House of Games, credited as Richard Osman's House of Games for its first nine series, is a British quiz show produced by Banijay UK Productions subsidiary Remarkable Entertainment for the BBC. The show is played on a weekly basis, with four celebrities playing on five consecutive days to win daily prizes, and the weekly prize of being crowned as "House of Games" champion. Points are accrued depending on where each celebrity finishes on each day and the points are doubled on Friday's show.
Richard Osman has hosted the show since its start in 2017. From late 2026 it will be hosted by actor Michael Sheen.
Contents
Format
Osman sits in a chair to the left of the screen, while the four celebrities sit in a line in individual chairs. Osman hits a button on his table, activating a round generator, which is displayed on a big screen. He then explains what the round is about and in what format it will take place – for example, whether it is a buzzer round, a pairs round, or one in which the players require use of their tablet computers. Five rounds are played each day, with the second round being played in pairs, and the final round always being "Answer Smash". The first round is quick general knowledge questions with a comic twist, such as rhyming words. The fourth round is typically "slow", where the question takes several minutes to be answered, and only one contestant receives a single point each time. In most games a point is awarded for each correct answer, but in "Answer Smash", points are also deducted for incorrect answers.
At the end of each day, the scores are announced and the winner wins a daily prize, which is usually a normal everyday object of some description with the "House of Games" logo imprinted on it (the logo being a turquoise-blue background with a depiction of Osman's hair, eyebrows and glasses). The points are then converted to four points for the winner, three for second place, two for third place and one for fourth place onto the weekly leader board; in Friday's "Double Points Friday" edition, the points awarded double to eight, six, four and two. The weekly winner receives the "House of Games" trophy (a silver cup with the Osman depiction on it) from Osman. If there are two players tied for first place at the end of the week, both players are declared joint winners and win a trophy each. In more recent episodes, a tie for first place is resolved by a tie-break question; the first to buzz in wins if they answer correctly or their opponent wins if they answer incorrectly.
Beginning with Series 3, special "House of Champions" episodes aired featuring players who had previously won a daily or weekly edition of the show coming back for another week to fight for the Gold Champions Trophy. There were also daily prizes, which were similar to the prizes on the regular version of the show. However, these prizes were mainly gold, rather than the turquoise-blue colour. From series 6 onwards, there were also special "Redemption" weeks with four previous losing contestants who had never won a day prize.
A week's worth of shows is recorded on a single day, so the celebrities are booked for only one day, changing outfits between shows.
Contestants
Weekly winners in bold.
Series 1
Week 1 (4–8 September 2017): Nish Kumar, Anneka Rice, Clara Amfo and Al Murray
Week 2 (11–15 September 2017): Angela Scanlon, Clive Myrie, Sara Pascoe and Rick Edwards
Week 3 (18–22 September 2017): Anita Rani, Chris Ramsey, Janet Ellis and Jamie Theakston
Series 2
Week 1 (28 May–1 June 2018): Naga Munchetty, Jordan Stephens, Sally Lindsay and David O'Doherty
Week 2 (4–8 June 2018): Ellie Taylor, Steve Pemberton, Fern Britton and Josh Widdicombe
Week 3 (11–15 June 2018): Shappi Khorsandi, Michael Buerk, Amanda Abbington and Elis James
Week 4 (18, 20, 20–22 June 2018): Beattie Edmondson, Amol Rajan, Gaby Roslin and Hugh Dennis
Week 5 (25–29 June 2018): Chizzy Akudolu, Charlie Higson, Kate Williams and Tom Allen
Week 6 (12–16 November 2018): Rachel Riley, JB Gill, Katie Derham and Richard Herring
Week 7 (19–23 November 2018): Lolly Adefope, Dan Walker, Sarah Greene and Miles Jupp
Week 8 (26–30 November 2018): Samantha Womack, Rory Reid, Anne Diamond and James Acaster
Week 9 (3–6, 8 December 2018): Kelly Cates, Tyger Drew-Honey, Desiree Burch and Matt Allwright
Week 10 (10–14 December 2018): Susie Dent, Nick Owen, Chemmy Alcott and Dane Baptiste
Series 3
Week 1 (7–11 October 2019): Miquita Oliver, Ed Gamble, Kate Thornton and Ade Edmondson
Week 2 (14–18 October 2019): Scarlett Moffatt, Iain Stirling, Angellica Bell and Gyles Brandreth
Week 3 (21–25 October 2019): Kate Humble, Ivo Graham, Andi Oliver and Phill Jupitus
Week 4 (28 October–1 November 2019): June Sarpong, Dev Griffin, Debbie McGee and Alex Horne
Week 5 (4–8 November 2019): Nina Wadia, Johnny Ball, Suzi Ruffell and Danny Wallace
Week 6 (11–15 November 2019): Jay Blades, Rachel Parris, Shaun Keaveny and Jan Ravens (tie between Parris and Ravens)
Week 7 (18–22 November 2019): Kate Bottley, John Thomson, YolanDa Brown and Joel Dommett
Week 8 (25–29 November 2019): Charlene White, Gregg Wallace, Holly Walsh and Chris Hollins
House of Champions Week 1 (2–5 and 7 December 2019): Scarlett Moffatt, Rick Edwards, Naga Munchetty and David O'Doherty
House of Champions Week 2 (9–13 December 2019): June Sarpong, Richard Herring, Kate Williams and Dane Baptiste
Week 9 (6–10 January 2020): Rose Matafeo, Rav Wilding, Valerie Singleton and Gary Delaney
Week 10 (13–17 January 2020): Andrea McLean, Phil Wang, Rita Simons and Adil Ray
Week 11 (20–24 January 2020): Michelle Ackerley, Matt Forde, Judy Murray and Fred MacAulay
Series 4
Week 1 (12–16 October 2020): Vikki Stone, Ade Adepitan, Jean Johansson and Stephen Mangan
Week 2 (19–23 October 2020): Mike Bushell, Aisling Bea, Sunetra Sarker and Dion Dublin
Week 3 (26–30 October 2020): Scott Mills, Josie d'Arby, Jayde Adams and Rufus Hound
Week 4 (2–6 November 2020): AJ Odudu, Neil Delamere, Mark Billingham and Lucy Porter
Week 5 (9–13 November 2020): Meera Syal, Steve Backshall, Catherine Bohart and Ranj Singh
Week 6 (16–20 November 2020): Melvin Odoom, Denise Van Outen, Greg Rutherford and Angela Barnes
Week 7 (23–27 November 2020): Denise Lewis, Rhys James, Isy Suttie and David James
Week 8 (30 November–4 December 2020): Sara Barron, Rickie Haywood-Williams, Jessica Fostekew and Anton Du Beke
Week 9 (7–11 December 2020): Alex Jones, Karim Zeroual, Jessica Knappett and Robert Rinder
Week 10 (14–17 and 20 December 2020): Steve Cram, Josie Long, Jeanette Kwakye and Lloyd Griffith
Week 11 (4–8 January 2021): Gabby Logan, Tim Key, Gemma Cairney and Jeff Stelling
Week 12 (11–15 January 2021): Alex Brooker, Sophie Duker, Charlotte Hawkins and David Baddiel
Week 13 (18–22 January 2021): Maisie Adam, Rory Bremner, Michelle Gayle and James Cracknell
Series 5
Week 1 (16, 18–20, 20 August 2021): Gareth Thomas, Olga Koch, Reeta Chakrabarti and Andrew Maxwell
Week 2 (23–27 August 2021): Jamali Maddix, Jodie Kidd, Suzi Perry and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Week 3 (30–31 August, 2–3, 3 September 2021): Joe Thomas, Lucy Beaumont, Jake Wood and Shazia Mirza
Week 4 (6–8, 10, 10 September 2021): Kevin Clifton, Kemah Bob, Victoria Derbyshire and JJ Chalmers
Week 5 (13–17 September 2021): Philip Glenister, Thanyia Moore, Mark Chapman and Kaye Adams
Week 6 (20–24 September 2021): Matthew Pinsent, Ruby Bhogal, Ingrid Oliver and Ed Byrne
Week 7 (27 September–1 October 2021): Cariad Lloyd, Dennis Taylor, Yasmine Akram and Geoff Norcott
Week 8 (4–8 October 2021): Jo Brand, Roger Black, Tiff Stevenson and Sanjeev Kohli
Week 9 (11–15 October 2021): Andy Hamilton, Sabrina Grant, Kirsty Wark and Matt Edmondson
Week 10 (18–22 October 2021): Joanne McNally, Bill Turnbull, Michelle Collins and Reginald D. Hunter
Week 11 (25–29 October 2021): Sean Fletcher, Kimberly Wyatt, Louise Minchin and Chris Washington
Week 12 (1–5 November 2021): Sarah Millican, Nabil Abdulrashid, Philippa Perry and Luke Kempner
Week 13 (8–12 November 2021): Mike Wozniak, Clare Balding, Mehreen Baig and Jamie Laing
Series 6
Week 1 (5–7 and 9–10 September 2022): Neil Morrissey, Hannah Cockroft, Rhys Stephenson and Penny Smith
Week 2 (12 and 14–17 September 2022): Jayne Middlemiss, Katya Jones, Phil Tufnell and Rob Deering
Week 3 (19–23 September 2022): Martin Offiah, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Val McDermid and Charlie Baker
Week 4 (26–30 September 2022): Natasha Raskin Sharp, Faye Tozer, Eddie Kadi and Charlie Stayt
Week 5 (3–7 October 2022): Joe Sugg, Kerry Howard, Evelyn Mok and Toby Anstis
Week 6 (10–14 October 2022): Roo Irvine, Claire Richards, John Kearns and Diarmuid Gavin
Week 7 (17–21 October 2022): Louis Emerick, Helen George, Justin Moorhouse and Cally Beaton
Redemption Week Week 1 (24–28 October 2022): Darren Harriott, Janet Ellis, Suzi Ruffell and Radzi Chinyanganya
Redemption Week Week 2 (31 October–4 November 2022): Jean Johansson, Iain Stirling, Sian Gibson and Rav Wilding
House of Champions Week 1 (7–11 November 2022): Laura Whitmore, Tim Key, Sunetra Sarker and Jamie Laing
House of Champions Week 2 (14–18 November 2022): Tom Rosenthal, Yasmine Akram, Ingrid Oliver and Stephen Mangan
House of Champions Week 3 (21–25 November 2022): Mike Wozniak, Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Cariad Lloyd and Gareth Malone
House of Champions Week 4 (28 November–2 December 2022): Stephen Bailey, Ria Lina, Charlie Brooks and John Thomson
Series 7
Week 1 (25–29 September 2023): Ken Bruce, Perri Shakes-Drayton, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Alice Roberts (tie between Bruce and Smith-Bynoe, were both declared champions)
Week 2 (2–6 October 2023): Chris Hughes, Toyah Willcox, Inel Tomlinson and Debra Stephenson
Week 3 (9–13 October 2023): James Buckley, Amy Gledhill, Romilly Weeks and Gary Wilmot
Week 4 (16–20 October 2023): Tyler West, Bonnie Langford, Charlie Hedges and Myra DuBois
Week 5 (23–27 October 2023): Lemn Sissay, Sam Quek, Kirsty Gallacher and Larry Dean
Week 6 (30 October–3 November 2023): Max George, Olly Smith, Scarlette Douglas and Susie McCabe
Week 7 (6–10 November 2023): Sinitta, Maisie Smith, Jimi Famurewa and William Hanson
Week 8 (13–17 November 2023): Toussaint Douglass, Sheree Murphy, Sian Williams and Mark Foster
Week 9 (20–24 November 2023): Aurie Styla, Jennie Bond, James Bye and Kadeena Cox
Week 10 (27 November–1 December 2023): Clive Anderson, Lutalo Muhammad, Sara Davies and Alison Spittle
Week 11 (4–8 December 2023): Malorie Blackman, Matt Dawson, Chris McCausland and Ranvir Singh
Week 12 (1–5 January 2024): Jenny Eclair, Dianne Buswell, Owain Wyn Evans and Adam Gemili
Week 13 (8–12 January 2024): Johnny Cochrane, Shobna Gulati, Dermot Murnaghan and Laura Smyth
Series 8
Week 1 (23–27 September 2024): Vogue Williams, Xand van Tulleken, Michaela Strachan and Ahir Shah
Week 2 (30 September–4 October 2024): Laurence Rickard, Michael Ball, Snoochie Shy and Jodie Prenger
Week 3 (7–11 October 2024): Jacqui Joseph, Ben Thompson, Laura Tobin and Henning Wehn
Week 4 (14–18 October 2024): Catherine Tyldesley, Anthony Ogogo, Sam Campbell and Cherry Healey
Week 5 (21–25 October 2024): Emma Sidi, Alexei Sayle, Kelle Bryan and Antony Costa
Week 6 (28 October–1 November 2024): Jordan Banjo, Ellie White, Siân Lloyd and Nick Pickard (tie between Banjo and White, were both declared champions)
Week 7 (4–8 November 2024): Iwan Thomas, Tessa Sanderson, Deirdre O'Kane and Jay Rayner
Week 8 (11–15 November 2024): Mark Rhodes, Sonia, Molly Rainford and Josh Jones
Week 9 (18–22 November 2024): Cheryl Baker, Sophie Willan, Axel Blake and Chris Bavin
Week 10 (25–29 November 2024): Nikki Fox, Ignacio Lopez, Ruthie Henshall and Danny John-Jules
Week 11 (2–6 December 2024): Ardal O'Hanlon, Josie Gibson, Adele Roberts and Simon Armitage
Week 12 (6–10 January 2025): Helen Skelton, Lara Ricote, Ben Bailey Smith and Robin Ince
Week 13 (13–17 January 2025): Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Jasmine Takhar, Joe Swash and Ania Magliano
Series 9
Week 1 (29 September–3 October 2025): Melanie Bracewell, Mark Steel, Ruth Madeley and Jenny Powell
Week 2 (6–10 October 2025): Yinka Bokinni, Peter Serafinowicz, Vicki Michelle and Ellie Leach
Week 3 (13–17 October 2025): Jack P. Shepherd, Joanna Page, Una Healy and Emmanuel Sonubi
Week 4 (20–24 October 2025): John Parrott, Sheli McCoy, Katie Piper and Kola Bokinni
Week 5 (27–31 October 2025): Jack Carroll, Dani Harmer, Shivi Ramoutar and Dominic Littlewood
Week 6 (3–7 November 2025): Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Megan McCubbin, Ashley Storrie and Adam Woodyatt
Week 7 (10–14 November 2025): Ria Hebden, Paddy McGuinness, Vittorio Angelone and Aimee Fuller
Week 8 (17–21 November 2025): Stevie Martin, Anna Haugh, Mark Ramprakash and Andrew Cotter
Week 9 (24–28 November 2025): Nathan Bryon, Spencer Matthews, Rosie Ramsey and Ruth Langsford
Week 10 (1–5 December 2025): Josh Pugh, Giovanna Fletcher, Montell Douglas and Will Bayley
Week 11 (5–9 January 2026): Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Amy Dowden, Humphrey Ker and Huge Davies
Week 12 (12–16 January 2026): Hammed Animashaun, Lorna Watson, Adam Buxton and Lisa Snowdon
Week 13 (19–23 January 2026): Nadia Jae, Tamzin Outhwaite, Nigel Planer and Steen Raskopoulos
Festive
Festive Series 1
Week 1 (19–23 December 2022): Ivo Graham, Clare Balding, Su Pollard and Ugo Monye
Week 2 (26–30 December 2022): Brian Conley, Scarlett Moffatt, Anneka Rice and Phil Wang (tie between Moffatt and Rice, were both declared champions)
Festive Series 2
Week 1 (18–22 December 2023): Jessica Knappett, Richie Anderson, Debbie McGee and Simon Gregson
Week 2 (26–30 December 2023): Harry Judd, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Hugh Dennis and Kerry Godliman
Festive Series 3
Week 1 (23–24, 26–27 and 29 December 2024): Jim Howick, Susan Wokoma, Rebecca Lucy Taylor and Matt Morsia
Week 2 (30 December 2024 – 3 January 2025): Jennie McAlpine, Jon Richardson, Desiree Burch and Gareth Malone
Festive Series 4
Week 1 (22–24, 26 and 28 December 2025): Mel Giedroyc, Charles Venn, Mathew Baynton and Harriet Kemsley
Week 2 (29 December 2025 – 2 January 2026): Joanna Page, Rhys Darby, Molly Rainford and Alex Brooker
Spin-offs
Richard Osman's House of Games Night
On 20 November 2020, Osman launched a five-episode spin-off called Richard Osman's House of Games Night, broadcast weekly in primetime on BBC One. A one-episode Christmas Special aired on 28 December 2020. A second series, consisting of six episodes, began on 1 October 2021.
The series follows the exact same format as the main show, but with the addition of rounds not seen in the original. There are no double points in the final episode. Series 2 features a house band led by David O'Doherty. In 2022, House of Games Night was cancelled
after two series.
Series 1: Jennifer Saunders, Jermaine Jenas, Roisin Conaty and Jason Manford
Christmas Special: Sarah Hadland, Alex Horne, Charlene White and Craig Revel Horwood
Series 2, Group 1: Ed Gamble, Sian Gibson, Dara Ó Briain and Sindhu Vee
Series 2, Group 2: Steph McGovern, Ben Miller, Janette Manrara and Ed Balls (tie between McGovern and Balls)
Merchandise
On 17 October 2019, Osman and Alan Connor published Richard Osman's House of Games: 101 new & classic games from the hit BBC series, a quizbook based on the programme.