Stooges: Mark Chapman and Danny Bhoy
BBC Three, 24 February to 9 May 2003 (31 programmes, including modified repeats)
Judging by the tape of the pilot we saw at the Montreux TV festival, this zany format had been sitting on the shelf for quite a while. It's little wonder, then, that BBC Three burnt off the 20-odd programmes within four months and then had done with it.
That aside, the format wasn't a bad idea. Members of the public going about their everyday business are observed, provoked and generally accosted by random voices to the surprise of the victims who are being filmed via hidden cameras. For example, someone might be paying for their parking ticket in a car park but hear the voice of Mark Chapman or Danny Bhoy coming from the pay machine. They would then challenge the contestants to take part in an impromptu game such as take an electronic car key and try to find the car that opens with that key within a set time limit.
Other challenges included:
If they won the challenge, they'd win quite a nice holiday.