Celebdaq

Celebdaq was an online "celebrity " game on the BBC's website which had its own television show on BBC Three. The television show was presented by Paddy O'Connell & Libby Potter. Later, the comedian Jenny Eclair was the presenter.

Players were given the opportunity to buy and sell shares in celebrities using £10,000 of virtual cash. As in real-life stock markets, the trading of shares caused each celebrity's share price to fluctuate, allowing profits to be realised. Weekly dividends were paid on shares owned based upon how much press coverage the celebrity received in a number of daily newspapers and magazines. There was also a version specifically concentrating on sportspeople, called Sportdaq.

Celebdaq was launched on the BBC website in mid-2002. It was based on other very similar games, Popex.com which had been 'trading' in musicians since 1998, and Hollywood Stock Exchange. The Celebdaq code was a port of the popex code, with some additions. The website consciously imitated the financial setting of the Stock Exchange with share prices fluctuating continuously around the clock.

After a slow start and a number of rule changes to prevent cheating, the game rapidly gained popularity and a weekly prize for "Top Trader" was instigated consisting of £100 in cash along with a stripy jacket replicating those worn by traders on the floor of the stock exchange. The prize was later changed to a selection of merchandise.

The site was used to promote the new BBC Three digital channel which opened the following year, and Patrick (Paddy) O'Connell, a former business correspondent and real-life stock exchange expert, was engaged as presenter of the tie-in BBC Three TV shows which were broadcast from 14 February 2003 to 18 March 2004.

In 2004 Celebdaq was chosen as the best entertainment site on the internet at the Interactive Bafta awards.

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