Wipeout

Sucker Punch

Wipeout Tour derived from Total Wipeout (also known in other countries as Wipeout UK) is a British game show, hosted by Richard Hammond and Amanda Byram, which first aired on 3 January 2009. Each week, 20 contestants competed in a series of challenges in an attempt to win £10,000. These challenges were based in large pools of water or mud and generally involved large assault courses that participants had to cross. The 20 contestants are narrowed down to 12, then to either 6 or 5, then a final 3 in the Wipeout Zone.

 

Stage 1

The Qualifier[

The Qualifier involves twenty contestants attempting to complete a short obstacle course in the least time possible; the eight contestants with the slowest times are eliminated, with the fastest twelve advancing to either The Sweeper or Crash Mountain or Double Cross. The Qualifier contains the dominant Sucker Punch and Big Balls. The first and last obstacles change every week, however the first obstacle is always set over a pool of water or mud, and the final obstacle is always a 'swing' to the goal.

Stage 2

The Sweeper  

The Sweeper involves the twelve remaining contestants standing on 10-foot-tall (3.0 m) podiums, over water, while a robotic arm spins around in a circular motion. The contestants have to jump over it, with the arm getting faster and higher in random sections of every rotation. The game continues until a single player remains, but unlike the American version the winner does not receive a prize. The six contestants who are first to fall are eliminated; the rest move on to Dizzy Dummies. In Series 2 the rules were modified so that only the final five advanced instead of six (depending on the next challenge). Series 2 saw modified versions of The Sweeper, including "The Crusher" and the addition of Potato Sacks.

Crash Mountain  

Series 3 introduced a brand new challenge, in the form of Crash Mountain. Crash Mountain involves the twelve remaining contestants standing on 10 ft tall podiums over water while three robotic arms swing round in a circular motion. One arm is designed for the contestants to jump onto to reach the centre of the mountain; the other arms are designed to knock the contestants into the water while spinning in opposite directions. If any contestants falls into the water they must go to any unoccupied podium, climb and attempt it again. Contestants do not have to attempt to reach the mountain on every rotation of the arm. The five who make it to the centre first advance to Dizzy Dummies.

Dizzy Dummies

The courses and obstacles are identical to the US version, but the format of the round differs. In the US version, the round is played 4 times, with the winner of each round automatically winning a place in the Wipeout Zone, and thus taking no further part in Dizzy Dummies. In the UK, it is played 3 times, with the last person to complete the course eliminated. Thus, the finalists for the UK version are not decided until the last Dizzy Dummies round is complete. This process also means that the UK show has 3 contestants in the Wipeout Zone, rather than the US version's 4. As of Series 2, Dizzy Dummies was often replaced by "The Dreadmill", in which two contestants battle to keep up with an industrial sized treadmill, while trying to avoid wrecking balls trying to knock them off.

Dizzy Dummies

The courses and obstacles are identical to the US version, but the format of the round differs. In the US version, the round is played 4 times, with the winner of each round automatically winning a place in the Wipeout Zone, and thus taking no further part in Dizzy Dummies. In the UK, it is played 3 times, with the last person to complete the course eliminated. Thus, the finalists for the UK version are not decided until the last Dizzy Dummies round is complete. This process also means that the UK show has 3 contestants in the Wipeout Zone, rather than the US version's 4. As of Series 2, Dizzy Dummies was often replaced by "The Dreadmill", in which two contestants battle to keep up with an industrial sized treadmill, while trying to avoid wrecking balls trying to knock them off.

Final Stage

The Wipeout Zone

The Wipeout Zone is the final stage of the competition. The three remaining contestants must complete the "toughest obstacle course in the world" in the quickest time possible. The contestant who completes the zone fastest wins the grand prize. The Wipeout Zone is made up of five/six obstacles. The contestant will have to re-attempt the obstacle if they fall off.

General

The show retains the gentle mockery of the contestants, although the style of humour is generally drier than the US version. Although the courses are near-identical, the US courses are in California, while the UK version is filmed on the "international" Wipeout set in Argentina, along with the other non-US versions of the show. The commentary makes great use of this fact, referencing the location constantly, and often gently mocking contestants for having travelled so far to take part.