Advent Calendar 2020 Day 23: The Generation Game, 1972

Every one of the eleven Generation Game Christmas Specials in its initial run, whether Forsyth or Grayson, went out on Christmas Day BBC1. That run sadly ended at fourteen when 1993's show, the fourth of the Brucie revival, was shunted back a day, and then not only did it never go out on the 25th during Jim Davidson's seven years but it was disposed of as early as the 19th in 1998, which says far more than any personality or textural analysis ever could. This is the second ever special, starting with the traditional "guess the celebrities in pantomime repose" game in which nobody even attempts to identify Roy Castle. Kenny Lynch cameos as Snow White, because the 1970s, before a game with someone whose name Bruce doesn't even attempt to pronounce does... um... pouring wine in a straight line up the face? We'd say it'll make sense when you watch it but we did and are none the wiser. Later on is the nightmare fuel of people dressed as Rupert the Bear and his friends in what appears to be a round specifically for any children watching although the observation element is only made clear after the event so defeating the purpose, followed by... BOB BLACKMAN! Christmas made! Sadly the following game involves writing on trays rather than using them for their newly recommended purpose, but any sense of a letdown is absorbed by the traditional closing play, Peter Pan starring Melvyn Hayes, Amanda Barrie and Madeleine Smith, the latter two having to stay behind and act with the couples in the usual advantage-taking chaos. Fun for all the family.

DIDN'T THEY DO WELL: Brucie's years include 1973 with Peter Sellers' widow as Cinderella corpsing badly at Frankie Howerd and 1990 with Rosemarie Ford rapping; in between 1978 was Larry Grayson's first Christmas and they found a contestant called Everard for the occasion