Hiya - I was watching "The Office" and the Og Monster came on... I knew I recognised him, and couldn't figure it out for ages, then it clicked and I dug out my old VHS recording of Blockbusters...
Does anyone know how that tall bloke with blonde hair and glasses is getting on? He said he wanted to be a DJ and writer. Just wondered if he realised his dreams.
This is so funny to watch, never knew about it. Can see where story of Ricky the office temp being on blockbusters, even the question about Yazz . Brilliant.
Which Y was... Which Y had a hit single with ''The Only Way Is Up'' and sang with Plastic Population? Yazoo! Yazz Yup You said Yazoo I know. What's your cut-off point? Yazz..... But you said Yazoo first. You would have got it wrong on Blockbusters I wouldn't have said that on Blockbusters you would have got it right then
It was filmed over two shows - so we all went home in between then came back the next day in fresh clobber! Obviously Steve must have relaxed a bit too much!
Not yet, but I've some some cool stuff... I haven't worked with street children in India yet, but I have had a children's book published there by an educational charity which promotes literacy, so am doing something to help. I now own and run a children's nursery. I may not have any BAFTA's, but I'm enjoying life ;-)
Stephen, however, has realised his dreams of writing comedy, DJ-ing and "all those artistic things". I wonder if he ever uses his 'Blockbusters' pen and sighs wistfully, thinking of those days?
just so you know he did mention it back in the Old xfm shows when it was just him and Rick but to be fair- looking at him at this age- you can see why he didnt find it too proud to be of
Indeed, in fact there are a lot of things like that, if you also listen to their old XFM shows, you notice some of their conversations contain ideas that have cropped up in Extras, The Office and Ricky's stand-up shows. Its interesting to see the beginnings of their ideas.
now i see where they got the inspiritation for the story line about ricky the temp being on 'blockbusters' during series one of 'the office'...even the yaz bit, haha.
This was the only version of Blockbusters to use a different theme song. It sounds similar to the original theme song but for some reason, BBC didn't want to use the exact same theme maybe to avoid having to pay royalties because of its license fee so that's probably why they made a new theme song as close as possible to the original but different enough.
The reason it's a two vs one game was to see ( in the original American adaptation ) if the old saying is true, that two heads are really better than one. However there was a brief revival of this show in the late eighties where there were only one on one games.
You were a really good sport to phone in on Steve's show and have a laugh with him. I think even Steve saw your ability to take the joke like 10 years after the fact quite admirable. On the topic of the video, I love how you can see Steve watching his envisioned victory slipping away. He did get crushed xD
I can't believe they ripped off Rockbusters like this.
Steve's still got that £15, never spent it.
he was in blockbusters, then in rockbusters
Hiya - I recorded it because i was on it! I'm Roopam.
Fitting that the first question Steve gets right and it's related to money
Hiya - I was watching "The Office" and the Og Monster came on... I knew I recognised him, and couldn't figure it out for ages, then it clicked and I dug out my old VHS recording of Blockbusters...
"yazoo"
"yaz"
"wheres your cutoff point"
"you wouldnt have got it right on block busters"
"wouldnt have said it on blockbusters"
I want Ricky to be there, after each clue going...
"It doesn't work Michael! Don't talk shite!"
Big Steve Merchant is such a playa, I bet he nailed both these ladys after the show
No wonder he hated Rockbusters so much, it must have brought back harrowing memories.
Does anyone know how that tall bloke with blonde hair and glasses is getting on? He said he wanted to be a DJ and writer. Just wondered if he realised his dreams.
Steve went on to do several projects with Ricky Gervais and was a radio DJ
+crinbob Do you know him now? :P
Cryptic clue 'n that
Haha! The question about Yaz. Straight from The Office quiz night episode. "Yazoo! ...Where's your cut-off point?"
"good luck with your writing career and all those artistic things..." HAHAHAHAH
This is so funny to watch, never knew about it. Can see where story of Ricky the office temp being on blockbusters, even the question about Yazz . Brilliant.
Funny how he never mentioned it back in the XFM days on that competition I can't quite remember the name of. Steve seems so serious here!
Laughed out loud at the DJing bit after hearing that story about the wedding
Oh my god I bet Ricky ripped the shit out of him for this 😂
Which Y was... Which Y had a hit single with ''The Only Way Is Up'' and sang with Plastic Population?
Yazoo!
Yazz
Yup
You said Yazoo
I know.
What's your cut-off point? Yazz.....
But you said Yazoo first. You would have got it wrong on Blockbusters
I wouldn't have said that on Blockbusters
you would have got it right then
Oh my god!
I don't remember him ever mentioning he was on Blockbusters whenever they played Rockbusters on XFM
haha I loved the fact that this features in a subplot in The Office
It was filmed over two shows - so we all went home in between then came back the next day in fresh clobber! Obviously Steve must have relaxed a bit too much!
Not yet, but I've some some cool stuff... I haven't worked with street children in India yet, but I have had a children's book published there by an educational charity which promotes literacy, so am doing something to help. I now own and run a children's nursery. I may not have any BAFTA's, but I'm enjoying life ;-)
15 pounds and a fountain pen. Fuck yeah!
Stephen, however, has realised his dreams of writing comedy, DJ-ing and "all those artistic things".
I wonder if he ever uses his 'Blockbusters' pen and sighs wistfully, thinking of those days?
Nice to see David Walliams of Little Britain fame on the left there.
Amazing that he achieved exactly what he wanted
Aww he's so adorable! But yeah, now I get what Ricky and Karl mean when they say he's 'sorted out his looks' over the years.
Look at those glasses! Aw, he's adorable. Love him. The look he gives at 1:37 cracks me up.
Where's the cut off point?
so nice to see that he's done everyting he wanted to do
They did it over 2 days. They made him come back the next day just for one question.
Wonder how he is going now I wonder if he ever did become a writer
All right! Stephen Merchant is from Bristol!
just so you know he did mention it back in the Old xfm shows when it was just him and Rick but to be fair- looking at him at this age- you can see why he didnt find it too proud to be of
Oh he was just ADORABLE!
Hey I'd love to see a video of you talking about the experience and seeing Stephen Merchant in his early days!
I can't believe they made him go and change shirts between filming the episodes, only for him to come back and fail to answer another question.
I've added a link to the video description. Somebody kindly posted it on youtube a couple of years ago!
Good for you! And thanks a million for uploading this :)
Funny how he never mentioned this on the radio shows.
you'd never imagine him to be such a hilarious wit looking at him here. he's a right gork!
lovin the way he says "yazz" at 1.16
8:44 has me in stitches every time, look at how stephen jerks from shock and anticipation.
Love to hear the clip of you on the Smerch radio show talking about it!!!!
I remember in an old Charlie Brooker column, Michael Aspel being described as 'A man so bland that he poos boiled eggs'.
@Joshua Hunt thank you! I'll keep it in mind as a future career! :)
But that's me you're talking about. 12 years ago.
Indeed, in fact there are a lot of things like that, if you also listen to their old XFM shows, you notice some of their conversations contain ideas that have cropped up in Extras, The Office and Ricky's stand-up shows. Its interesting to see the beginnings of their ideas.
He was doing well at the beginning!
Bit weird looking.... Steve
He has spoken about this on one of their radio/podcast shows :)
thanks for putting the result in the comments section.
d'oh
OMG THIS IS SO OLD HE LOOKS SO DIFFERENT :O
why was steve outnumbered? thanks for uploading!
LOL Steve's face right at the end...looks like he's saying "Fuck you all, losers!" inside his head. Classic.
I love the way he says Yazz!
So this is how they got the idea to have Blockbusters mentioned in season one of The Office. Brilliant!
For the first 5 minutes the on,y thought in my mind was "GOD DAMMIT STEVE, HOW THE HELL DID YOU NOT GUESS THAT!!!"
That's just adorable, really.
Go Roopam. You Kicked his lanky ass
I hope that someone animates this and replaces Steve with Wheatley
Ahhh right I've still not heard all the podcasts and I must have missed it or forgotten it in the XFM recordings
does anyone know which date this episode of Blockbusters was first aired on tv?
notice that Brent asks Ricky (the temp) one of the questions when talking about Blockbusters in 'the office"
I'm here, lmao! I find this all very funny ;-)
now i see where they got the inspiritation for the story line about ricky the temp being on 'blockbusters' during series one of 'the office'...even the yaz bit, haha.
8:44 i like the way we see steve jerk at that moment, yet her buzzer goes off. LOL
This was version on BBC2. It only ran for one season, and had Michael aspell hosting rather than the charming Bob Holness.
i remember this episode
yaz was one of the questions offered up by ricky the temp guy to david brent on the office 'yazoo, yaz! where's your cut off point'
This was the only version of Blockbusters to use a different theme song. It sounds similar to the original theme song but for some reason, BBC didn't want to use the exact same theme maybe to avoid having to pay royalties because of its license fee so that's probably why they made a new theme song as close as possible to the original but different enough.
yay roopam! great to hear you with steve, reunited!!
thankyou for uploading this, its brilliant
'yazz'
God the graphics are MIND BLOWING!
Who could have predicted watching this twelve years ago that this man would go on to co-star in a Hollywood film with the Rock?
Was this before he was famous? I'm in Australia, he and Ricky are just starting to be heard out this way :s
Anyone noticing The Office material in here? Yaz
The reason it's a two vs one game was to see ( in the original American adaptation ) if the old saying is true, that two heads are really better than one.
However there was a brief revival of this show in the late eighties where there were only one on one games.
I love when steve hits the buzzer, he puts his entire body into it... ROFL.
The question for Y was used in the office :L
This was a BBC2 version that only ran for one series. It was for all ages, rather than youngsters... I don't think many people saw it!
haha putting fings in envelopes he cracks me up
he got everything he wanted to do, and rightly so.
what a guy!
Didn't know aspel hosted this after bob holness. Was this on ITV as well?
these r the questions that the new guy asks brent in the office lol must have wrote them in from memory
@AshmoreVid Correction: Steve Merchant is a legend.
omg he looks so adorable!!!
WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THIS?!!! amazing find!!!!
Thank you!
Where's Holness? I don't remember Aspell ever presenting Blockbusters.
its crazy that he was actually on blockbusters..... and a few years later carl was doing rockbusters
I've thrown a kettle over a pub, what's Stephen ever done?
Id love to hear what RickyGervais would make of this, make a podcast just about this please!
You were a really good sport to phone in on Steve's show and have a laugh with him. I think even Steve saw your ability to take the joke like 10 years after the fact quite admirable.
On the topic of the video, I love how you can see Steve watching his envisioned victory slipping away. He did get crushed xD
Oh well done, you pasted him good and proper. :)
the fountain pen is the icing on the shit cake, poor steve ahaha
I just heard you in Steve's 6 Music show.
15 quid and a pen, that was worth the trip.
To even up the 2 vs 1 they designed it so the pair required a minimum of 5 correct answers (vs. the single player's 4) to complete the board.