Challenge

Challenge is a United Kingdom digital TV channel that mostly airs programmes dedicated to game shows like Takeshi's Castle. It is on the UK Challenge edit of the show that Craig Charles starred as the commentator who also coined the term "Keshi Head", a name for devoted fans of the show. Repeats of the show aired until the contract ended in 2019 with an average of 130,000 viewers an episode and they currently have no plans to reshow it.
In 2013 Challenge created and aired a new series of Takeshi's Castle, Takeshi's Castle Rebooted, as a response to a petition created by the fan site Keshi Heads. Repeats of this show aired less frequently until late-2010's and was aired in less popular slots.
==Description (2006)==
Taken from the Challenge TV website from 2006.
Monday to Friday at 6.30pm
Takeshi's Castle was originally in Japanese, so we've enlisted the splendid Craig Charles (Robot Wars and Red Dwarf) to explain what's going on. The castle in question is guarded by Count Takeshi and his henchman. They're present to impede the progress of 100 eager contestants who take part in a variety of extremely silly but physically challenging games.
These include climbing slippery walls, running through mud, human Velcro games and carrying buns in their mouths. Once the number is whittled down, the tasks get harder as Takeshi's henchmen up the ante.
The last volunteers face the Emerald Guard in the Final Showdow - and they'll do whatever it takes to protect the big man. Takeshi's Castle is cult viewing and continues a long tradition of shows in which Japanese contestants put up with humiliation to win prizes.
==Description (2011)==
Taken from the Challenge TV website from 2011.
Takeshi's Castle is one of the world's most recognized programs ever to be aired in Japan.
After its enormously popular run of 129 episodes in Japan (1986-1989), it went on to air in many countries world-wide including through Europe, North and South America and many parts of Asia.
The show was hosted by one of Japan's most recognized media celebrity, Takeshi Kitano (also known as "Beat" Takeshi). The success of Takeshi's Castle was mainly rooted in the humour provided by contestants who go through obstacle courses and games designed to make them fail and often slip, fall and get dirty in the classic slapstick sense. This coupled with the sheer size and complexity of some of the games, made Takeshi's Castle one of the most unique and funniest shows ever created.
The programme starts with over one hundred contestants. Beat Takeshi (comedian and star of the show) plays the role of the lord that controls the castle and its "fortifications", which are a variety of giant purposefully hilarious obstacles that the contestants must overcome. Takeshi is assisted by a band of cohorts in various costumes who operate some of the obstacles and provide some more humor.
More than one hundred different obstacles and games were invented and used in the series. Ten different games are usually used in each one-hour episode.
By the final game, enough contestants are eliminated so that there will be only five or so contestants. The games, which are the heart of the programme, are designed to make participants fail in a humorous way, though there are always some successful ones.
==Trailer list==
During the 17 years Challenge TV aired this show, they had no less than 11 trailers just for the show itself (not including compilations).
see Takeshi's Castle (UK & Ireland) for the trailer list.
== History and presentation ==
Note: this section is incomplete, please expand if possible.
Year 	Description 	Logo	Ident example
2002-2003 	Takeshi's Castle first aired in November 2002 originally as a 30 minute filler. 	 	
2003-2004 	In September 2003, another rebrand happened, with all trailer endboards featuring a red background with text and 10 animated idents (5 day, 5 evening). These included a man throwing a toast into the toaster, a table roulette to see who gets the cake and people surfing on random kitchenware around the floor.
From that period, more Japanese gameshows aired for the first time including Sushi TV presented by Julian Clary, later narrated by Craig Charles with a look at random Japanese TV clips from various shows, Extreme Endurance based on the Japanese show "Za Gaman", Iron Chef, a Japanese cook-off show & two 5 minute fillers called Incredible Edible Challenge & Drunken Businessmen.	 	
2004-2006 	In November 2004, Challenge had another new look, this time featuring idents based on quotes from various types of common games from the general public. The endboards featured a white background with red text. 	 	
2006-2008 	In October 2007, Ninja Warrior aired on Challenge based on the Japanese show, SASUKE. This was narrated by Stuart Hall for 4 years before being replaced by Jim North. 	 	
2008-2011 	In summer 2008, Unbeatable Banzuke aired on Challenge presented by Brian Blessed (aka. Banzuke Brian) and is based on the Japanese show, Muscle Ranking. This was the final new Japanese show to air on the channel.
After a few months break, Takeshi's Castle returned to screens in September 2009 with all new animated graphics and some brightness/contrast touch ups on some episodes (particularly series 1)
Challenge launched on Freeview in February 2011 for the first time meaning more viewers could watch the show.	 	
2011-2013 	In 2012, Challenge launched a new late night strand called "Challenge Late Zone" which aired TNA Wrestling and from March 2013, the premiere of Takeshi's Castle Rebooted, a new 6 part show hosted by Dick and Dom which didn't go very well with viewers.	 	
2013-2016 	TBC 	 	
2016-present	In 2019, the Craig Charles version of Takeshi's Castle aired for the very last time. 	 	
===Endcaps===
2002	Logo 	Endcap
2002	Used from S1 Ep1 to S1 Ep40, also used for best of S1 	
2003	Used from S2 Ep1 to Special 10, also used for best-of S2, S3 & S4	
Category:Takeshi's Castle
Category:Takeshi's Castle (UK)
Category:Television Channels