Opportunity Knocks
A BBC One Original
Opportunity Knocks began as a radio talent showcase before moving to television, giving everyday performers a platform to appear before large audiences. Episodes stacked amateur singers, comedians and novelty acts, with success driven by audience response rather than an expert jury, and winners... Read more
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About Opportunity Knocks
Opportunity Knocks began as a radio talent showcase before moving to television, giving everyday performers a platform to appear before large audiences. Episodes stacked amateur singers, comedians and novelty acts, with success driven by audience response rather than an expert jury, and winners gained bookings and wider exposure. Hughie Green hosted the original 1956 series; the format proved durable, and a late 1980s revival brought Bob Monkhouse to the chair, followed by Les Dawson, who had once won on the show. It ran for years and became a familiar household show, focused on family entertainment and discovering new performers.
First broadcast in 1956 after a radio run, Opportunity Knocks became a television staple; the late 1980s revival brought Bob Monkhouse as host, later replaced by former winner Les Dawson, renewing interest among a new generation of viewers.
The programme isn't widely cited for major industry awards, and there are no well-known Oscars or Emmys attached to its name. Any recognition was more popular than institutional. Instead, its measure of success has been the number of performers who used it as a springboard to professional careers.
Opportunity Knocks helped shape postwar British variety television, inspiring later talent formats and becoming shorthand for discovery shows. Viewers remember its open auditions and audience voting as hallmarks of grassroots entertainment. The show's model influenced how popular television sourced new acts and encouraged interactive viewing long before reality competitions.
Critical reactions varied across decades, but audiences kept tuning in for family-friendly variety, the thrill of seeing unknown acts succeed, and the show's emphasis on ordinary people taking the stage. Its straightforward voting and block-by-block format underlined a practical, democratic approach to entertainment that appealed to homes across generations.
Details
- Release Date
- June 13, 1956
- Episode Length
- 30m
- Type
- TV Series
- Seasons
- 22
- Episodes
- 507
- Network
- BBC One, ITV1
- Status
- Ended
- Genres
- Family
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Studio
- Rediffusion +2 more
Cast
Hughie Green
Bob Monkhouse
Les Dawson
Seasons (22 seasons, 507 episodes)
13 June 1956 - 12 September 1956
14 episodes - 1956
4 July 1964 - 3 October 1964
14 episodes - 1964
3 July 1965 - 25 December 1965
25 episodes - 1965
2 July 1966 - 24 December 1966
26 episodes - 1966
29 April 1967 - 23 December 1967
35 episodes - 1967
16 March 1968 - 27 July 1968
19 episodes - 1968
21 August 1968 - 6 November 1968
12 episodes - 1968
25 December 1968 - 23 June 1969
27 episodes - 1968
8 September 1969 - 2 March 1970
26 episodes - 1969
15 June 1970 - 7 December 1970
26 episodes - 1970
15 March 1971 - 6 September 1971
26 episodes - 1971
8 November 1971 - 1 May 1972
22 episodes - 1971
7 August 1972 - 30 April 1973
37 episodes - 1972
6 August 1973 - 29 April 1974
39 episodes - 1973
5 August 1974 - 28 April 1975
39 episodes - 1974
29 September 1975 - 22 March 1976
24 episodes - 1975
4 October 1976 - 4 April 1977
25 episodes - 1976
19 September 1977 - 27 February 1978
23 episodes - 1977
Bob Says Opportunity Knocks - Series 1
13 episodes - 1987
Bob Says Opportunity Knocks - Series 2
13 episodes - 1988
Bob Says Opportunity Knocks - Series 3
13 episodes - 1989
31 March 1990 - 2 June 1990
9 episodes - 1990
