The Night "Guinevere" Broke Down on The National Lottery

The National Lottery Live - 30/11/1996



Remember when the live National Lottery Draw was a hour-long extravaganza with the bells and whistles, before the 10 minute economy branded 2000s version? Mini-games, challenges and music acts all took place under the bright lights of "National Lottery". Wll here's a memorable segment presented by our old friend Bob Monkhouse, after much musings with the audience, and a "random" member of the audience to press the "button" to initiate the start of the balls...er, the rolling of the balls...er..when viewers at home will soon know if their numbers come up. Alan Dedicated, the "voice from above" announcer, is almost close to climaxing as the balls are about to get drawn...nothing happens! The lottery ajudicator looks at the back of the machine, because that's how it really starts, not the button on the far away platform.

Monkhouse does well dealing with the situation, being the consumate professional that he is. He even steals a line from Reeve's and Mortimer's catchphrase from then, quite new gameshow "Shooting Stars", which was "We really want to see those fingers!". This clip shows the show having to end as "Casualty" was looming. The show came back later, after "Casualty". Oh, what joy it was.

"The National Lottery Live" show began in 1994 and finished or rather, evolved in 1998, to "The National Lottery Big Ticket". The show was first presented by Noel Edmonds and co-presnted sometimes by former Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner, and the other notable of course being Monkhouse. The show was built up quite brilliantly by the wondrous appearance of psychic/astrologer Mystic Meg. She appears at the end of the clip, with much jokes about Meg having predicted the breakdown. Yeah, the case is out on that one. Mystic Meg, with her ever so creepy, weirdly attractive voice would tell us, as she corresses her crystal ball, "I see a carpenter, of middle age" etc. She would also predict perhaps a workplace winning big, and what star signs could be lucky this week.