While the show didn’t award a winner's trophy, David Baddiel had one despite not even appearing on the show. He offered this up for the prize task on Taskmaster series nine, which won him 5 points.

Going for Gold was originally broadcast on BBC1 from 12 October 1987 to 9 July 1996, usually, after the lunchtime broadcast of Australian soap opera Neighbours. It was presented by Irish broadcaster Henry Kelly, and its defining concept was that it featured contestants from different European countries who competed against each other to answer questions (all in English) to win a prize. The show's theme tune was composed by future multi-award winning composer Hans Zimmer. [2] Going for Gold – BBC One London – 18 March 1992". BBC Genome Project. 18 March 1992 . Retrieved 22 May 2016. Going for Gold – BBC One London – 18 December 1992". BBC Genome Project. 18 December 1992 . Retrieved 22 May 2016.Going for Gold – BBC One London – 27 February 1995". BBC Genome Project. 27 February 1995 . Retrieved 22 May 2016. That the 1948 games - the first since 1936 - happened at all was a marvel in itself, with rationing still the norm as Britain struggled in the aftermath of a war that had destroyed its resources and reduced much of London to rubble. But thanks to the British people's refusal to let the event die, the so-called "Austerity Olympics" scored major success. Finding a way to present the future of the Olympic Stadium post-Games as something other than a complete shambles. The show was shown on BBC1 in the UK and on Super Channel (later NBC Super Channel) in Continental Europe and on BBC TV Europe (which carried a mix of BBC1 and BBC2 output up to its dissolution in early 1991).

Going for Gold – BBC One London – 22 March 1991". BBC Genome Project. 22 March 1991 . Retrieved 22 May 2016. Going for Gold – BBC One London – 22 March 1990". BBC Genome Project. 22 March 1990 . Retrieved 22 May 2016. How best to market "the Jubilympics" as a joint branding venture between the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. Going for Gold – BBC One London – 4 November 1991". BBC Genome Project. 4 November 1991 . Retrieved 22 May 2016. The programme has been adapted in France, where it became a very famous game show Questions pour un champion, which still airs today on France 3, is hosted by Samuel Étienne since February 2016, replacing long-time fixture Julien Lepers (November 1988 – February 2016).Going for Gold – BBC One London – 17 October 1988". BBC Genome Project. 17 October 1988 . Retrieved 22 May 2016. The 1987–1996 run of the quiz show each week had seven contestants that spoke English (each representing a different European country, although each of the home nations of the United Kingdom fielded their own contestants) who would compete against each other for a place in the finals. The show followed a repechage format (now common, but was unusual then), whereby unsuccessful contestants from Monday's show would return on Tuesday, and so on throughout the week. Each episode lasted for 25 minutes, including four rounds. The Going for Gold screenwriter Billy Ivory says he believes London 2012 is poised to repeat the success of London 1948.

New York, NY – BBC AMERICA’s Summer of London programming continues on Wednesday, July 25 with a tribute to the London Games featuring the US premieres of the uplifting drama Going for Gold – The ‘48 Games, starring Doctor Who’s Matt Smith, and Absolutely Fabulous: Olympics special starring comedy icons Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.Each edition began with a short general knowledge round to all seven contestants. Out of the contestants who started the show, four would go through to the next round (always referred to as the "first round proper" by Kelly). These four would be the first who managed to answer each of the four general knowledge questions correctly. These questions would usually take the form of a 20 to 30-second description of an object, person, animal or place (usually beginning "Who am I?", "What am I?", etc.), with progressively more details being revealed by Kelly until someone was able to identify it. By the Thursday show, there would be only four contestants left to play the opening round and so several questions were asked and the first person to two points would join the previous days' winners in "the first round proper". The Beat the Buzzer round was a general knowledge round, played with hands on plungers. Questions were worth one, two or three points. Beginning with a general knowledge question worth one point, a contestant who gave a correct answer would be told the subject of the next question, and got to choose the value to play for. If nobody answered correctly, it restarted with another general knowledge question worth one point. The first three players to reach six points (or nine in the 2008 version) went on to play the next round. Hans Zimmer: 'Going for Gold? I'm not ashamed of it! It paid the rent...' ". The Guardian. 22 January 2014 . Retrieved 7 August 2021. the premiere of a new season two episode. Premieres Monday, July 2, 8:00am ET/PT to Wednesday, July 4,