Keith Chegwin Interview
Dennis sent the intrepid Simon Brew to corner one of TV's top talents, Keith Chegwin. Why? Cheggers Party Quiz releases soon on Wii and frankly, we want to know everything about the man soon to grace our little white box ... is he house trained? Does he do tricks? Will he have your family in stitches as you enjoy a party game this Christmas? Read on ...
Q: How much are you a fan of the Nintendo Wii?
I'm just into video games in general, I can't tell you. And I've always been a fan. God, I started off years ago with an Atari and we played Ping Pong and did a bit of tennis.
Q: You did the Ocean Software interview on TV in the 1980s didn't you?
My gosh yeah, it was me who was quite insistent on doing it, because I wanted to find out how these young kids who were 15 years of age in Manchester were earning so much money, and what happened to them when they were 18. And they were basically burnt out by then.
Q: So did you choose to go to Ocean - you chose that company specifically?
Oh yeah, I did a series about things for kids, and the idea was to introduce them into politics, and explain a bit about that, explain about fears, and one fear was technology in the future. So I found Ocean Software, who were literally pumping out so many games at the time and it was quite interesting to see where these kids were working and what kind of environment they were in.
Q: Are you a Nintendo man?
I haven't got a Nintendo! I've got a Playstation 3 and Playstation 2...
Q: Have you told them? Surely a man of your clout!
I know! I know!
Q: So can you tell us about the game?
Well, I didn't know whether to do it or not. But the most interesting thing for me is a lot of people turned round to me and said about doing a Cheggers thing, a quiz, and they said about doing a quiz book and what have you. I was approached about doing a DVD as well, but I'm not a fan of that technology, because it's crap. It's so slow, pedantic and boring.
Q: Have you told Noel, with his Deal or no Deal DVDs?
Well, I should do really! He's made quite a lot of money out of it I think!
Q: I'm sure he has.
But they ask you a question and then ten minutes later you get the answer and that's not interactivity for me.
Q: So you turned that down?
I did, yeah. Zoo Technology and everybody. But when they [Oxygen Games] said about putting it on Nintendo, I though 'oh my God, fantastic!, because the interactivity is so quick, and that's the way I like to play games.
Q: So when did they approach you?
This is going back about six or seven months now, and what had happened was I'd turned down a DVD offer, and also the other thing is, I think it's very insular and boring just doing the pop music quiz on Nintendo. So what? Everybody can do that. So I wanted to make it broader - I'm a great fan of family orientated games. You know, the only reason I say it is that I'm one of those sad people who sits in the corner playing Tomb Raider until three o'clock in the morning.
Q: Any good at it?
I'm bloody great! But I haven't cheated. I've not completed any of them - I've got three of them, and haven't completed one. I've not found all the hidden treasures, as yet! My mate said go on the bloody web and get the cheat, but I'd won't do it!
Q: It's a point of principle?
Yes, a point of principle! I've got to get through the whole lot and find everything! I've still not managed to do it, but you know what, my little boy is 9, my daughter's 19 and I've got my wife...
Q: Can they all beat you at games?
No, no, no! We all get together and play things like Shrek or Pirates of the Caribbean or Crash Bandicoot, and we have prizes for each round. Chocolates and stuff. And I'm a great fan. It's like the olden days when people used to get round the piano and have a sing song, now we get round the Playstation or Nintendo and do the same.
Q: So what do your kids think of your game?
Oh, do you know what, I didn't tell my boy or daughter too much about it. Because the proof of the pudding is in the eating isn't it, so I said oh look I've got this game out. And my daughter went "Oh my God, daddy's a caricature!"
She was laughing at it. My little boy? I can't tell you how chuffed I am, because you know, you work on a project like this and, I insisted that I didn't want it pop music, I wanted it to encompass all aspects of the media, so to encompass film and TV. And also I wanted questions that my nine year old could answer, and questions my grandmother could answer too. And me!
My little boy absolutely loves it, and it's quite fascinating as I went away one day, and I phone up my missus and asked what he was up to, and she said "He's playing your game!"
I'm really chuffed. And also the little character, I'm really happy with as well.
Q: I was going to ask you about that. How involved were you in your likeness?
Well, I left it to them, you know, because people always say when I do a piece to camera, what do you think? And I say I don't know, I wasn't watching it. I always think it's best to let somebody outside do it, they can give their impression of you, and she's probably a bit more accurate than you doing it yourself.
Q: You've come out of it quite well...
Yeah, I've come out a bit tubby round the middle, but that's quite accurate I think. But I'm really chuffed.
Q: So going back six months, when they approached you to do the game. How long did you then take recording all the questions? That must have been the most mind-boggling thing?
No. Do you know what? I've got my own Cheggers' Bingo site, and I call all the numbers. But it took me longer - I've got my own studio at home - to record all the voiceovers for the bingo site than it did to record them for this.
Q: Did you do the recording for the game from home, then?
No, we did them in a studio in London and it took three and a half hours, which is a record breaking time!
Q: Really?
I can't tell you. It was such a laugh doing it. Sometimes you feel like you're going to work, but this we just had a laugh. And they were videoing us at the same time so that they could sort out the caricature, taking pictures at the same time as well, but I've never been involved in such an exciting project where, at the end of the day, the rough script that they'd done for the one liners just went out the window and we made up our own.
Q: My guess is that 20% of it stayed on script?
Yes! That's all.
Q: If you had to pinpoint a favourite memory from making the game...
I think it's just having a laugh. I've worked on a lot of projects - I mean, I had my own Sony Walkman out years ago and I've had my own annuals and written books and loads of other bits and pieces - but I can honestly say that after 40 years of being in this business this is one I'm one of the most proud of. If it doesn't sell, I don't care! It was such a laugh doing it!
Q: And if it does sell?
If it does sell of course...
Q: Would you do more?
Yeah.
Q: In terms of general gaming itself - Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot - are these your favourites?
Yeah, all the fun interactive ones. Do you know what? I love James Bond, the 007 game.
Q: Heck, why?!
I just like coming home after doing a corporate gig or something, and I literally come home and think, ooh, fancy a bit of Tomb Raider tonight, or a bit of 007 will be quite nice. I do love it!
Q: Finally, is there a favourite memory from making the game, or perhaps a blooper or two?
Yeah, I think there's some from the studio floor that'll never see the light of day, or maybe.... There's a director's cut somewhere that you'll probably find on MySpace or YouTube....!
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Cheggers Party Quiz is published by Oxygen Games - www.oxygengames.net - and is available on PC, Playstation 2 and Nintendo Wii.
Keith Chegwin's own website can be found at www.keithchegwin.com
Read the full Keith Chegwin interview, where he goes on to talk about a Cheggers Plays Pop, Swap Shop and Roman Polanski at www.denofgeek.com <-- It's more than just hot girls in black glasses!
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