Login
Login

A League of Their Own (British game show)

{{short description|British sports-based television comedy panel game}}

{{about|the British television game show formerly hosted by James Corden||A League of Their Own (disambiguation)}}

{{use British English|date=May 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Aleagueoftheirown.png

| genre = Comedy
Panel game
Sports

| presenter = James Corden
Romesh Ranganathan

| starring = Freddie Flintoff
Jamie Redknapp
Georgie Thompson
John Bishop
Jack Whitehall
Micah Richards
Jill Scott
Mo Gilligan

| theme_music_composer = Will Slater

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| num_series = 16

| num_episodes = 232

| list_episodes = List of A League of Their Own episodes

| location = Pinewood Studios (2010)
BBC Elstree Centre (2011–15)
Elstree Studios (2016–)

| runtime = 60 mins (episode 1, series 3–present, specials)
30 mins (series 1–2)

| network = Sky One (2010–2021)
Sky Max (2021–)

| first_aired = {{Start date|2010|3|11|df=y}}

| last_aired = present

| company = CPL Productions

}}

A League of Their Own is a British sports-based comedy panel game show that was first broadcast on Sky One on 11 March 2010. The show is currently hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and features Jamie Redknapp and Jill Scott as team captains and Micah Richards as a regular panellist.

Format

The show is a standard panel quiz show where two teams of three, the Red and Blue teams compete for points awarded in three rounds, to find the overall winning team by points total.

  • Round 1 involves both teams having to rank three different sportspersons according to a specific criterion.
  • Round 2, Guest List, involves both teams having to guess the answers given by a sportsperson about his or her sport.
  • Round 3, The Final Challenge, formerly known as the Right Guard Challenge, sees two members of each team have to answer questions for as long as the third team member can sustain a physical challenge in the studio.

Participants

The show was hosted for the first 13 series by James Corden. The Red Team is captained by former Liverpool and England footballer Jamie Redknapp, who was formerly joined by once regular panellist and stand-up comedian from Liverpool John Bishop. In series 5, Bishop was absent for several episodes due to his Sport Relief challenge, eventually leaving the show as a regular. Redknapp was joined on the red team by comedian Romesh Ranganathan for series 13 and 14.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/2951/romesh_ranganathan_on_aloto/ |title=Romesh Ranganathan replaces Jack Whitehall on A League Of Their Own |date=9 February 2018 |publisher=British Comedy Guide |access-date=9 February 2018}} The Blue Team was captained by retired Lancashire and England cricketer Freddie Flintoff for the first 16 series.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6718/freddie-flintoff-quits-aloto/ |title=Freddie Flintoff quits A League Of Their Own |date=14 February 2022 |publisher=British Comedy Guide |access-date=20 February 2022}} Flintoff was replaced by a series of guest captains starting from series 17.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6940/micah-richards-joins-a-league-of-their-own/ |title=Micah Richards joins A League Of Their Own |date=8 July 2022 |publisher=British Comedy Guide |access-date=8 July 2022}} For the first four series Flintoff was joined by then Sky Sports F1 presenter Georgie Thompson. From series 5, comedian Jack Whitehall replaced Thompson as regular panellist on the blue team due to her F1 commitments. Whitehall himself left the show after series 12.{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/jack-whitehall-quits-a-league-of-their-own-after-six-years-to-pursue-career-in-america-a3762596.html |title=Jack Whitehall quits A League Of Their Own after six years to pursue career in America |date=9 February 2018 |publisher=Evening Standard |access-date=20 February 2022}} Micah Richards became the blue team's regular panellist from series 17. Former England midfielder Jill Scott and comedian Mo Gilligan will join the show as the new blue team captains from the fortcoming series 18.{{cite web |url=https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/article/there-s-a-new-angel-up-north-and-she-s-in-a-league-of-her-own- |title=There's a new Angel up north, and she's in A League of Her Own! |date=4 July 2023 |publisher=Sky UK |access-date=5 July 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.skygroup.sky/article/sky-s-a-league-of-their-own-announce-major-new-signing-of-triple-bafta-winner-mo-gilligan-as-recurring-red-team-panellist |title=Sky's A League of Their Own announce major new signing of triple BAFTA winner Mo Gilligan as recurring red team panellist |date=5 September 2023 |publisher=Sky Group |access-date=6 September 2023}} Each episode the teams are supplemented by special guests.

Neither Corden, Redknapp nor Thompson had been regular features on a television panel show before. Corden was non-committal about whether the show marked a new direction for him as a television host, stating "I spend most of my time sitting in a room with my mates talking about sport anyway. To get paid to do such a thing will be great. I hope it will be a fun show and people will enjoy watching it." Redknapp said "I'm loving it, but it is nerve-wracking" and "the key is to try to have a bit of fun, but to remember that we're not comedians and can't compete with the professionals" referring to Bishop and Corden. Thompson said of the show that it was "the fun factor that I've been looking for" and represented an "exciting opportunity" in her career.

Due to Corden's commitments to his U.S. talk show The Late Late Show, the 14th series was presented, in part, by guest hosts.{{cite web |url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/06/27/43422/whos_standing_in_for_james_corden_on_a_league_of_their_own |title=Who's standing in for James Corden on A League Of Their Own |publisher=Chortle |access-date=16 July 2019 }} Corden's absence was extended into the 15th series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This series was hosted mainly by Ranganathan with Flintoff and Redknapp hosting one episode apiece.{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-08-03/romesh-ranganathan-league-james-corden/ |title=Romesh Ranganathan to host Sky One's A League of Their Own in James Corden's absence |publisher=Radio Times |access-date=7 August 2020 }} Ranganathan was confirmed as the show's new permanent host starting from series 16.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6425/romesh-ranganathan-hosts-league-of-their-own/ |title=Romesh Ranganathan becomes new A League Of Their Own host |date=24 June 2021 |publisher=British Comedy Guide |access-date=20 February 2022}}

Production

The show was created by Paul Brassey, a development producer at CPL Productions. The show was recorded in Pinewood Studios (BBC Elstree Centre from series 3, and Elstree Film Studios from series 12),{{cite web|title= "A League of Their Own" |url= https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/a_league_of_their_own/details/ |website= comedy.co.uk |access-date=October 16, 2017}} being filmed on Mondays and Tuesdays in front of a live studio audience. The show was commissioned by Duncan Gray, with Gray, Danielle Lux and Murray Boland acting as Executive Producers. It was announced on 20 October 2009 that the pilot for the show would be hosted by Corden alongside team captains Redknapp and England cricketer Stuart Broad, although Broad was replaced in the line up by Flintoff by the time of the series 1 start. Executive producer Danielle Lux said it would be "an Olympic standard comedy show for anyone who loves their sport and a fun-filled half-hour for those who don't." The pilot was recorded on 24 October, and was due to be aired later in 2009. Sky One's promotion for the show included a TV advert featuring Corden mis-kicking a football, spoofing contemporary serious sportswear advertising campaigns, accompanied by the tagline "the new panel show that doesn't take sport too seriously".

Reception

Keith Watson of the Metro welcomed the show as a challenger to "Britain's No.1 TV sports spot-the-scripted-bits banter show", referring to the BBC's show A Question of Sport, hosted by Sue Barker. Watson, writing after the first episode, said "Team skippers Freddie Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp are just there as window-dressing/butts of jokes, for this is Corden's show and he takes to it like a puck to the ice rink. [Sue] Barker beware." Sharon Lougher and Larushka Ivan-Zadeh also of the Metro went further, announcing the show as "basically, A Question of Sport for idiots ... the televisual equivalent of Nuts magazine".

Writing after the first episode, Harry Venning of The Stage panned the show, summarising it as "Imagine A Question of Sport without the sports questions, combined with They Think It's All Over without the comedy". Criticising the length of the opening hour-long special, Venning said it contained some fine gags but not enough of them, and the format was "dull, unimaginative and painfully protracted", albeit praising Flintoff for being "surprisingly witty and charming".

The British Comedy Guide said of the first episode that "the sportsman-dominated panel showed: very few laughs, and little charm" and were not convinced of the format, although conceding that not being sports fans they might not be the target audience.

Guest appearances

File:Jimmy Carr, 2015-04-13 3 (crop).jpg has made 24 guest appearances, making him the most frequent guest on the programme.]]

The following have made more than one appearance on the show as a guest (up to and including series 18, episode 8):

;24 appearances

;13 appearances

;12 appearances

;8 appearances

;7 appearances

;6 appearances

;5 appearances

;4 appearances

{{div col|colwidth=16em}}

{{div col end}}

;3 appearances

{{div col|colwidth=16em}}

{{div col end}}

;2 appearances

{{div col|colwidth=16em}}

{{div col end}}

  • a. {{Note_label|a|a|none}} One of their appearances was as a guest team captain.
  • b. {{Note_label|b|b|none}} Appearances made after series 5, when Bishop was no longer a regular panellist.
  • c. {{Note_label|c|c|none}} Appearances made before Whitehall became a regular panellist.
  • d. {{Note_label|d|d|none}} Appearances made before Ranganathan became a regular panellist or permanent host.
  • e. {{Note_label|e|e|none}} Includes one appearance as host
  • f. {{Note_label|f|f|none}} Two of their appearances were as a guest team captain.
  • g. {{Note_label|g|g|none}} Appearances made before Richards became a regular panellist.

Transmissions

{{main|List of A League of Their Own episodes}}

=Original=

==Series==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodesPresentercolspan="2"|Team captainsRegular panellist(s)
111 March 201013 May 201010rowspan="13"| James Cordenrowspan="19"| Jamie Redknapprowspan="16" | Freddie Flintoffrowspan="4" | John Bishop & Georgie Thompson
27 October 201011 November 201010
34 March 201129 April 20118
47 October 201118 November 20117
520 April 20128 June 20128John Bishop & Jack Whitehall
626 October 201214 December 20128rowspan="7"| Jack Whitehall
723 August 201311 October 20138
829 August 201417 October 20148
915 May 20153 July 20158
107 January 201625 February 20168
1122 September 201610 November 20168
1214 September 201726 October 20177
1330 August 201818 October 20188rowspan="2"| Romesh Ranganathan
1415 August 20193 October 20198James Corden & Guest presenters
1513 August 20201 October 20208rowspan="5"| Romesh Ranganathanrowspan="2" | N/A
1619 August 20217 October 20218
1718 August 20226 October 20228Guest team captainsMicah Richards
1825 October 202313 December 20238rowspan="2" | Jill Scottrowspan="2" | Micah Richards & Mo Gilligan
199 January 202520 February 20257

==Specials==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
DateEntitled
20 May 2010The Best of Series 1
27 May 2010The Unseen Bits from Series 1
12 November 2010The Best of Series 2
19 December 2010The Unseen Bits from Series 2
23 December 2010Christmas Special
6 May 2011The Unseen Bits from Series 3 (Part 1)
13 May 2011The Best of Series 3 (Part 1)
20 May 2011The Best of Series 3 (Part 2)
27 May 2011The Unseen Bits from Series 3 (Part 2)
16 December 2011End of Year Special
6 January 2012The Unseen Bits from Series 4
13 January 2012The Best of Series 4
15 June 2012The Unseen Bits from Series 5 (Part 1)
22 June 2012The Unseen Bits from Series 5 (Part 2)
29 June 2012The Best of Series 5
21 December 2012The Unseen Bits from Series 6 (Part 1)
28 December 2012The Unseen Bits from Series 6 (Part 2)
18 October 2013The Unseen Bits from Series 7 (Part 1)
25 October 2013The Unseen Bits from Series 7 (Part 2)
1 November 2013The Best of the Rally Car Special
8 November 2013The Best of Series 7
17 October 2014The Unseen Bits from Series 8 (Part 1)
24 October 2014The Unseen Bits from Series 8 (Part 2)
31 October 2014The Unseen Bits from Series 8 (Part 3)
31 October 2014The Unseen Bits from Series 8 (Part 4)
24 December 2014Christmas Special
10 July 2015The Best of Series 9 (Part 1)
17 July 2015The Best of Series 9 (Part 2)
24 July 2015The Unseen Bits from Series 9 (Part 1)
31 July 2015The Unseen Bits from Series 9 (Part 2)
3 March 2016The Best of Series 10 (Part 1)
10 March 2016The Best of Series 10 (Part 2)
17 November 2016The Unseen Bits from Series 11
24 November 2016The Best of Series 11
24 December 2016Christmas Special
10 August 2017A Premier League of Their Own
5 December 2017The Unseen Bits from Series 12
12 December 2017The Best of Series 12
21 December 2017Christmas Special
25 October 2018The Unseen Bits from Series 13
1 November 2018The Best of Series 13
20 December 2018Christmas Special
10 October 2019The Unseen Bits from Series 14
17 October 2019The Best Bits from Series 14
19 December 2019Christmas Special
15 October 2020The Unseen Bits from Series 15
22 October 2020The Best Bits from Series 15
17 December 2020Christmas Special
14 October 2021The Unseen Bits from Series 16
21 October 2021The Best Bits from Series 16
13 December 2021Christmas Special
13 October 2022The Unseen Bits from Series 17
20 October 2022The Best Bits from Series 17
12 December 2022Christmas Special
12 July 2023The Lionesses Special

=''Road Trip''=

==Series==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodesArea
110 May 201624 May 20163USA
25 June 201726 June 20174USA
310 January 201931 January 20194Europe
49 January 202030 January 20204Europe
58 April 202129 April 20214UK{{Ref_label|g|g|none}}
67 April 202228 April 20224UK & Ireland{{Ref_label|h|h|none}}
717 February 202310 March 20234Southeast Asia
821 May 202411 June 20244Mexico

==Specials==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
DateEntitle
31 May 2016The Unseen Bits from US Road Trip
3 July 2017The Unseen Bits from US Road Trip 2.0 (Part 1)
10 July 2017The Unseen Bits from US Road Trip 2.0 (Part 2)
17 July 2017The Best of US Road Trip 2.0
7 February 2019The Unseen Bits from European Road Trip
14 February 2019The Best of European Road Trip
6 February 2020The Unseen Bits from European Road Trip
13 February 2020The Best of European Road Trip
6 May 2021The Unseen Bits from Loch Ness to London
13 May 2021The Best of Loch Ness to London
5 May 2022The Unseen Bits from Dingle to Dover
12 May 2022The Best of Dingle to Dover
17 March 2023The Unseen Bits from Southeast Asia
24 March 2023The Best of Southeast Asia
18 June 2024The Unseen Bits from Mexico
25 June 2024The Best of Mexico

International versions

=Australian version=

An Australian version of A League of Their Own aired on Network Ten on 16 September 2013. It was presented by comedian Tommy Little and the captains were tennis star Pat Cash and swimmer Eamon Sullivan. The series had ten episodes. Nine episodes were broadcast with the tenth episode being viewed online after it was cancelled to immediate effect after posting a disappointing rating in the show's ninth week.

=Danish version=

A Danish version of A League of Their Own aired on Kanal 5 on 7 September 2015. The Danish title is "5. Halvleg", in English: "5th half". The show is presented by comedian Carsten Bang and the captains are former professional cyclist Jesper Skibby and comedian Jesper Juhl. In the first series, there was 10 episodes, and the last aired on 5 November 2015.

The first series was very successful, with good ratings, and Kanal 5 decided to renew the show for a second series, with the premiere on 18 February 2016. The series contained 8 episodes, with the same host and captains as in series 1. The last episode of series 2 aired on 14 April 2016.

Series 2 was another successful series for Kanal 5, and they decided to renew the show for a third series, with the same host and captains as in the first two series. The first episode of series 3 aired on 4 September 2016.

Series 4 on 5 went on with the same host and captains. The first episode of series 4 aired on 12 February 2017 and the last episode aired on 22 June 2017. The first episode of series 5 aired on 2 November 2017.

Awards

Host Carsten Bang was nominated for Best Host at Zulu Awards 2016.

=German version=

A German version of A League of Their Own called Eine Liga für sich - Buschis Sechserkette, in English: A League of its Own - Buschi's Chain of Six aired on German TV channel Sky 1 on 13 March 2017. It is presented by sports commentator and former basketball player Frank Buschmann. Comedian Matze Knop and television host and former professional handball player Panagiota Petridou serve as captains.

=American version=

An American version of A League of Their Own called Game On! aired on CBS on 27 May 2020 until 22 July 2020. The show was hosted by Keegan-Michael Key with tennis champion Venus Williams and three-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski as team captains. James Corden (who hosts The Late Late Show for the network and was the presenter of the original British version) served as executive producer of the show. At the time, this version was going to be aired on 20 May before the change to 27 May.

class="wikitable"
CountryTitleBroadcasterPresenterPremiereFinale
{{AUS}}A League of Their OwnNetwork TenTommy Little16 September 201311 November 2013
{{DEN}}5. HalvlegKanal 5Carsten Bang7 September 20152017
{{GER}}Eine Liga für sich - Buschis SechserketteSky 1Frank Buschmann13 March 201714 February 2022
{{ESP}}Invictus, ¿te atreves?La 1Patricia Conde17 June 202424 August 2024
{{USA}}Game On!CBSKeegan-Michael Key27 May 202022 July 2020

References

{{reflist|2|refs=

{{cite web

|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/817062-james-corden-steps-into-sue-barker-role-for-a-league-of-their-own

|title=James Corden steps into Sue Barker role for A League of Their Own

|publisher=Metro

|author=Keith Watson

|date=12 March 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100314213914/http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/817062-james-corden-steps-into-sue-barker-role-for-a-league-of-their-own| archive-date= 14 March 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/816872-todays-tv-highlights

|title=Today's TV highlights

|publisher=Metro

|author=Sharon Lougher, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

|date=11 March 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100313081907/http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/816872-todays-tv-highlights| archive-date= 13 March 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a182788/corden-redknapp-for-sky1s-league.html

|title=Corden, Redknapp for Sky1's 'League'

|work=Digital Spy

|author=Dan French

|date=20 October 2009

|access-date=26 March 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100402154318/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a182788/corden-redknapp-for-sky1s-league.html| archive-date= 2 April 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite news

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_10000000/newsid_10004800/10004874.stm

|title=Corden wants David Beckham for a Sport Relief sketch

|work=Newsbeat

|publisher=BBC Radio 1

|author=Natalie Jamieson

|date=20 January 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

}}

{{cite news

|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/video/2010/feb/18/james-corden-league-their-own

|title=Watch James Corden in A League of Their Own ad

|work=The Guardian

|date=19 February 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

| location=London

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100405145739/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2010/feb/18/james-corden-league-their-own| archive-date= 5 April 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/27541/tv-review

|title=TV review

|work=The Stage

|author=Harry Venning

|date=15 March 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/a_league_of_their_own/

|title=A League of Their Own

|publisher=The British Comedy Guide

|date=n.d.|access-date=26 March 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100311000908/http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/a_league_of_their_own/| archive-date= 11 March 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/a_league_of_their_own/details/

|title=A League of Their Own – Production Details

|publisher=The British Comedy Guide

|date=n.d.|access-date=26 March 2010

}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2009/10/20/9811/corden_to_host_sports_quiz

|title=Corden to host sports quiz

|publisher=Chortle.co.uk

|date=20 October 2009

|access-date=26 March 2010

}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a207855/redknapp-nervous-about-comedy-show.html

|title=Redknapp nervous about comedy show

|work=Digital Spy

|author=Alex Fletcher

|date=10 March 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100311223653/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a207855/redknapp-nervous-about-comedy-show.html| archive-date= 11 March 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a207891/thompson-im-out-of-comfort-zone.html

|title=Thompson: 'I'm out of comfort zone'

|work=Digital Spy

|author=Alex Fletcher

|date=10 March 2010

|access-date=26 March 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100313123241/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a207891/thompson-im-out-of-comfort-zone.html| archive-date= 13 March 2010 | url-status= live}}

}}

External links

  • {{IMDb title|id=2184186|title=A League of Their Own}}
  • {{Official website|http://sky1.sky.com/a-league-of-their-own}}
  • {{Epguides|LeagueofTheirOwn}}
  • {{UKGameshow|A_League_of_Their_Own}}
  • {{British Comedy Guide|tv|a_league_of_their_own}}
  • [http://sky1.sky.com/a-league-of-their-own-game A League of Their Own Online Game]

{{A League of Their Own}}

{{Sky One}}

{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:League of Their Own (British game show), A}}

Category:2010 British television series debuts

Category:2010s British sports television series

Category:2010s British game shows

Category:2020s British sports television series

Category:2020s British game shows

Category:British panel games

Category:Sky UK game shows

Category:Television series by Seven.One Studios

Category:British English-language television shows

Category:Television shows set in England

Category:Television shows shot at BBC Elstree Centre

Category:Television shows shot at Elstree Film Studios