 2002 (save for one series in 1987), long after other game shows (including the American ''Family Feud'') had switched to digital game boards. The show finally started using a video wall for its board in 2006.

* NoBudget: The show began this transition in 2000 once the “Egg” graphics were replaced due to lower than usual viewership, but it didn’t get really low until Andy Collins took over as host in 2002 - the show was transitioned from its usual weekly weekend slot to a daily teatime slot, which meant the grand prize was reduced, the set was recycled from the 2000-2001 series instead of keeping the 2001-2002 era set, there was no proper audience; instead using canned noises, and questions in all rounds were recycled from Les' era, to the point even whole Big Money games were recycled.

** In 1991, the two teams consisted of younger stars (nicknamed the "Up-Starts", playing for children's charities) and older stars (nicknamed the "Push-Starts", playing for charities that supported older people). The contestants wore their own clothing this time round other than the addition of a few of them wearing novelty Christmas hats. Les wore a Christmas Jumper this time round. The Big Money round ends up being a dampen to the whole game, as the [[spoiler: Up-Starts]] fail to reach 200 points, only reaching £687 for the team. [[spoiler: That is until the Push-Starts team leader, Gordon Kaye surprises Les with a double Big Money gamble, where Les HIMSELF plays the game. If he gets 100 points, the normal £3,000 that would have been won would be doubled to £6,000 for all the charities.]] [[spoiler: Les manages to reach 103 points with his final answer, ending up with £6,000 for the four charities, ending the episode on a high note.]]
** In 1993, cast members of Emmerdale took on real farmers (nicknaming themselves the "Binding Farmers"). The contestants wore mostly formal attire, while Les wore a more formal suit with a bow tie.
** For the Vermon Kay All-Star series, these ones normally put cast members of two television shows against each other.
* ClipShow: "Family ''Mis''fortunes"

* PopCultureIsolation: An in-universe example happened with the question "Name something associated with ''Series/TheXFiles''." It just so happened that neither contestant facing off was familiar with the series, and the contestant who did buzz in offered the answer "[[CaptainObvious Television]]."

** If a contestant gave a particularly stupid answer, Les Dennis would sometimes say "If that answer's there, I'll give you the money meself!" Humorously, this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9zZR0fHI&t=1m16s backfired]] at least twice (one for “a way of toasting someone” and “something that dogs do that you wish you could”.) [[note]] Reportedly, after his catchphrase backfired twice with the dogs question, he stopped saying this phrase for unknown reasons. [[/note]]

** If a contestant gave a particularly stupid answer, Les Dennis would sometimes say "If that answer's there, I'll give you the money meself!" Humorously, this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9zZR0fHI&t=1m16s backfired]] at least twice (one for “a way of toasting someone” and “something that dogs do that you wish you could”.)

** If a contestant gave a particularly stupid answer, Les Dennis would sometimes say "If that answer's there, I'll give you the money meself!" Humorously, this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9zZR0fHI&t=1m16s backfired]] at least twice (one for “a way of toasting someone” and “something that dogs do that you wish you would”.)

** If a contestant gave a particularly stupid answer, Les Dennis would sometimes say "If that answer's there, I'll give you the money meself!" Humorously, this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9zZR0fHI&t=1m16s backfired]] at least once.

* ChristmasEpisode: The series has seen a few number of Christmas specials throughout it's life. For the Les Dennis series, the contestants were [[CelebrityEdition celebrities playing for charity]].

* EpicFail: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdwOyT9Erso This]] poor contestant gave answers to all five questions in the fast money round for '''zero points a piece'''.

It was originally presented by Bob Monkhouse from 1980-83, when Max Bygraves took over. After taking a hiatus in 1986, the show returned in June 1987 and gained its most famous host, Les Dennis, who would host until it ended in 2002. Andy Collins hosted a short-lived daytime version in 2002 as well, whilst Vernon Kay hosted the CelebrityEdition between 2006 and 2015. The civilian version was revived in 2020, this time with Gino D'Acampo hosting.

* DifficultyByRegion: In some versions, in order to win the top prize in Fast Money, not only do the two players have to collectively score at least 200 points, they need to also get all of the top answers.

!!GameShowTropes in use:

* LosingHorns: The distinctive "EHH-''URHH!''" sound when a wrong answer is given, which has achieved MemeticMutation in the UK and is often imitated when someone makes an EpicFail in a conversation. [[invoked]]

* Personnel:
** TheAnnouncer: Andrew Lodge (1980-87), Stephen Rhodes (1987-99), Peter Dickson (2000-01/2006-2015), and Roger Tilling (2002).
** GameShowHost: Bob Monkhouse, Max Bygraves, Les Dennis, Andy Collins, Vernon Kay, Gino D'Acampo.
** StudioAudience: Surveyed for the questions.

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!!This show provides examples of:
* BigHonkingTrafficJam: If the Car was won by a family, Horn sounds are played, which are timed to the Big Money winning tune.
* CatchPhrase:
** "(Our) survey said", as in the American version.
** If a contestant gave a particularly stupid answer, Les Dennis would sometimes say "If that answer's there, I'll give you the money meself!" Humorously, this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9zZR0fHI&t=1m16s backfired]] at least once.
** During Max Bygraves' run: "Biiiiiiig moneeeeeeeeey!"
* ChristmasEpisode: The series has seen a few number of Christmas specials throughout it's life. For the Les Dennis series, the contestants were [[CelebrityEdition celebrities playing for charity]].
** In 1989 and 1990, the celebrities were dressed as [[{{Pantomime}} Panto]] characters, with Les Dennis himself as [[Literature/{{Cinderella}} Buttons]].
** In 1991, the two teams consisted of younger stars (nicknamed the "Up-Starts", playing for children's charities) and older stars (nicknamed the "Push-Starts", playing for charities that supported older people). The contestants wore their own clothing this time round other than the addition of a few of them wearing novelty Christmas hats. Les wore a Christmas Jumper this time round. The Big Money round ends up being a dampen to the whole game, as the [[spoiler: Up-Starts]] fail to reach 200 points, only reaching £687 for the team. [[spoiler: That is until the Push-Starts team leader, Gordon Kaye surprises Les with a double Big Money gamble, where Les HIMSELF plays the game. If he gets 100 points, the normal £3,000 that would have been won would be doubled to £6,000 for all the charities.]] [[spoiler: Les manages to reach 103 points with his final answer, ending up with £6,000 for the four charities, ending the episode on a high note.]]
** In 1993, cast members of Emmerdale took on real farmers (nicknaming themselves the "Binding Farmers"). The contestants wore mostly formal attire, while Les wore a more formal suit with a bow tie.
** For the Vermon Kay All-Star series, these ones normally put cast members of two television shows against each other.
* ClipShow: "Family ''Mis''fortunes"
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: The "Turkey" Man.
* CompanionCube: The computer that ran the show's electronic board was named Mr. Babbage. It was replaced with a more traditional scoreboard when Les Dennis took over, but quickly reverted to Mr. Babbage the next series.
* DeadpanSnarker: Les Dennis, though Monkhouse and Bygraves also had their moments.
* DifficultyByRegion: In some versions, in order to win the top prize in Fast Money, not only do the two players have to collectively score at least 200 points, they need to also get all of the top answers.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Strikes were originally called "ducks" in this version, before turning into the more familiar "lives lost".
* EpicFail: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdwOyT9Erso This]] poor contestant gave answers to all five questions in the fast money round for '''zero points a piece'''.
* ForeignRemake: One of the more notable instances.
* HiMom: On one episode, Monkhouse asks one of the game board operators to display a message on Mr. Babbage. The board flashes "HELLO MUM!"
* PopCultureIsolation: An in-universe example happened with the question "Name something associated with ''Series/TheXFiles''." It just so happened that neither contestant facing off was familiar with the series, and the contestant who did buzz in offered the answer "[[CaptainObvious Television]]."
* ProductPlacement: Of an odd sense - whilst Max Bygraves hosted the series, if either of the two families won a music center or record player via one of the spot prizes, he'd give that family a copy of his latest album as a bonus.
* RearrangeTheSong: The theme song used since Les Dennis' first series in 1987 has had several rearrangements over the years including 1993, 2000, 2006 (the most dramatic change) and 2020 (which is pretty much a recreated version of the 1993 theme).

* BonusRound: "Big Money", played identically to the ''Feud'''s Fast Money round, but with one addition: any family that claimed all five #1 answers won a car. Reaching 200 points wins the top cash prize; anything less won £2 a point.