Just as had happened in 1988, when Jeux Sans Frontières returned after six years and the BBC transmitted their last It's A Knockout, in 1999 one door opened as another closed. In reaction to escalating costs, Jeux Sans Frontières 1999 series was to be it's last, for the time being at least. Meanwhile, the British domestic It's A Knockout series returned after a complete absence from British screens of eleven years, this time in a new home on Channel 5 Television. Hiring former producer, Cecil Korer, to act as advisor, they set about repackaging and updating It's A Knockout for a British audience at the turn of the Millennium. The series, presented by Keith Chegwin with Frank Bruno, Nell McAndrew and Lucy Alexander, debuted just eleven days after Jeux Sans Frontières had ended on the Continent. Times were changing and there was a big question mark over whether a 1960s format could still prove a hit in the late 1990s. Initially, the series did well, but it failed to build on its good first-night ratings and henceforth struggled to keep its audience. Despite this, it lived on to fight another day, and gained a place in Channel 5's 2000 schedules.

Shifting the focus to the 1999 series of Jeux Sans Frontières... Yet again, the number of participants dropped by one, with two 1998 countries dropping out - Netherlands and Portugal - with Slovenia returning for the last hurrah. As it turned out, they did quite well out of it, winning three separate heats - a feat also matched by Switzerland. Italy, whose performances throughout the history of JSF could best be described as erratic, won their fourth championship with a keenly fought victory in the International Final by Bolzano Sudtirol, narrowly beating teams from Greece and Hungary. The number of editions this year was cut down to just seven heats and the final, with the action coming from Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy.

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Entrants 1999: France (F) • Greece (GR) • Hungary (H)
Italy (I) • Slovenia (SLO) • Switzerland (CH)

Presenters of International Heats:
Nelson Monfort and Fabienne Egal (F),
with Mauro Serio and Flavia Fortunato (I),
Kostas Sgontzos (GR),
Maria Borbas (H),
Mojca Mavec (SLO)
and Matteo Pelli (CH).

International Referee: Denis Pettiaux

Produced by FRANCE 2 (F), ERT/ET1 (GR), MTV (H),
RAI UNO (I), RTVSLO (SLO), TSI (CH)

 

Key: International Heats  l = Qualified for International Final / l = Heat Winner (Silver Trophy) International Final l = Gold Trophy   l = Silver Trophy   l = Bronze Trophy

1999-01

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 1

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 5th July 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: Adventure

Teams: Gap (F) v. Katerini (GR) v. Gyongyos (H) v. Reggio Calabria (I) v. Trzic (SLO) v. Tre Valli (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 CH • Tre Valli l
 H • Gyongyos
 F • Gap
 SLO • Trzic
 GR • Katerini
 I • Reggio Calabria

52
51
44
43
40
26

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-02

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 2

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 12th July 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: Spy Story

Teams: Rouen (F) v. Orestiada (GR) v. Budapest, XVII Kerulet (H) v. Bolzano Sudtirol (I) v. Bohinj (SLO) v. Locarno (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 SLO • Bohinj l
 I • Bolzano Sudtirol l
 H • Budapest, XVII Kerulet
 F • Rouen
 CH • Locarno
 GR • Orestiada

56
49
43
37
35
28

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-03

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 3

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 19th July 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: The Western

Teams: Martigues (F) v. Andros (GR) v. Budapest, XII Kerulet (H) v. Caorle (I) v. Rogatec (SLO) v. Capriasca (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 H • Budapest, XII Kerulet l l
 F • Martigues l
 SLO • Rogatec
 I • Caorle
 CH • Capriasca
 GR • Andros

49
46
43
42
40
25

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-04

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 4

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 26th July 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: The Circus

Teams: Villard de Lans (F) v. Sapes (GR) v. Debrecen (H) v. Valle d'Aosta (I) v. Kranj (SLO) v. Chiasso (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 CH • Chiasso l l
 H • Debrecen
 SLO • Kranj
 I • Valle d'Aosta
 F • Villard de Lans
 GR • Sapes

54
49
46
45
37
30

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-05

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 5

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 2nd August 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: Science Fiction

Teams: Tarbes (F) v. Xanthi (GR) v. Budapest, V Kerulet (H) v. Pagani (I) v. Sentjernej (SLO) v. Bosco Gurin (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 SLO • Sentjernej l
 CH • Bosco Gurin
 H • Budapest, V Kerulet
 GR • Xanthi
 I • Pagani
 F • Tarbes

56
49
44
38
34
31

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-06

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 6

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 9th August 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: The Pirates

Teams: Mulhouse (F) v. Patra (GR) v. Tiszaujvaros (H) v. Parco del Nera (I) v. Maribor (SLO) v. San Bernardino (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 SLO • Maribor l l
 GR • Patra l
 H • Tiszaujvaros
 F • Mulhouse
 I • Parco del Nera
 CH • San Bernardino

57
50
46
41
30
28

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-07

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

Heat 7

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 16th August 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: The Animals

Teams: Brive-la-Gaillarde (F) v. Edessa (GR) v. Szentendre (H) v. Grecia Salentina (I) v. Kranjska Gora (SLO) v. Lugano (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 CH • Lugano l
 SLO • Kranjska Gora
 GR • Edessa
 F • Brive-la-Gaillarde
 H • Szentendre
 I • Grecia Salentina

48
47
43
39
38
34

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

1999-08

Jeux Sans Frontières 1999

International Final

Broadcast Date (Europe): Monday 23rd August 1999

Venue: Castello Aragonese, Le Castella, Italy

Theme: A Tour of the World

Teams: Martigues (F) v. Patra (GR) v. Budapest, XII Kerulet (H) v. Bolzano Sudtirol (I) v. Maribor (SLO) v. Chiasso (CH)

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th

 I • Bolzano Sudtirol l
 GR • Patra l
 H • Budapest, XII Kerulet l
 SLO • Maribor
 F • Martigues
 CH • Chiasso

48
47
45
41
40
36

Made in Colour • This programme exists in European Archives

It's A Knockout 1999

Presenters: Keith Chegwin, Lucy Alexander, Nell McAndrew and Frank Bruno

Based upon the original format: Intervilles
Created by Guy Lux and Developed by Mistal Productions France

Consultant: Cecil Korer
Costume Designer: Liz Nicholls
Location Manager: John Farquhar Smith
Production Manager: Alison Grade
Production Co-ordinator: Laura Dimmock
Designer: Jonathan Paul Green
Producers: Richard Hearsey and Robin Greene
Director: Derek Wheeler
Ronin Entertainment for Channel Five Television

Sponsored by: Beefeater Restaurants

1999-09

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 1

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 3rd September 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Saturday 21st August 1999
Recording Order: 2nd

Venue: People's Park, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Teams: Chippenham v. Trowbridge v. Warminster

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Trowbridge
 Chippenham
 Warminster

18
15
14

Did You Know? This opening edition featured an amusing introduction from original series It's A Knockout host, Stuart Hall, handing over the banner to new chief presenter, Keith Chegwin.

Did You Also Know? Although broadcast as Heat 1 on Channel 5 and cleverly edited with some on-site scripts (as well as the famous teaser featuring Stuart Hall tied to a chair), this heat was in fact recorded as Heat 2. Even audiences at Trowbridge were not aware that this was the second heat, because all references on-site and screen were that this was Heat 1.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-10

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 2

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 10th September 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Sunday 15th August 1999
Recording Order: 1st

Venue: Riversmead Leisure Centre, Reading, Berkshire

Teams: Bracknell Forest v. Reading v. Woking

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
2nd

 Woking
 Bracknell Forest
 Reading

17
15
15

Did You Know? Although broadcast as Heat 2 on Channel 5 and cleverly edited with some on-site scripts, this heat was in fact recorded as Heat 1.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-11

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 3

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 17th September 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Sunday 29th August 1999
Recording Order: 4th

Venue: The Links, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear

Teams: North Tyneside v. Sunderland v. York

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 North Tyneside
 Sunderland
 York

17
16
14

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-12

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 4

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 24th September 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Saturday 4th September 1999
Recording Order: 6th

Venue: Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline, Fife

Teams: Dunfermline v. Falkirk v. Kirkaldy

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Dunfermline
 Kirkaldy
 Falkirk

18
17
15

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-13

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 5

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 1st October 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Sunday 22nd August 1999
Recording Order: 3rd

Venue: People's Park, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Teams: Cheltenham v. Swindon v. Weston Super Mare

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Swindon
 Weston Super Mare
 Cheltenham

17
15
14

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-14

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 6

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 8th October 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Saturday 11th September 1999
Recording Order: 8th

Venue: Leicester Road Sports Ground, Hinkley, Leicestershire

Teams: Derby v. Leicester v. Nottingham

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Derby
 Nottingham
 Leicester

18
17
12

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-15

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 7

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 15th October 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Saturday 18th September 1999
Recording Order: 10th

Venue: Westminster Lodge Sports and Leisure Centre, St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Teams: Dacorum v. St. Albans v. Watford

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
2nd

 St. Albans
 Dacorum
 Watford

16
15
15

Did You Know? Again, as in Heats 1 and 2, some cleverly scripted on-site banter made this heat appear as if it had been recorded as Heat 7. Keith Chegwin actually says on-screen that the St. Albans team would be back in their home town for the British Championship in three weeks' time. This comment was met with some very wry smiles from many of the St. Albans team, as they knew it would really be taking place the next day.

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-16

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 8

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 22nd October 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Monday 30th August 1999 (Bank Holiday)
Recording Order: 5th

Venue: The Links, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear

Teams: Leeds v. Liverpool v. Manchester

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Manchester
 Leeds
 Liverpool

19
18
10

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-17

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 9

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 29th October 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Sunday 5th September 1999
Recording Order: 7th

Venue: Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline, Fife

Teams: Dundee v. Edinburgh v. Glasgow

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Edinburgh
 Glasgow
 Dundee

19
14
13

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-18

It's A Knockout 1999

Heat 10

Channel 5 Transmission: Friday 5th November 1999, 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Sunday 12th September 1999
Recording Order: 9th

Venue: Leicester Road Sports Ground, Hinkley, Leicestershire

Teams: Burton Upon Trent v. Hinckley v. Tamworth

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd

 Burton Upon Trent
 Tamworth
 Hinckley

18
15
14

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

1999-19

It's A Knockout 1999

The Grand Final

Channel 5 Transmission: Saturday 6th November 1999, 7.10-9.00pm
Recorded: Sunday 19th September 1999

Venue: Westminster Lodge Sports and Leisure Centre, St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Teams: Trowbridge v. Woking v. North Tyneside v. Dunfermline v. Swindon v. Derby v. St. Albans v. Manchester v. Edinburgh v. Burton Upon Trent

Result:

 Team:

Points:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
6th
8th
9th
10th

 Dunfermline
 Woking
 Edinburgh
 Trowbridge
 North Tyneside
 Burton Upon Trent
 Manchester
 Swindon
 St. Albans
 Derby

59
49
47
46
44
40
40
37
36
35

Made in Colour • This programme exists in Ronin Entertainment Archives

If you can add any information to this section, please contact us at