Snooker + bad jokes + chaos = peak '90s British TV energy.
Season 14 • Episode 8
LatestBig Break is a British game show based around the game of snooker, mixed with traditional game show elements. It was broadcast on BBC1 between 30 April 1991 and 9 October 2002. It influenced a later game show for the network called Full Swing, but based around golf, and itself was in part influenced by ITV's long-running darts quiz Bullseye.
Acting
Jim Davidson's aggressively cheeky host energy.
Production
Gloriously dated BBC studio aesthetic.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Big Break defined Saturday night BBC1 for over a decade, spawning catchphrases like 'Give it a name!' that entered British slang.
John Virgo's commentary was often improvised; producers kept his outtakes for DVD releases because viewers loved his unfiltered reactions.
GB
