''Going for a Song'' is a British

game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...

that originally aired on

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

from 6 October 1965 to 16 October 1977 and hosted by

Max Robertson William Maxwell Robertson (28 August 1915 – 20 November 2009) was a sports commentator, radio and television presenter and author. He is best remembered for his forty years of tennis coverage on BBC Radio. Life and career Robertson was ...

, with

Arthur Negus Arthur George Negus, OBE (1903–1985) was a British television personality and antiques expert, specialising in furniture. Biography Negus was born in Reading, Berkshire, to Amy Julia Worsley and father Arthur George Negus Sr, a cabinet mak ...

appearing as the resident expert and antique valuer. It was revived on the same channel from 29 August 1995 to 3 February 2002, the revival was first hosted by

Michael Parkinson Sir Michael Parkinson (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his television talk show '' Parkinson'' from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007, as well as other talk shows and programmes both in the U ...

from 1995 to 1999, then hosted by

Anne Robinson Anne Josephine Robinson (born 26 September 1944) is an English television presenter and journalist. She was the host of BBC game show ''The Weakest Link'' (2000–2017). She presented the Channel 4 game show ''Countdown'' from June 2021 to July ...

in 2000 and finally hosted by

Michael Aspel Michael Terence Aspel (born 12 January 1933) is an English retired television newsreader and host of programmes such as '' Crackerjack'', ''Aspel & Company'', ''Give Us a Clue'', '' This is Your Life'', '' Strange but True?'' and ''Antiques Ro ...

from 2001 to 2002, with

Eric Knowles Eric Knowles FRSA (born 19 February 1953 in Nelson, Lancashire, England) is a British antiquarian and television personality, whose main interests are in ceramics and glass. Early life Knowles joined the London auction house Bonhams as a porte ...

as the resident antiques expert for the entire run of the revival.

Format

The host would introduce an antique to a panel of antique experts, valuers and celebrity panellists who would examine the object and give its date and value. The antiques expert would then present its actual age and worth. Midway through the show, the host would also present a piece of furniture which he would give detailed information about; this was done to effectively break the show into two segments and allow the panelists to relax and listen midway through the show.

References

External links

* * * 1965 British television series debuts 2002 British television series endings 1960s British game shows 1970s British game shows 1990s British game shows 2000s British game shows Antiques television series BBC television game shows British television series revived after cancellation English-language television shows Television series by All3Media {{BBC-tv-prog-stub