3. Hole In The Wall
Nothing says failures ahoy like watching celebrities - wrapped in Bacofoil-like silver spandex - contort themselves to fit through cut out holes in a large polystyrene wall just to avoid a dunking in a swimming pool. Despite being for charity, no one came out of the show with any real grace. The celebrities looked ridiculous and this only added to our entertainment when they failed time and time again. Hole In The Wall was essentially another chance to humiliate celebrities on TV for a good cause. The teams took part in a variety of themed rounds, as part of a team effort or involving props. Many of celebrities were unable to figure out the shapes, while some of them were impossible to contort into in the time limit and the fun came when they were unceremoniously dunked into the pool after their attempts to get through the holes. Commentary and action replays from a multitude of angles emphasised the failures on repeat for us at home, yet the show was a short-lived treat, however it always remains enjoyable seeing what celebrities will do for exposure.
2: Total Wipeout
Total Wipeout was close to the top spot but it just misses out due to its tonal shift in the final round. Being based in Argentina as well as out in the sunshine would be ingredients for a good holiday, but this provided the backdrop for the show to embarrass contestants with the many obstacles and physical challenges it presented to them on a giant assault course. The comedy came from the contestants flying through the air after being punched, bounced off and generally failing on the obstacles and landing spectacularly in the mud or water. The appetite for contestants getting embarrassed/hurt by obstacles is strong, as the qualifier was the show's way of eliminating the weak from the strong - with special focus placed on struggling contestants in the opening round. Contestants were open for mockery from the start by Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond, with them known by nicknames given to them based on their performances on the show or their real life jobs. Many of their performances and the course's obstacles gained their own notoriety for spectacular fails and injuries, yet obviously it was these elements that we looked forward to watching again and again.