The Button (TV series)


The Button is a British game show produced by Avalon Television. It aired on BBC One and features teams of families who participate in challenges at random intervals throughout the day for cash prizes. The families interact with "the button" who sets the challenges. At the end of the episode, the family which has won the money can choose to keep it and not appear on the next episode, or can appear next time but risk losing the money they have won.
The show was promoted as "a cross between Gogglebox and Taskmaster", and was created by the same team that created Taskmaster.

History

In August 2017, producers were looking for contestants to take part in the programme. The show was scheduled to start filming in October 2017. It first aired on 20 April 2018 on BBC One.

Participants

Bold indicates that the participants won the episode.
Italic indicates that the participants won the previous episode but returned and lost the episode.
Bold/Italic indicates that the participants won and took the money.
EpisodeDateFamily 1Family 2Family 3Family 4Family 5
120 April 2018The GarstonsThe HallsThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe McCulloughs
227 April 2018The GarstonsThe HallsThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe McCulloughs
34 May 2018The GarstonsThe UtleysThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe McCulloughs
411 May 2018The GarstonsThe UtleysThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe McCulloughs
518 May 2018The GarstonsThe UtleysThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe Mohammeds
625 May 2018The GarstonsThe UtleysThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe Mohammeds
71 June 2018The GarstonsThe UtleysThe Ward/MillsThe MarchantsThe Mohammeds
88 June 2018The GarstonsThe UtleysThe Jacob MedleysThe MarchantsThe Mohammeds

Game

When the Button turns from green to red the contestants have to hit it to be set a challenge. All five families have to complete the same challenge, and the family to complete it the fastest will win the prize money for that challenge. There are five challenge per episode with the first challenge being worth £1,000, the second being worth £2,000 and so on. The family who wins the most money in an episode can choose to exit the series banking their prize money. However, they can also choose to play the next episode rolling over their prize money with an additional £10,000 bonus but if they lose the next episode then they lose all their money.
The challenges themselves are all completed in the families living rooms where the Button is placed. The challenges vary greatly, some examples include:
The List gave the game show, 3/5, The Custard TV said that "the game show borrows heavily from Gogglebox", The Guardian gave the game show 2/5, Radio Times said that "Viewers had provoked a strong reaction, with many taking to social media to express feelings of deep hatred or love for the series opener".

Transmissions