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an intimidating fish-eagle screech and a catchphrase, "I LIKE IT!" whenever he spotted a contestant from his helicopter or if he won at the end of an episode. His role was to pursue the contestants and - to the accompaniment of post-production sound effects - 'zap' the receptors on their backpacks, causing the locks to jam. Thus, if the contestant carrying the money is 'zapped', neither contestant wins. (Although not declared in the programme, the
Interceptor was only allowed a maximum of 20 "zaps" per show, and had a digital readout on his laser projector which informed him of how many shots he had left).
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he screamed into his ear. Ironically, the vehicles both contestants were traveling in actually passed each other with seconds to go. Even if they had realised and stopped the vehicles, they wouldn't have won the money as, although Candy's backpack opened, Mark's backpack had been zapped with the money in it. As it ended up, Mark and Candy did not meet up within the 40-minute time limit anyway.
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The
Interceptor wouldn't leave contestant Mike alone as he got his key from the top of a factory in a quarry, but while attempting an ambush, he was spotted by Mike and gave up. Contestant Sarah cycled down from her starting position to get to her key challenge on a river, only to see the Interceptor
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Contestant Martin had a brief chase with The
Interceptor but got away in the nick of time. Contestant Hillary was unaware that she was taken on a ride in a tractor by the Interceptor. The farmers at the farm where she got the tractor even go as far as helping him, all because, of a money bribe of ten
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at the top of a burning building and when he started chasing her on foot she finds a way to escape quicker and the
Interceptor lost her and at the end of the episode, Marcel was getting his key on a chariot race and the Interceptor was ready to zap him but he was too late as the contestants met with
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The eight episodes were recorded over the summer of 1989 and shown soon afterwards. The first seven episodes were aired on a
Wednesday. The only exception was the eighth and final episode, which was intended for a Christmas airing but was instead shown in the New Year. This episode included seasonal
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in a region of the UK and began from a local tourist attraction. The host, Annabel Croft, would introduce the episode's two contestants, one woman (the yellow contestant) and one man (the blue contestant). Each contestant would be given a locked backpack - one would contain £1,000 in cash, the other
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Contestant Clive was successfully ambushed by the
Interceptor and had his backpack zapped from point-blank range; but he came up with a plan to save his partner Sarah from the Interceptor on a lifeboat. Contestant Sarah had a mini hovercraft ride before coming with the Interceptor but was protected
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while trying to get her key. At the end of the episode, the
Interceptor blocked the entrance to the Eskdale Outward Bound Centre where contestant Suzanne was coming but her partner Max grabbed her just in time before the Interceptor, with only 6 seconds remaining. The two contestants won the money,
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as Roger approached. The
Interceptor hijacked a boat and attempted to stop them, but Roger and Claire met up within the time limit - they had well over a minute still to go - and won the £1,000, which was in Roger's backpack; in fact, it turned out the Interceptor had failed to zap either backpack.
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Contestant Mark had to get his key from a hive of bees. The
Interceptor chased contestant Candy (who was traveling in a Rolls-Royce) on horseback. Towards the end of the episode, the Interceptor successfully snuck up on an oblivious Mark and zapped his backpack at point-blank range. After doing so,
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The task was simple enough, except for some obstructions placed in their way. Principal among these was the titular
Interceptor, a tall man dressed in black, armed with an infra-red projector mounted on his left forearm (the technology for which was procured from the British Army), and possessed of
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Two helicopters were used in the production of the series supplied, as in Treasure Hunt by Cornwall-based company Castle Air. One of these was the Interceptor's aircraft, the black and yellow Agusta A109, with the registration G-MEAN. The other was G-BHXU, the same Agusta-Bell Jetranger helicopter
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helicopter to come and get her to meet him at the lifeboat but in a dramatic chase, the Interceptor's and the RAF helicopter both raced to reach Sarah. The episode was memorable for the Interceptor going to the extreme of going up to Sarah's face, shrieking, shooting his infra-red gun only for the
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Although each episode appeared to be filmed in real time, it was not. The introduction was filmed the day before the game itself, giving the producers opportunity to re-randomise the backpacks the contestants had chosen. The 40-minute game time was also somewhat elastic, with filming and gameplay
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if he didn't leave her alone. Nevertheless, the ambush effort was futile, as the contestants failed to meet each other within the 40-minute time limit; as it happened, even had they succeeded in meeting up within the time limit, it would have been in vain, as, although Martin's backpack opened,
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motorbike available with the registration INT 3 but was never used and only seen at the Interceptors lair in a few episodes. It was also claimed that a hovercraft was available to him, though, this was never used. The INT number plates were not real; the producers had special permission to film
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to find his key, and his partner Sue later used a canoe to collect her key from under a bridge. The episode ended with the Interceptor screeching over the bridge in his Maserati while Mark and Sue struggled to find each other. Unfortunately, although the two contestants met up with 1 minute
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for another ITV network commission in 1990, Thames was already responsible for a very large section of ITV's prime-time shows and other companies wanted a greater proportion. A new round of franchise bidding was impending, and Thames was concerned to improve its profitability;
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nearby in a dinghy. Mike and Sarah narrowly failed to meet up within the 40-minute time limit; and unfortunately, as it turned out, the Interceptor had also failed to zap either backpack, so the contestants would have won the £1,000, which was in Sarah's backpack.
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The contestants' other major enemy was the time limit. Once they had located their key, they often had to perform a task in order to obtain it. Examples included participating in a limited jousting exercise, or removing the key from a horse's braided mane.
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to locations in the area. The challenge was for both contestants, under radio guidance from Croft, to obtain the key to their opposite number's backpack - usually, some distance away from their start point - and meet up, all within a 40-minute time limit.
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pounds, and a further ten pounds if his ambush was a success. When he locked Hillary's pack, he shrieked many times and yelled in joy, only for Hillary to jump on a nearby van, jokingly threatening to hit The Interceptor with a
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28 seconds left. The contestants also won the £1,000 prize money as Nikki's backpack, which had the money in it, opened - and, as it happened, the Interceptor had in fact failed to zap Marcel's backpack as well.
517:, the Interceptor planned an ambush. However, Roger got away before the Interceptor could zap him. Contestant Claire taunted the Interceptor from a train then went on a pleasure cruise to get near her key on the
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No further series of the programme were made and on New Year's Eve 1992, Thames lost its franchise, being replaced by Carlton on New Year's Day 1993. Thames continued as an independent production company.
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locals to protect her. Clive and Sarah succeeded in meeting up within the 40 minute time limit, with just 15 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, although Sarah's backpack opened, Clive had the money.
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helicopters were used. The Interceptor, too, was able to hijack available transportation, but had his own fleet available to him. The most-used of these was his black-and-yellow
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helicopter registered G-MEAN, piloted by his long-suffering pilot 'Mikey' (played by helicopter pilot Michael Malric-Smith). Also, at his disposal, was a
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containing nothing but weights. Both backpacks had five large infrared receptors on the back. The contestants would be blindfolded and taken by
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network during the summer of 1989, with one last episode held back and shown on 1 January 1990 for a New Year special. It was made in between
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which was in Suzanne's backpack (additionally, it turned out that the Interceptor had also failed to zap Max's backpack).
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many times between 2001 and 2015. A public vote on UKGameshows in 2002 saw the series voted the UK's 13th best game show.
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was a relatively expensive show and was made by an independent contractor. In the event, Thames lost its franchise to
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to his key challenge and the Interceptor climbed along the train in pursuit of Max. Contestant Suzanne got soaked in
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Contestant Marcel had to escape the chasing Interceptor by quadbike. Contestant Nikki was taken to her key in the
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Only eight episodes (one series) were made (after an un-aired test pilot). It was re-run on digital TV channel
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repeating the series occasionally from 2001 to 2015 alongside other game shows, among which were stablemates
659:. It was released as a single with an 'instrumental' B-side (essentially the track minus the piano) titled
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The Interceptor was also arrested by the police because he went over the speed limit on the river.
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This article is about the British game show TV series. For the British drama TV miniseries, see
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was shown at the time when ITV was undergoing major changes, and it became a casualty of them.
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remaining, the Interceptor had zapped both their backpacks (the money was in Sue's backpack).
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available to them. During the course of the series, more or less everything from bicycles to
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The series was first tried as a possible American entry in 1989, with a pilot produced by
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Distance was also a major enemy to the contestant, causing them to ask or borrow any
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While contestant Roger tried to get his key in the middle of a maze garden in
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retains a cult following. Pressure exerted by fans led to digital TV channel
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was never recommissioned for a subsequent series. While ITV franchise
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motorbike registration INT 2. There was also an offroad Kawasaki
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The theme music, composed by Chatsworth's resident composer
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428:greetings from both Annabel and the Interceptor.
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348:. The eponymous Interceptor was played by actor
340:The show was hosted by former tennis player and
70:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks
337:, game shows from the same production company.
771:Television shows produced by Thames Television
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575:Hilary's zapped backpack contained the money.
679:during April of that year. Hosted by actor
367:Each episode of the series was based, like
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761:British English-language television shows
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533:Contestant Mark enlisted the help of the
101:Learn how and when to remove this message
776:Television series by Fremantle (company)
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746:1990 British television series endings
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741:1989 British television series debuts
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403:sports car registration INT 1, and a
705:at The Interceptor's Lair (fansite).
691:, it was not picked up as a series.
615:by locals. Clive had arranged for a
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42:
653:Etude in C minor, Opus 10 Number 12
623:First broadcast on 1 January 1990.
606:First broadcast on 30 August 1989.
590:First broadcast on 23 August 1989.
578:First broadcast on 16 August 1989.
549:Contestant Max made his way on the
27:British television game show (1989)
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561:First broadcast on 9 August 1989.
541:First broadcast on 2 August 1989.
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25:
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640:, piloted here by Jerry Grayson.
525:First broadcast on 26 July 1989.
505:First broadcast on 19 July 1989.
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460:which had put in a larger bid.
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683:, along with celebrity guests
551:Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
213:60 minutes (including adverts)
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36:Interceptor (disambiguation)
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751:1980s British game shows
56:This article includes a
85:more precise citations.
18:Interceptor (TV series)
667:Attempted U.S. version
647:, is an adaptation of
34:. For other uses, see
565:Episode 5: Derbyshire
529:Episode 3: Wye Valley
139:Jean-Jacques Pasquier
600:Fire Service College
594:Episode 7: Cotswolds
317:in association with
218:Production companies
162:(as the Interceptor)
673:Fries Entertainment
610:Episode 8: Cornwall
415:whilst using them.
661:Interceptor Boogie
545:Episode 4: Cumbria
509:Episode 2: Norfolk
447:wanted to propose
58:list of references
632:often suspended.
492:Memorable moments
386:mode of transport
321:and shown on the
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175:Original language
167:Country of origin
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16:(Redirected from
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689:Bruce Boxleitner
515:Somerleyton Hall
486:The Crystal Maze
334:The Crystal Maze
289:The Crystal Maze
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232:Original release
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210:Running time
146:Presented by
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77:Please help
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721:Interceptor
710:Interceptor
702:Interceptor
677:syndication
474:Interceptor
454:Interceptor
449:Interceptor
441:Interceptor
437:Interceptor
394:Agusta A109
350:Sean O'Kane
344:sky-runner
309:created by
302:Interceptor
197:of episodes
160:Sean O'Kane
117:Interceptor
83:introducing
735:Categories
675:airing in
627:Production
555:Wast Water
519:River Yare
374:helicopter
315:Chatsworth
264:1990-01-01
254:1989-07-19
222:Chatsworth
205:Production
132:Created by
478:Challenge
357:Challenge
307:game show
186:of series
636:used in
405:Kawasaki
398:Maserati
390:Sea King
156:Starring
655:titled
468:Repeats
458:Carlton
272:Related
262: (
258: –
252: (
247:Release
237:Network
178:English
79:improve
649:Chopin
445:Thames
423:Airing
412:KMX200
363:Format
319:Thames
226:Thames
572:spade
64:, or
726:IMDb
687:and
535:army
484:and
408:ZX10
331:and
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195:No.
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
