{{Short description|British TV game show (1967–2005)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox television | image = Ask the Family title screen 1978.png | alt_name = ''Dick & Dom's Ask the Family'' (2005) | genre = Game show | creator = Patricia Owtram | presenter = {{ubl|Robert Robinson (1967–1984)|Alan Titchmarsh (1999)|Dick and Dom (2005)}} | country = United Kingdom | language = English | num_series = 18 | num_episodes = 275 | runtime = 30 minutes | network = BBC1 | first_aired = {{Start date|1967|07|12|df=yes}} | last_aired = {{End date|1984|10|22|df=yes}} | network2 = UK Gold | first_aired2 = {{Start date|1999|06|06|df=yes}} | last_aired2 = {{End date|1999|10|10|df=yes}} | network3 = BBC Two | first_aired3 = {{Start date|2005|04|04|df=yes}} | last_aired3 = {{End date|2005|05|05|df=yes}} }}
'''''Ask the Family''''' is a British game show that was first broadcast on BBC1 from 12 July 1967 to 22 October 1984 hosted by Robert Robinson and then on UK Gold from 6 June to 10 October 1999 hosted by Alan Titchmarsh and from 4 April to 5 May 2005 hosted by Dick & Dom on BBC Two.
==Format== {{unreferenced section|date=June 2022}} The show took the form of a quiz contest between two teams, with each team consisting of four members of a single family – two parents and two teenage children. Over the course of the thirty-minute show the teams were asked a variety of general knowledge questions and mental puzzles, with the winner advancing to later rounds, culminating in a grand final between the two families that had been unbeaten in the series.
The teams were asked questions, with certain questions directed at only certain members of the family – such as "children only", or "father and elder child only".
==Transmissions== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Series !! Start date !! End date !! Episodes !! Presenter |- | '''1''' || 12 July 1967<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f4a54dd3d6994d8db950c0a88e00f7be |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824124028/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f4a54dd3d6994d8db950c0a88e00f7be |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 August 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 12 July 1967 |date=12 July 1967 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 23 August 1967<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/257806a907fa4256955a2a2d5cb9db2c |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916232528/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/257806a907fa4256955a2a2d5cb9db2c |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 23 August 1967 |date=23 August 1967 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 7 || rowspan="16"= |Robert Robinson |- | '''2''' || 9 September 1968<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d06fbc11820947c389c315513b9d8709 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917043424/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d06fbc11820947c389c315513b9d8709 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 9 September 1968 |date=9 September 1968 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 23 December 1968<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a10f14a113c148f582cb1a808dc18853 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917001315/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a10f14a113c148f582cb1a808dc18853 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 23 December 1968 |date=23 December 1968 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''3''' || 8 September 1969<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4fadce564f9a486c83ca5b22781df079 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916224511/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4fadce564f9a486c83ca5b22781df079 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 8 September 1969 |date=8 September 1969 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 29 December 1969<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a20eb04bd77b4cf99c0766b3ca067209 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917041913/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a20eb04bd77b4cf99c0766b3ca067209 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 29 December 1969 |date=29 December 1969 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 17 |- | '''4''' || 14 September 1970<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c3c76c40c2fa43849a17804cfa37276b |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916225103/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c3c76c40c2fa43849a17804cfa37276b |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 14 September 1970 |date=14 September 1970 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 28 December 1970<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/73b9daa8b5034150ba9e4cd119206265 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917023340/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/73b9daa8b5034150ba9e4cd119206265 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 28 December 1970 |date=28 December 1970 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 16 |- | '''5''' || 13 September 1971<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b5d0309f3c6049c5b0d6c21ccdfacf51 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916205411/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b5d0309f3c6049c5b0d6c21ccdfacf51 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 13 September 1971 |date=13 September 1971 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 27 December 1971<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4ff1a97118394151a2dcea9106a389f0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916224505/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4ff1a97118394151a2dcea9106a389f0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 27 December 1971 |date=27 December 1971 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 16 |- | '''6''' || 24 January 1973<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4499ed3ab50f4663bcd6c818146d4a10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917053512/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4499ed3ab50f4663bcd6c818146d4a10 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 24 January 1973 |date=24 January 1973 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 9 May 1973<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/07d182e4b54c4e709ab08de93e13ea48 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916200955/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/07d182e4b54c4e709ab08de93e13ea48 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 9 May 1973 |date=9 May 1973 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 16 |- | '''7''' || 10 September 1974<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cfe028794bee40c6a62f64ea360b9655 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916224609/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cfe028794bee40c6a62f64ea360b9655 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 10 September 1974 |date=10 September 1974 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 7 January 1975<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7808af6f3a9349db89311dda56ca0660 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916204447/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7808af6f3a9349db89311dda56ca0660 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 7 January 1975 |date=7 January 1975 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''8''' || 5 January 1976<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e58228726f4142c4a971ea3ce4802cd0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917011751/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e58228726f4142c4a971ea3ce4802cd0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 5 January 1976 |date=5 January 1976 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 19 April 1976<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b59b04e782184e81b5241371b5d05318 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916200951/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b59b04e782184e81b5241371b5d05318 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 19 April 1976 |date=19 April 1976 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''9''' || 3 January 1977<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ee29a0e0a1f44f04bf6779b02aa6491d |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916230705/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ee29a0e0a1f44f04bf6779b02aa6491d |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 3 January 1977 |date=3 January 1977 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 8 April 1977<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8a2624b35a1644179e90c641c13d5fdb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917013313/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8a2624b35a1644179e90c641c13d5fdb |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 8 April 1977 |date=8 April 1977 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''10''' || 9 January 1978<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9d1f31d6375540c790df5c78f2183f60 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916202638/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9d1f31d6375540c790df5c78f2183f60 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 9 January 1978 |date=9 January 1978 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 24 April 1978<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ba4d61a86a9e4a578bc53a0b88111d72 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917050446/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ba4d61a86a9e4a578bc53a0b88111d72 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 24 April 1978 |date=24 April 1978 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''11''' || 23 April 1979<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/44adb3d7d130479f99c939aa0cd2585e |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027052408/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/44adb3d7d130479f99c939aa0cd2585e |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2014 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 23 April 1979 |date=23 April 1979 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 20 August 1979<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e46c1474b323471c9d0ecc78a58640c2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027235856/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e46c1474b323471c9d0ecc78a58640c2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2014 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 20 August 1979 |date=20 August 1979 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''12''' || 21 April 1980<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/210ba7f8ce94467db14ec3892cc7a158 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916202640/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/210ba7f8ce94467db14ec3892cc7a158 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 21 April 1980 |date=21 April 1980 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 18 August 1980<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/052290f5c0724ec5a83f79c9e501d301 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917043432/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/052290f5c0724ec5a83f79c9e501d301 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 18 August 1980 |date=18 August 1980 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''13''' || 6 April 1981<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/670669f1269e4046952223e62d239052 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030003618/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/670669f1269e4046952223e62d239052 |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 October 2014 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 6 April 1981 |date=6 April 1981 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 10 August 1981<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5dbbd0f8bb2b45ee84ee54236cf30f58 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030062448/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5dbbd0f8bb2b45ee84ee54236cf30f58 |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 October 2014 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 10 August 1981 |date=10 August 1981 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 15 |- | '''14''' || 2 November 1982<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/339edcb4123345d99a634e93d5d4e252 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917051952/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/339edcb4123345d99a634e93d5d4e252 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 2 November 1982 |date=2 November 1982 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 14 December 1982<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e1c57aeb0b1c47fd9d83eda11580b3cc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220083431/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e1c57aeb0b1c47fd9d83eda11580b3cc |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 December 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 14 August 1982 |date=14 December 1982 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 7 |- | '''15''' || 21 September 1983<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/35dc850f7cf944e4968540a3a0496de4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019202002/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/35dc850f7cf944e4968540a3a0496de4 |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 October 2014 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 21 September 1983 |date=21 September 1983 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 16 November 1983<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/044f67a70ca24d79b21b5e61764a54bc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019231331/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/044f67a70ca24d79b21b5e61764a54bc |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 October 2014 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 16 November 1983 |date=16 November 1983 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 8 |- | '''16''' || 3 September 1984<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/451b6688d93a4bab8e3e1ddec52dcc77 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916231123/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/451b6688d93a4bab8e3e1ddec52dcc77 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 3 September 1984 |date=3 September 1984 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 22 October 1984<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/dbc579bff01b40df8bf7bc2dcb62aebe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917043429/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/dbc579bff01b40df8bf7bc2dcb62aebe |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Ask the Family - BBC One London - 22 October 1984 |date=22 October 1984 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 8 |- | '''17''' || 6 June 1999 || 10 October 1999 || 31 || Alan Titchmarsh |- | '''18''' || 4 April 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/614859aa452b42fab777cfd3bb51d66a |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917011759/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/614859aa452b42fab777cfd3bb51d66a |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2016 |title=Dick & Dom's Ask the Family - BBC Two England - 4 April 2005 |date=4 April 2005 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 5 May 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/afa1b0265fc84fd79eba0a32fab15ca7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824123710/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/afa1b0265fc84fd79eba0a32fab15ca7 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 August 2016 |title=Dick & Dom's Ask the Family - BBC Two England - 5 May 2005 |date=5 May 2005 |publisher=BBC Genome Project |accessdate=31 July 2016}}</ref> || 23 || Dick and Dom |}
==Theme tune== Early episodes - from 1967 to 1973 and perhaps beyond - used the track 'Acka Raga' from the 1967 John Mayer and Joe Harriott album ''Indo Jazz Fusions'' as the theme tune.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199185/soundtrack/ Ask the Family: Soundtracks, IMDb]</ref><ref>''Indo Jazz Fusions'', Lansdowne Series, Columbia SX/SCX 6112, released February 1967</ref>
==In popular culture== The show was parodied in contemporary comedy TV shows during the 1970s and 1980s, notably in ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' in which both families were introduced as being almost identical save for surname, with all being quantity surveyors by profession (including the children). A spoof edition on ''The Kenny Everett Television Show'' featured Everett as Robert Robinson and as the (female) heads of the respective Windsor and Thatcher families. An episode of the radio sketch show ''I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again'' opened with a parody where "Robin Robertson", played by John Cleese, poured scorn on the families and abandoned them in disgust. One episode of ''The Burkiss Way'' likewise parodied it as ''Ask the Cleverdicks''. In the late 1990s a sketch in ''The Fast Show'' featured three middle-aged men arguing about which of them had the most middle-class upbringing: one of the men boasts that his family appeared on "''Ask The Family'' with Robert Robinson - and we won!".
At one point tabloid newspapers made much of an occasion where the father of one family correctly answered the question "What is the sum of all the numbers from 1 to 100?" in a few seconds. However, there is a quick formula for the answer, as demonstrated by Carl Friedrich Gauss, and the answer may have been known to the person in question.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{BBC programme|p02mb8kd}} *{{IMDb title|0199185}} *{{UKGameshow|Ask_the_Family}}
Category:1960s British game shows Category:1970s British game shows Category:1980s British game shows Category:1990s British game shows Category:2000s British game shows Category:1967 British television series debuts Category:2005 British television series endings Category:BBC television game shows Category:English-language British television shows Category:British television series revived after cancellation