# Family Fortunes

Family Fortunes is a British television game show based on the American game show Family Feud. The programme ran on ITV from 6 January 1980 to 6 December 2002. A celebrity version, All Star Family Fortunes, followed from 2006 to 2015. In 2020, the original version of the show returned after 17 years with Gino D'Acampo as host which ran until 2023. A third series of 10 episodes was planned for broadcast but was shelved in February 2025 following sexual allegations aimed towards D'Acampo on other ITV shows. It was later replaced by the 2024 reboot of Wheel of Fortune, hosted by Graham Norton. On 17 February 2025, it was rumored that comedian, television presenter and actor Joel Dommett wants to replace D'Acampo as the new presenter of Family Fortunes.
The game involves two families each consisting of five members providing answers to 'everyday questions' that were surveyed by 100 members of the British public before the show to win prizes (mainly cash). The top answers to the surveys are displayed on a large electronic board, christened by Bob Monkhouse as "Mr. Babbage".
Monkhouse was responsible for changing the name of the show to Family Fortunes as he felt that "feud" sounded too aggressive.

## Hosts and presentation

Family Fortunes was first hosted by comedian Bob Monkhouse (1980–83), followed by singer and entertainer Max Bygraves (1983–85). The show returned on 27 June 1987 with Les Dennis as presenter and remained on air for the next 15 years. It was then moved to a daily daytime slot, hosted by Andy Collins.
The most well-known aspects of the show are the large computer screen (named "Mr Babbage" by original host Bob Monkhouse) and the famous computerised sound used when wrong answers are given. The computer screen name, "Mr Babbage", was in recognition of the English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer Charles Babbage, who originated the concept of a programmable computer. During the Monkhouse and Bygraves era, the board was also used to show the closing credits at the end of the episode. In 1987, a completely different board was used for the first Dennis series, however a board similar to the original Mr Babbage one was used from the following year until its end in 2002. Both the All-Star and 2020 versions use a video wall for the board.

## Format

Two family teams, each consisting of five members, are asked to guess the results of surveys in which 100 people would be asked open-ended questions (e.g., "We asked 100 people to name any animal that lives wild in the United Kingdom" or "We asked 100 people to name a food you smell to be sure it's fresh"). Although rarely acknowledged during the programme, the 100 people surveyed are invariably audience members who have volunteered before the show or the families themselves who would be asked questions for the next series.
Each round begins with a member of each family (in rotation, meaning all players do this at least once) approaching the podium. As the question is read, the first of the two nominees to hit the buzzer gives an answer. If it is not the most popular answer, the other nominee is asked. If both nominees fail to give an answer that is on the board, the next members of each family are chosen to answer the question, starting in the same order as the first two nominees. The family with the more popular answer then chooses whether to "play" the question or "pass" control to the other family.
The host then passes down the line of the controlling team, asking for an answer from each member. After each answer, the board reveals whether it features. If not or if they can not come up with an answer in time, the family is charged with a strike (marked with an X), losing control of the board upon their third strike (officially known as striking out in the official rules) in the round. If a family manages to come up with all the answers before striking out, they win the amount in pounds of the total number of people who had given the answers.
If a family strikes out, the opponent is given the chance to "steal" by coming up with an answer that may be amongst those missing. Only the head family member (the first family member or the designated captain) may give the answer after consultation. If the answer is present, this family wins the round and is said to have "stolen" the money. Otherwise, the family that plays the board keeps the money.
On celebrity specials, each top answer adds a bonus of £200 (later £250) to that family's charity.

### Double Money

Following three rounds before a commercial break (two rounds in series 1), "Double Money" is played. Gameplay is the same as in the first rounds, but each answer is now worth £2 for each person who said it, and there are generally fewer possible answers. The family who passed £300 (£200 in series 1) first goes through to play "Big Money" (known in some overseas versions as "Fast Money") for the jackpot. On the 2020 revival, the fifth and sixth questions score double points (for the sixth question, each family nominates one person to answer the question from the podium) and the losing family receives £2 per point and a "Family Fortunes buzzer" doorbell. The winning family would be guaranteed ten times their winning score.

### Big Money

This involves two contestants (out of the five in the family team) answering five questions that fit with those given by the 100 people surveyed each within a narrow time limit. The first contestant answers the five questions within 15 seconds (20 in the revival). Then the second contestant (who was out of earshot) answers within 20 seconds (25 in the revival), the extra time being to allow for the likelihood of them repeating the first contestant's answer. If this happens, they are asked for another one. Each point gives the family £2 (£10 per point in the revival), up to £398 (£1,990 in the revival), and those points would be added to their earlier winnings. If they get 200 points or more from the ten answers, they then win the top cash prize.
From 1994 onwards, a bonus star prize was available for naming all five "top" (most popular) answers and scoring 200 points. The star prize couldn't be won if they failed to score at least 200 points even if all five top answers had been named.
In the 2020 revival, the top answers were not revealed until after the second contestant gave their answers and their point values were shown, an element that was previously seen in the All-Stars version of the show.

## Cash and prizes

The top cash prize in "Big Money" during the first series (1980) was £1,000. From the second series (1981), the prize started at £1,000, then rose by £500 weekly if no one won, to a limit of £3,000 (£2,500 from 1981 to 1982), which it could stay at for more than one week if it still was not won. Once the prize was won, it reverted to £1,000 for the next edition. In the 1987 series, it started at £1,000 and, if not won, rose by £1,000 per week to a maximum of £3,000. From the 1988 series, the prize was fixed at £3,000. After the abolition of the IBA's prize limits, the top prize rose to £5,000 from 1996. The money had to be shared out between contestants.
The bonus star prize was always a family car between 1994 and 1998. From 1998 to 2002, contestants had the choice of either a car or a holiday for up to twelve people. The car suppliers were Honda in 1994, SEAT in 1995 and Daewoo between 1996 and 2002. On the all-star specials, 200 points along with all five top responses donated £5,000 to both teams.
During the programme's brief daytime run in 2002, the prize values were reduced significantly. If the contestants scored over 200 points, they won £1,000 and if they found five top answers, it was increased to £3,000. As with the previous prizes, the £3,000 could only be won if the family scored 200+ points.
In the 2020 revival, the top cash prize is £10,000, which would be tripled to £30,000 if one or both contestants named all of the top answers.
From the second series in 1981 onward, spot prizes were available in the main game, turning up seemingly at random when certain answers were found. These ranged from household appliances like washing machines, vacuum cleaners and toasters, to home entertainment goods such as televisions, video cassette recorders and camcorders. During the two series hosted by Bygraves, if a contestant won a music prize such as a record player, he would usually throw in one of his own LP's as a bonus. In later series, when prize limits were lifted, some of the spot prizes on offer included short weekend breaks away or shopping vouchers.

## Transmissions
### Original

| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes | Recorded | Presenter |
| 1 | 6 January 1980 | 13 July 1980 | 26 | 1979–1980 | Bob Monkhouse |
| 2 | 9 January 1981 | 11 July 1981 | 26 | 1980 | Bob Monkhouse |
| 3 | 12 December 1981 | 4 September 1982 | 30 | 1981 | Bob Monkhouse |
| 4 | 31 December 1982 | 24 June 1983 | 26 | 1982–1983 | Bob Monkhouse |
| 5 | 14 October 1983 | 8 April 1984 | 24 | 1983 | Max Bygraves |
| 6 | 18 January 1985 | 31 May 1985 | 18 | 1984 | Max Bygraves |
| 7 | 27 June 1987 | 29 August 1987 | 26 | 1987 | Les Dennis |
| 7 | 10 April 1988 | 31 July 1988 | 26 | 1987 | Les Dennis |
| 8 | 23 September 1988 | 16 December 1988 | 26 | 1988 | Les Dennis |
| 8 | 9 April 1989 | 2 July 1989 | 26 | 1988 | Les Dennis |
| 9 | 1 September 1989 | 22 December 1989 | 17 | 1989 | Les Dennis |
| 10 | 31 August 1990 | 28 December 1990 | 18 | 1990 | Les Dennis |
| 11 | 29 November 1991 | 18 April 1992 | 20 | 1991 | Les Dennis |
| 12 | 10 July 1992 | 1 January 1993 | 21 | 1992 | Les Dennis |
| 13 | 10 September 1993 | 31 December 1993 | 17 | 1993 | Les Dennis |
| 14 | 1 October 1994 | 15 April 1995 | 22 | 1994 | Les Dennis |
| 15 | 1 September 1995 | 26 January 1996 | 22 | 1995 | Les Dennis |
| 16 | 31 August 1996 | 8 March 1997 | 26 | 1996 | Les Dennis |
| 17 | 13 September 1997 | 21 February 1998 | 21 | 1997 | Les Dennis |
| 18 | 31 August 1998 | 25 June 1999 | 26 | 1998 | Les Dennis |
| 19 | 25 September 1999 | 11 July 2000 | 26 | 1999 | Les Dennis |
| 20 | 16 September 2000 | 13 January 2002 | 24 | 2000 | Les Dennis |
| 21 | 4 May 2002 | 31 August 2002 | 10 | 2001 | Les Dennis |
| 22 | 2 September 2002 | 23 December 2002 | 80 | 2002 | Andy Collins |

### Revival

| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes | Recorded | Presenter |
| 1 | 20 September 2020 | 3 January 2021 | 10 | 2020 | Gino D'Acampo |
| 2 | 12 September 2021 | 27 December 2021 | 20 | 2021 | Gino D'Acampo |
| 2 | 23 October 2022 | 20 November 2022 | 20 | 2021 | Gino D'Acampo |
| 2 | 16 April 2023 | 4 June 2023 | 20 | 2021 | Gino D'Acampo |

### Ratings
#### Series 18

| Episode no. | Air date | Viewers (millions) | ITV weekly ranking |
| 1 | 31 August 1998 | — | — |
| 2 | 7 September 1998 | — | — |
| 3 | 21 September 1998 | 5.95 | 28 |
| 4 | 28 September 1998 | 6.47 | 29 |
| 5 | 3 October 1998 | 7.05 | 23 |
| 6 | 10 October 1998 | 7.17 | 25 |
| 7 | 17 October 1998 | 7.08 | 27 |
| 8 | 24 October 1998 | 7.38 | 29 |
| 9 | 31 October 1998 | 7.30 | 29 |
| 10 | 7 November 1998 | 7.34 | 27 |
| 11 | 28 November 1998 | 7.54 | 27 |
| 12 | 5 December 1998 | 8.23 | 26 |
| 13 | 12 December 1998 | 7.27 | 27 |
| 14 | 19 December 1998 | 7.20 | 29 |
| 15 | 23 January 1999 | 7.47 | 25 |
| 16 | 30 January 1999 | 7.71 | 29 |
| 17 | 6 February 1999 | 7.70 | 30 |
| 18 | 13 February 1999 | 7.87 | 30 |
| 19 | 20 February 1999 | 7.52 | 25 |
| 20 | 27 February 1999 | 8.04 | 25 |
| 21 | 11 May 1999 | 7.87 | 18 |
| 22 | 24 May 1999 | 7.97 | 13 |
| 23 | 31 May 1999 | 6.40 | 25 |
| 24 | 11 June 1999 | — | — |
| 25 | 18 June 1999 | 6.17 | 21 |
| 26 | 25 June 1999 | 5.40 | 27 |

## All Star Family Fortunes

A celebrity revival of the show presented by Vernon Kay began airing on 28 October 2006 and ended on 14 June 2015 after its eleventh series.

### Format

In this version, the game ends after four rounds (five during the hour-long series with two or three Single and two Double), ignoring the 'first to 300 points' rule that the previous incarnations employed, and the losing family receives a consolation prize of the greater of £1,000 or £10 times their score (£3 per point in series 1). Also in Big Money, the celebrity automatically plays the final, meaning that only one other member needs to be picked. If they get 200 points or more from the ten answers, they win £10,000 for their chosen charity, which would be tripled if they get all five top answers, and if they score less than 200 points, those points plus their earlier score would be multiplied by £10 (£3 per point in series 1).

### Transmissions

| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
| 1 | 28 October 2006 | 23 December 2006 | 8 |
| 2 | 27 October 2007 | 5 January 2008 | 10 |
| 3 | 13 September 2008 | 17 January 2009 | 13 |
| 4 | 20 September 2009 | 27 February 2010 | 17 |
| 5 | 11 September 2010 | 25 December 2010 | 15 |
| 6 | 20 August 2011 | 25 December 2011 | 11 |
| 7 | 11 February 2012 | 27 December 2012 | 15 |
| 8 | 6 January 2013 | 3 March 2013 | 9 |
| 9 | 29 June 2013 | 3 August 2013 | 6 |
| 10 | 28 December 2013 | 2 March 2014 | 10 |
| 11 | 28 December 2014 | 14 June 2015 | 11 |

### International versions

| Country | Local name | Host | Network | Air date |
| Australia | All Star Family Feud | Grant Denyer | Network Ten | 2016–2018 |
| Belgium | Familieraad (2014) | Chris Van den Durpel | vtm | 2014 |
| Germany | Familien-Duell - Prominenten-Special | Daniel Hartwich | RTL | 2013 |
| Ghana | Family Feud Ghana | Steve Harvey | TV3 | 2020–present |
| Indonesia | New Famili 100 | Tukul Arwana | Indosiar | 2013 |
| South Africa | Family Feud South Africa | Steve Harvey | e.tv | 2020–present |
| United States | Celebrity Family Feud | Al Roker | NBC | 2008 |
| United States | Celebrity Family Feud | Steve Harvey | ABC | 2015–present |
| United States | ¿Qué dicen los famosos? | Rodrigo Vidal | Telemundo | 2022–present |

#### Similar elements to All Star Family Fortunes

| Country | Local name | Host | Network | Air date |
| Bangladesh | Family Feud | Tahsan Rahman Khan | NTV Bongo | 2025-present |
| Cambodia | Family Feud Cambodia | Pen Chamrong | PNN | 2019-2021 |
| Greece | Fast Money! | Markos Seferlis | ANT1 | 2012 |
| Greece | Άκου Τι Είπαν! Βραδιάτικα | Christos Ferentinos | Alpha TV | 2014-2016 |
| Greece | Άκου Τι Είπαν! | Christos Ferentinos | Alpha TV | 2014-2016 |
| India | Family Fortunes | RJ Mantra | Big Magic | 2015–2016 |
| Indonesia | Super Family | Darius Sinathrya | antv | 2009–2011 |
| Indonesia | New Famili 100 | Tukul Arwana | Indosiar | 2013–2015 |
| Ireland | Alan Hughes' Family Fortunes | Alan Hughes | TV3 | 2012–2014 |
| Myanmar | မိသားစုပြိုင်ပွဲ | Kaung Htet Zaw | Channel 7 | 2016–2022 |
| Peru | 100 peruanos dicen | Bruno Pinasco | América Televisión | 2013 |
| Philippines | Family Feud | Richard Gomez Dingdong Dantes | GMA Network | 2008-2010 |
| Philippines | Family Feud | Luis Manzano | ABS-CBN | 2016-2017 |
| Turkey | Birimiz Hepimiz Için | Mehmet Ali Erbil | Star TV | 2009 |
| Turkey | Aileler Yarişiyor | Ufuk Özkan | TRT 1 | 2012–2014 |
| Ukraine | Просто шоу | Yuriy Horbunov | 1+1 | 2013 |