Presenter Richard Osman has opened up about the challenges of pre-recording his hit BBC show, House of Games.
Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Richard revealed the meticulous planning required for the show.
The gameshow wrapped up filming for the year back in the summer.
Richard Osman recorded all House of Games episodes back-to-back
“You record them when everyone is available, and you record them all in one go,” the presenter explained in July. “Last week was the last bit of filming for this year, so we’re not going back into the studio this year.”
While the process may seem efficient, Richard’s co-host, Marina Hyde, raised a concern about the risks of pre-recording so far in advance.
“I hope none of your contestants are involved in a huge scandal, e.g., in November, and then you’ll start with someone on the Christmas [shows] who has done something absolutely unspeakable,” she quipped.
Richard admitted this was a real concern.
“Don’t,” he said. “Of course, it’s the nightmare. Anytime you ever do anything in advance, it’s the complete nightmare.”
House of Games quickly became a fan-favourite
Beyond potential controversies, Richard highlighted another frustration with pre-recording: the uncertainty of broadcast schedules.
At the time of filming, the BBC had yet to confirm the exact air dates for the upcoming Christmas episodes.
“Because Christmas is on a Wednesday, the BBC is still not sure what day it is going to go out,” Richard revealed.
“So I’m presenting it, firstly I can’t say, ‘It’s Monday’s House of Games,’ which I like to say because it could go across a week – we don’t absolutely know. Secondly, I don’t know what day is [the show’s] Christmas Day, I don’t know if it’s pre-Christmas or post-Christmas.”
Richard admitted that this lack of clarity affects his connection with the viewers.
“The one thing I love doing when presenting TV shows is thinking about what the viewers are doing when I’m presenting,” he explained.
House of Games debuted in 2017 and quickly became a fan favourite. The show pits four celebrities against one another in a variety of fast-paced games.
Richard’s witty hosting and the show’s unique format have made it a staple of BBC programming.
Despite his departure from Pointless in 2022 to focus on his writing career, Richard is committed to House of Games.
In addition to his television work, the star has been busy with other ventures.
This includes the upcoming Netflix adaptation of his best-selling novel, The Thursday Murder Club.
Sharing a behind-the-scenes snapshot of a director’s chair from the set in July, Richard teased fans with the caption: “Oh, it’s HAPPENING.”
Read more: Richard Osman performs Gregg Wallace U-turn after ‘sticking up for him’ earlier this year
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