Though it might be hard for younger readers to believe, in 1966 and for the few years that "Quizball" was aired, television was often a live experience. Even for actors a television studio was an extremely stressful experience. For footballers, this was harder than playing away behind the iron curtain. Football fans never saw their heroes speak let alone sitting down wearing a suit and tie. The players sat, in a state of utter terror, in two opposing teams of three, a celebrity on each side.
Many celebrities knew little more than that a football was round, but they were essential, in an age where very few people were able to ad lib, let alone feel comfortable whilst staring into the vacuum of a studio camera, actors could leap in and save tongue tied footballers, crack a few jokes, maintain a sense of bonhomie, and encourage the more extrovert players to be themselves.
For all young and old football fans "Quiz ball" was a must see. With David Vine as the genial BBC host it was consistently amongst the highest viewed family shows of the late 60's. In later series, as TV became less formal, the more colourful Stuart Hall took over the role as host.
