Unbeatable (game show)

Unbeatable is a British quiz show that had aired on BBC One and BBC Two from 10 May 2021 to 12 May 2023, hosted by Jason Manford.

Moneymaker
In the moneymaker round six answers appear, and - in their head - the contestant needs to rank them in order. The contestant picks one of the answers, and it comes down to the massive video floor in the middle of the studio. If they think they've picked the Unbeatable answer, the show we saw first, they can push their button. £1000 if they're right, £0 if they're wrong. Otherwise, our player can pick off single answers for £100 each – but if they pick off an answer that beats theirs, they'll again score nothing for the round. A player can bank the money they've won rather than select another answer.

In our example, the player has chosen The Thick of It as the earliest show. And they've chosen not to call it "Unbeatable", so will be playing for £100 per correct answer. The Inbetweeners might be later, so that comes down to the floor. A graphic appears, lines rush towards each other, and the losing show is pulverised into a squillion tiny brickettes. Our contender plays on, with Gavin and Stacey and Not Going Out, and eventually stick on £300.

After all of the players have had their individual moment in the spotlight, whoever's got the most money picks their opponent for the next round.

Head-to-head
On each question board, the players choose an option they feel best answers the question. The player with more money starts the first board, their opponent starts the second. If either player believes they've picked the Unbeatable answer, they can buzz in and claim £1000 if they're right – get it wrong and they hand £100 to the opponent.

Should neither player believe they're Unbeatable, the round plays out like the first – three head-to-head battles for £100, with first picks alternating. Whoever wins two battles (or gets the Unbeatable answer) wins the board, and whoever wins two boards wins the round.

The two winners then take their places in the final eliminator.

The Decider
In this final eliminator, both players are trying to find the single Unbeatable answer to the question on the board. Whoever has the most money picks first, and there's £1000 if they can find it first time out. Fail, and the opponent can have a go for £800 from the remaining answers. If necessary, the leader will return for £600, the opponent for £400, and the leader gets final crack for £200. In the rare instance that a player is left with the last answer then they win the board by default, but add nothing to their prize pot.

Whoever wins two boards goes through to the cash round. This player might occasionally not have the most money, but it's clear they've earned their place on the show.

Final round
The cash round is one final Unbeatable grid, albeit with two possible questions – and the contestant picks the question they'd rather play. This round plays like the first. The player selects their Unbeatable answer, and then chooses alternatives to go up against it. Win two of these little battles, and the contestant can retire with half their banked money – £1000 or so.

Or the player can press on and take four battles for the entire amount they won in the main game. And if the player has the unbeatable answer, and the confidence to play all five other possibilities, they'll double their money. But if any of the selected answers beat the "unbeatable" answer, our finalist loses and leaves with nothing. The potential top prize is £10,200, but it's rare for more than £5000 to be on offer. In most shows we've seen, the winner takes some money home.