Surprise: Broadcaster Revives Old Classic

Surprise! Another ITV1 classic is set to return after being absent from our TV screens for over a decade.
Reports suggest that the latest in a number of classic television revivals will be the dreams come true TV series Surprise Surprise.
Surprise, Surprise was a British TV show hosted by Cilla Black, produced by London Weekend Television for ITV.
It ran for fourteen series from 6 May 1984 to 5 September 1997, after which four annual specials were produced between 1998 to 2001. The series shared a production team with LWT's other shows Game for a Laugh and Blind Date, and shared format similarities with the BBC's Jim'll Fix It.
Its premise involved surprising members of the public with long-held wishes, setting up tricks to fool members of the public, prank phone calls to people and reuniting guests with long-lost loved ones.
Press reports suggest that owners of the format – ITVPlc – are looking at reviving the series as a one off special to be produced by their production arm, ITV Studios. If successful the format may return as a series.
The new host is being mooted in the press is This Morning's Holly Willoughby.
If confirmed the rivival of the show will follow in the footsteps of Play Your Cards Right, Family Fortunes, The Price is Right and Crossroads.
(LB)