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CBBC commissions new series of Gory Game Shows from team behind Horrible Histories

BBC Press Office

9 February 2011

CBBC Controller Damian Kavanagh has commissioned two series of a new game show from the team behind the BAFTA and British Comedy Award-winning hit Horrible Histories, it was announced today .

Presented by Come Dine With Me's Dave Lamb and Horrible Histories' whiskery star Rattus Rattus, Gory Games (13x26mins) will see three horrible historians compete in four rotten rounds to win one putrid prize.
Set to disgust and delight CBBC viewers in equal measure, each episode of Gory Games will see young competitors answer quiz questions on toe-curling topics like the Gorgeous Georgians and Vicious Vikings. The winners of the quiz round will then progress to a physical game relating to a specific era – such as Henry VIII's pie-eating game – in the hope of winning Year Spheres.

The victor will not just enjoy the honour of being the Gory Games champion but will also pick up a fitting, if fetid, prize such as an Egyptian Mummy's hand, a Georgian Navy maggoty biscuit or the cut-off ear of a Tudor thief.

Damian Kavanagh says: "We are delighted to welcome Gory Games to CBBC. The series is being made by the revoltingly talented team behind Horrible Histories and we're sure that Gory Games will be a hideous hit too!"
Featuring an inimitable mixture of foul facts, putrid props and scary sketches, it is hoped that Gory Games, like Horrible Histories, will entertain and inform its audience about historical facts in equal measure.

Featuring a host of familiar faces, some of the Horrible Histories cast will pose questions as some of the popular historical stars from the series including a Roman, Victorian, Viking, Henry VIII and an Egyptian.
Performing these character the top comedy talent line-up includes, Simon Farnaby, Jim Howick, Martha Howe-Douglas, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond. The author of the Horrible Histories books Terry Deary will also be asking questions in historical guise. The series will transmit on CBBC later in the year.
Gory Games is a Lion TV and Citrus Television co-production for CBBC.
Devised by Caroline Norris and Giles Pilbrow, it is directed by Dominic Brigstocke and produced by Candida Julian Jones. The executive producer for Lion is Richard Bradley and for the BBC is Alison Gregory.
VT