It's in the Bag (game show)
| It's in the Bag | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Game show |
| Presented by |
Selwyn Toogood (1973-86) John Hawkesby (1986-90) Nick Tansley (1992) |
| Country of origin |
 New Zealand
|
| Release | |
| Original network |
NZBC TVNZ |
| Picture format |
576i black-and-white 576i PAL |
| Original release | 1954 (on radio) 1973 (on television) – 1992 |
It's in the Bag was a long-running New Zealand radio and, later, television game show, screened on TVNZ. The show began on radio in 1954 and was hosted and directed by Selwyn Toogood. In the 1970s a television version of the show was developed which was also hosted by Toogood until his retirement in the 1980s. After his retirement, John Hawkesby took over hosting duties. The show was discontinued in 1990 but returned for a final season in 1992 now hosted by Nick Tansley
Several of Toogood's catch phrases from this show entered the kiwi vernacular, including "by hokey!", "what should she do, New Zealand?" and "the money or the bag?"
The hostesses of the show also became popular celebrities. The hostess' role was to introduce the contestants and announce and fetch the prizes. Hostess of the last part of the radio era and first television hostess was Heather Eggleton. Other hostesses of the television era included Teneke Stephenson (formerly Teneke Bouchier) and Hilary Timmins.
Unlike other game shows instead of being filmed in a single studio the show went on the road to a different town each week and the set was assembled into a local community town hall. The contestants were locals selected from the audience by a pre-show qualifying process.
During the show, each contestant would be called onto the stage and asked three relatively easy questions. If all three questions were answered correctly, the contestant had the chance to play for "the money or the bag". The contestant would first be asked to select one of thirty different bags. Each bag contained a prize unknown to both the contestant and the host. The prizes ranged in value from moderate to valuable, and also included three 'booby prizes' of negligible value, such as a clothes peg. The top bag was known as Super Bag this bag contained a prize of high value or several items equally a high value, there was just one Super Bag.
The host of the show would then offer the contestant an increasing amount of cash in exchange for their unopened bag. The offers would continue until the contestant either accepted the cash or the host chose to stop offering more money. If they chose the bag, it would be opened at that point and their prize revealed. If the contestant chose the money the prize the contestant turned down would be revealed.
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Wikipedia