Fifteen-to-One - Catchphrases

Introduction (Laura or Philip)

"... are all here to play Fifteen to One, presented by William G. Stewart."

Beginning of the Show

"Today's previous winner is (Name) from (Town) in (County)."

"Welcome back (Name)."

"...a regular visitor to 15 to 1."
Said when introducing a previous winner who has had several appearances.
(Suggested by Rob Shone).

"No previous winner with us today, so instead here's a look at the finals board."
Sometimes said at the start of the show when there is no previous winner.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"today's target is..."
At the beginning of the final round when they look at the board to see whos name appears at the foot of it.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"Here's how the finals board finished up:"
Normally said before the start of the grand final, and sometimes said at the end of the show before the grand final.

"(Name's) score of (X) wins for (him / her) (the / a nth) Top of the Finals Board trophy."
"(Name), Laura - has something for you."
Said before the presentation of the Top of the Finals Board trophy on grand final day.

Before Round One

"If the tea and chocolate biscuits are ready, then off we go."
This sometimes preceeds the opening question.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"Two questions each in the first round, one correct answer from you to survive..."
The rules are explained.

"...and we begin with (Name) from (Town) in (County), (Name)...?"
Normally said before the first question.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"If only you could see through this card!"
Sometimes said to the first contestant, or the last one standing in a final. It assumes that William G. Stewart is not covering the answer with his hand, and that the contestant can read mirror writing from what is normally a considerable distance.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"Let battle - commence."
An 'exortation' traditionally made by William G. Stewart before the start of the game on Grand Final day.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

After Round One

"Five down, ten to go."
This or a variation is said at the end of round one.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"Laura?"
Said when the enquiry is made as to who the knocked out contestants are, and before trophies are introduced.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"and they are..."
Said before the knocked out contestants are announced.

"and here's (name)."
The nightmare scenario of being the only person to get knocked out in round one. (used very occasionally).

"and of the remaining contestants..."
Followed by anouncing the appropriate number of contestants and that they have three lives intact.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"(number) still have three lives intact."
Announcing the number of contestants that they have three lives intact.

"...only one still has (his / her) three lives intact."
Used when the above situation has occured.

"...no one has three lives intact."
Used when the above situation has occured.

Before Round Two

"Thank you."
Thanks is then given to the person performing the voiceover.

"I need a correct answer before we can start nominating."

During the Rounds

"A number please."
Said so that the person who has just correctly answered a question can choose who gets the next one.

"And again please (Name)."
Said to a contestant when they can nominate again.

"It can only be... (usually followed by Oscar Wilde or Margaret Thatcher)."
(Suggested by David Hamm).

"Was that a guess?"
A general inquiry, often when William G. Stewart is impressed with an answer.
(Suggested by Ann Williams).

"And guesses count."
Indeed they do.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"I'll let you have it this time..."
(Suggested by Ann Williams).

"And when you've got your breath back..."
Said when someone manages (to their surprise) to guess a correct answer.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"I know a guess when I see one."
A reference to the intuitive powers of William G. Stewart.

"You do know..."
Said when a contestant fails to answer the question correctly, when William G. Stewart knows that they know the answer.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"That's my good friend Nick Parsons."
Variations of this have been known to include Terry Wogan and David Frost (Frostie).
(Suggested by Sara from Huntingdon).

"In my time?"
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"Classic Margaret Thatcher, that!"
Said at the end of a question about a particular quote that may not be the most memorable, but is obviously from the said person.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"There always has to be a Casablanca question in there!"
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"If in doubt, say Oscar Wilde."
This might be considered the golden rule of 15 to 1. It underlines the fact that even if the question seems obscure, it is often worth guessing since you will probably have heard of what is mentioned in the answer.

After Round Two

"That was pretty tough I must say."
Said at then end of a very tough battle in round two.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"It is, as it has to be..."
Said at the end of round two, and always folowed by the following catchphrase.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"12 down 3 to go."
The announcement of the status of the game at the end of round two.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"They don't come much better than that!"
A variation on "Television doesn't come any better than this.", a quote used at the end of Round 2, Grand Final, Christmas Eve 1999.
(Suggested by Rob Shone and Emery McAllister).

Before the Break

"After the break..."
Said just before the three finalists are announced.

"...will be here in the final, do please stay with us."
Said after the three finalists have been announced.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"I think it may be worth your while staying tuned."
Said with great feeling, and probably recorded afterwards, Screened before the break, when a big score is likely, or when some of the few real characters are coming up, e.g. Dave Luscombe, Michael Penrice, and of course the main man Philip Hardingham
(Suggested by Jesco White).

After the Break

"The three surviving contestants in today's Fifteen to One final are..."
Followed by either the names, the names and where they are from, or the names, where they are from and some extra information. Applause follows this catchphrase, that is said by either Laura or Philip.

Before the Final

"3 correct answers opens the game up, then after that it's 'Question or Nominate'."
Part of the brief explanation of the rules in the final.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"Fingers on the buzzers..."
An instruction to the contestants in the final, but unlike on countdown, the fingers are normally already there.
(Suggested by Ann Williams).

"Let's make a start..."
(Suggested by Ann Williams).

During the Final

"Ooooh! JUST on the buzzer!"
Usually when someone answers after the buzzer has buzzed. (they can still get a ding provided William G. Stewart hasn't had time to start telling them what the answer was).
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"You've saved me a long read."
When someone buzzes in quickly for a long-winded question.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"Question or Nominate?"
The most well known quote, probably due to the shear number of times it is used.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"Who, me?"
Sometimes used when three contestants are standing in the final and one nominates but omits to say who he or she is nominating.
(Suggested by David Hamm).

"Fingers back on the buzzers please."
Said when someone has taken a question and answered it incorrectly when there are still other players remaining.

"Now then, we've been here before."
sometimes he adds young man or young lady to this when a previous winner is the last person standing, and about to win again.
(Suggested by Clive Chamberlain from Dorset).

"We've been here before, young (Name)!"
Said when a previous winner is the last person standing.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"You can relax just a little!"
Normally said when the first or last person is looking nervous.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"Plenty of ammunition for a place in the Grand Final."
When the last contestant standing is doing well in terms of lives and questions remaining.

"321 points there somewhere..."
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"Let's see how far that one life can take you."
Said to the last person standing as they can only face questions. Variations can be used depending on how many lives the contestant has.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"And onward..."
Said By William G. Stewart when urging on a contestant.
(Suggested by Ann Williams).

"Don't go away!"
A very common phrase used by Mr William G. Stewart once the winner of the day's game has run out of lives while there are still questions remaining.
(Suggested by Phil Bennett).

After the Final

"And I think Laura - has something for you."
Said before the presentation of the winners trophy on grand final day.
(Suggested by Christian Lloyd).

"It's better to win 1-0 than to lose 4-5."
Said when a winning contestant (usually a previous winner) has sacrificed a big score in order to survive on the show.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"I'll see you in the grand final."
Said when a contestant gets a big enough score to get them a place in the grand final. This was famously said to at least one contestant who failed to make the grand final in a very high scoring series.

"There you are (Name), a winning score; not enough for a place in the Grand Final, but go away, have a good (Christmas and New Year / Summer), forget about 15 to 1 for a while, and come and join us again sometime in (Year / the autumn)."
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"Well done (Name X), and before you send letters in about it, I suppose I was a little harsh with (Name Y) in Round one, so we'll give (him / her) another go."
Said when a particular contestant has been unfairly eliminated.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"It's much harder when you're on your own!"
Said when someone who had previously been performing well unexpectedly loses their lives when they are the last person standing.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"Well, there you are, a score of 201. A borderline case for the Grand Final."
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

"You're today's winner, you'll be tomorrow's target! Well done (Name)."
Said when a the winners score places them at position 15 on the finals board. This situation occured a large number of times in series 29.
(Suggested by Matthew from Birmingham).

End of the Show

"Since we've got a few minutes."
Said when the show has finished sooner than expected, and usually means there is time to introduce the trophies or talk about a question that people have written in about.

"Bill..."
Used primarily by Laura after the trophies have been introduced.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"If you'd like to have a go at Fifteen to One, here's the address to write to."
Said before the audition address is announced.

"postcards only please."
When applying for an audition, this is a requirement.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"Redhill in Surrey, Ashford in Kent, Poole and Plymouth"
The town and county are sometimes given for two audition centres when they are announced. I don't know of another Redhill, but there is at least one other Ashford.
(Suggested by Emery McAllister).

"That's us for today."
Said at the end of the show.
(Suggested by David Hamm).

"Same time, same place, 4 o'clock Channel 4. Join us then."
Said at the end of the show.
(Suggested by David Hamm).

"If you tune in at 4pm, you'll probably have missed round 1."
Said at the end of the show before the grand final so people know that the show is 10 minutes longer, to allow for the higher standard and trophy presentation.