{{Short description|British game show}} {{For|the Australian version|Beat the Star (Australian game show)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox television | image = Beat-the-Star-logo.jpg | genre = Game show | creator = Stefan Raab | presenter = Vernon Kay<br />Phillip Schofield (2 episodes) | country = United Kingdom | language = English | num_series = 2 | num_episodes = 16 (inc. unaired pilot) | list_episodes = List of Beat the Star episodes | runtime = 75 minutes (inc. adverts) | company = Diverse Production and Gallowgate Productions | channel = ITV | first_aired = {{Start date|2008|04|20|df=yes}} | last_aired = {{End date|2009|06|14|df=yes}} }}
'''''Beat the Star''''' is a British game show airing on television network ITV. It is the British version of the ''Schlag den Raab'' franchise, based on the German game show ''Schlag den Raab'' (''Beat the Raab'' – Raab being Stefan Raab). A candidate who can beat a celebrity in a number of disciplines wins the jackpot, starting at £50,000.
==Premise== Each episode features one contestant battling against a celebrity in a number of disciplines.<ref>{{Cite news| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/04/19/nosplit/bvtvsatfeat19.xml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080609200322/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/04/19/nosplit/bvtvsatfeat19.xml | url-status = dead | archive-date = 9 June 2008 | title = Games master | work = The Telegraph| accessdate = 20 April 2008 | location=London | first=Serena | last=Davies | date=19 April 2008}}</ref> The games include sports contests such as climbing, motorsport and ice hockey, puzzles and various other challenges.<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://library.digiguide.com/lib/uk-tv-highlight/Beat+the+Star-3317/Game+Show/ | title = Can Khan win Vernon's challenge? | publisher = digiguide | accessdate = 19 April 2008}}</ref> The show notably features several highly unusual challenges, including using a saw to cut a large log, dropping a pea into a bottle from a height of 1 metre, hammering nails into a piece of wood, and chopping a large sausage.
Games carry varying numbers of points for the winner (1 point for game 1, 2 for game 2 etc.), and successful contestants win a prize of £50,000. If the celebrity wins, the jackpot rolls over (series 1), or is added to a prize fund for the season finale in which host Vernon Kay competes (series 2).
==Recording== The pilot and first series were recorded in Cologne, Germany, using the set and facilities of the original German version of the show (though the German location is never acknowledged in the show itself).<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t80016.html | title = "Beat the Star" with Vernon Kay, Monday 5.Nov.2007 – Germany | publisher = toytowngermany | accessdate = 7 April 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080420213401/http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t80016.html| archivedate= 20 April 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> Eight episodes were recorded during April 2008.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.mediabolo.de/german/zuschauer/aktuelle_projekte/index.html?AKTION=KARLIST&ID=60 | title = recording dates of Beat the Star | publisher = mediabolo.de | accessdate = 7 April 2008 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080405215448/http://www.mediabolo.de/german/zuschauer/aktuelle_projekte/index.html?AKTION=KARLIST&ID=60 | archivedate = 5 April 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Members of the studio audience can win €500 or one of 20 tickets for German ''Schlag den Raab''.<ref name=tickets>{{Cite web | url = http://www.mediabolo.de/german/zuschauer/aktuelle_projekte/index.html?AKTION=INFOSND&ID=60 | title = tickets for Beat the Star | publisher = mediabolo.de | accessdate = 7 April 2008 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080405214648/http://www.mediabolo.de/german/zuschauer/aktuelle_projekte/index.html?AKTION=INFOSND&ID=60 | archivedate = 5 April 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Candidates needed to be at least 18 years of age, have a driving licence and a passport.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lincsquad.co.uk/view_article.php?article_id=65 |title=search for candidates |publisher=lincsquad.co.uk |accessdate=13 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609231657/http://www.lincsquad.co.uk/view_article.php?article_id=65 |archivedate=9 June 2008 }}</ref> In October 2008 ITV announced a second series, having got good ratings with the first.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/terrestrial/2008/10/beat_the_star_to_return.html |title=Beat the Star to return |access-date=11 November 2008 |archive-date=10 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510210618/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/terrestrial/2008/10/beat_the_star_to_return.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Series 2 was recorded at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire next to the 007 Set.
==Differences between ''Beat the Star'' and ''Schlag den Raab''== Most noticeably, the UK show features a different celebrity player each week, is not broadcast live and lasts 75 minutes with 7 or 8 scheduled games (though remaining games are not played if the result is decided early).
In Germany, ''Schlag den Raab'' starts at 20:15 on Saturdays with a variable running time of at least four hours, with up to 15 individual games. The longest show in the history of ''Schlag den Raab'' lasted 368 minutes.<ref name="PressBrainpool">{{Cite web|url=http://www.brainpool.de/de/Presse/2014/November/Raab-und-ProSieben-schlagen-RTL-am-Samstag | title=BRAINPOOL / Raab und ProSieben schlagen RTL am Samstag / November / 2014 / Presse / Home | work=brainpool.de | accessdate=19 November 2014 | language=German }}</ref> The show began on Saturday 20:15 and ended on Sunday morning at 02:23. The German version starts with the selection of one of five candidates by televoting. The British remake is pre-recorded.<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/opinion_and_blogs/2008/04/blog_can_itv_beat_the_ratings.html | title = Blog: Can ITV beat the ratings? | publisher = broadcastnow | accessdate = 20 April 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080501020252/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/opinion_and_blogs/2008/04/blog_can_itv_beat_the_ratings.html| archivedate= 1 May 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> In the German version, a member of the TV audience can win one or more cars, in the British version a member of the studio audience can win €500, though this is not shown in the broadcast show.<ref name=tickets /> The British version features different celebrities, whereas the German version is centred on television entertainer and late-night show host Stefan Raab.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.prosiebensat1.com/unternehmen/image_2008/exportware_fernsehen/002/index_en.php |title=Exporting TV page 2 |publisher=ProSiebenSat1 |accessdate=16 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820024604/http://www.prosiebensat1.com/unternehmen/image_2008/exportware_fernsehen/002/index_en.php |archivedate=20 August 2008 }}</ref> In the German version there was a jackpot starting with €500,000. The highest prize was €3.5 million on 15 December 2012.
The games are generally similar, although some games were dropped for series 2 of the UK show, when recording no longer took place in the original's Cologne studio.
In 2009, ''Beat the Star'' was brought back to Germany as ''Schlag den Star''. Seven seasons with four episodes each have been aired since August 2015. Concerning the differences mentioned above, ''Schlag den Star'' is very similar to ''Beat the Star'', but Stefan Raab (not being opponent) was a joker for the contestant in one of the first six games. ''Schlag den Raab'' was aired regularly until December 2015,''Schlag den Star'' is still aired irregularly.
==Transmissions== {{Series overview | link1 = List of Beat the Star episodes#Series 1 (2008) | episodes1 = 8 | start1 = {{Start date|2008|4|20|df=y}} | end1 = {{End date|2008|6|22|df=y}}
| link2 = List of Beat the Star episodes#Series 2 (2009) | episodes2 = 7 | start2 = {{Start date|2009|4|19|df=y}} | end2 = {{End date|2009|5|31|df=y}} }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title|id=1598741|title=Beat the Star}} *{{itv.com|id=beatthestar|title=''Beat the Star''}} *{{UKGameshow|Beat_the_Star}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080626234036/http://www.beatthestar.de/ Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beat The Star}} Category:2000s British game shows Category:2008 British television series debuts Category:2009 British television series endings Category:English-language British television shows Category:ITV game shows Category:Television series by Banijay Category:Television series produced at Pinewood Studios