TV Game Shows That Deserve a Comeback
Last updated: August 11, 2025
We’ve all shouted at the telly during Millionaire or wished we could sprint through The Crystal Maze in a boiler suit. Some shows just had that perfect blend of tension, trivia, and total chaos - and frankly, we wouldn’t mind seeing them back on our screens.
Somewhere between tea time and The One Show, the golden age of British game shows quietly slipped into the past. The flashing lights, the daft catchphrases, the general air of mild panic - iconic. But while some formats have limped along in reboot form, others are gathering dust in a vault somewhere next to Robot Wars and Noel Edmonds' career highlights.
Here’s a look back at the ones that truly deserve another shot - or at the very least, a shout-out for services to evening telly.
1. The Crystal Maze
There was nothing quite like watching strangers panic in a pretend Aztec temple while Richard O’Brien played the harmonica. The zones made no real sense, the challenges were often unwinnable, and yet we couldn’t look away. It came back briefly in 2017, but the magic of the original still feels unbeaten. Bring it back, but don’t make it too polished. Half the fun was the shambolic charm.
2. Deal or No Deal
It’s just boxes. That’s the game. But somehow, Deal or No Deal managed to turn a warehouse of random numbers into absolute must-watch TV. Noel Edmonds whispering “I think the Banker’s playing games…” will live rent-free in our heads forever. It’s long overdue for a comeback - preferably without the spiritual undertones.
3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
The format is still around, but it’s never quite recaptured the national grip it had in the late ‘90s. The drama. The music. The tension of choosing “C” and praying your mate in the audience wasn’t bluffing. They could bring this back every decade and we’d still tune in like it’s the first time.
4. Golden Balls
Remember this fever dream? It was pure chaos disguised as a game show, ending in a gloriously petty showdown where people promised to split the winnings and then absolutely didn’t. The final round made The Weakest Link look like a team-building seminar. We’d love to see it back - mainly to watch more smug grins wiped clean.
5. The Weakest Link
Anne Robinson’s withering stare should be in a museum. The show was like a pop quiz held at the gates of hell, and we loved every minute. They brought it back with Romesh Ranganathan, but part of us misses the quiet brutality of the original. Nobody did humiliation quite like prime-time BBC Two.
Game shows gave us suspense, shouting at the screen, and the occasional feeling of superiority from the sofa. That mix of risk and reward still hits - whether you’re watching reruns or killing time between episodes. If you're after a bit of the same thrill, sites like Betpanda UK offer a different kind of game - but one that still leans on the same basic principle: make a call, hope you’re right, and enjoy the ride.
