The Krypton Factor was a British game show, hosted by Gordon Burns, which ran from 1977 to 1995 on ITV. Four contestants would compete in several different games, some studio-bound, some not. Each was introduced by the distinctive K logo, which would morph into a symbol for the round. Some of the games were changed during the run of the series, but the qualities they purported to test remained the same:

1. Mental agility - often a memory test.
2. Response - latterly (and most famously) this consisted of each player taking turns on a flight simulator and being marked by an actual flight instructor.
3. Observation - this involved watching a specially made video clip.
4. Physical ability - probably the most memorable of the rounds, this involved the contestants racing to complete an army assault course , including cargo nets, rope swings and a rope slide. Unlike the village fête version, however, this finished with a plunge into muddy water.
5. Intelligence - a 2- or 3-dimensional puzzle where shapes had to be put together to fill a rectangular grid or make a cube.
6. General knowledge - a quickfire round.

In the first five games, 10 points were awarded to the winner, then 6, 4 and 2 to the remaining contestants. In the final game 1 (later 2) points were awarded for each correct answer.

The show was produced by Granada Television. Rumours of a revival on the BBC never materialised.

Two short-lived U.S. versions aired. In 1981, Dick Clark hosted a 6-week summer series on ABC. In 1990, Willie Aames hosted a syndicated version for children. A version in production by Fox TV was never shown to the public. A NZ edition was screened from 1987 to 1991.

External link

• UK Gameshows Page: The Krypton Factor