13 of the best Generation Game conveyor belt prizes in the 70s, 80s and 90s, when TV shows were stingier

• It was one of the most popular television shows of its day
• The Generation Game was a fixture on the weekend TV schedule in the 70s, 80s and 90s
• But how well do you remember the items from its famous conveyor belt?

The Generation Game was one of the most popular TV shows of its day, bringing the family together around the box on a Saturday evening.

It was essential viewing during the 70s and early 80s, when, presented by Bruce Forsyth and Larry Grayson, it attracted an audience of up to 25 million.

After a hiatus during the rest of the 80s, it came roaring back during the 90s, first under Bruce and then Jim Davidson.

The Generation Game ran until 2002 this time, before bowing out again. Subsequent attempts to revive it, most recently with Mel and Sue in 2018, have failed, with the format starting to show its age.

Many people have fond memories of the show, in which two teams from different families would test their skills in challenges ranging from flower arranging to plate spinning.

But it is the final conveyor belt round that sticks in most people’s minds.

A bewildering assortment of items would be paraded before one member of the winning team, who would then get up to a minute to recall as many items as possible.

They would win all the items they remembered, with a family holiday up for grabs if they named enough objects, or correctly recalled the bonus item.

There was always a cuddly toy, greeted with a roar from the studio audience, but the other items reflected how much tastes and technology changed between 1971, when the show first aired, and its return in the 90s.

The prizes were, of course, a far cry from modern game shows, like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, or The Wheel, in which life-changing sums of money are up for grabs.

That wasn’t just down to tight-fisted TV bosses, however, with strict limits on the amount that could be given away each episode being in place until 1994.

Below are some of the most popular prizes that appeared on the Generation Game’s conveyor belt, from its first era during the 70s and 80s, and its return in the 90s and early noughties.

Soda syphon and ice bucket

The soda syphon was an essential component of any cocktail cabinet in the 70s, adding some extra fizz to many a dinner party, so, naturally, it featured on the conveyor belt.

Fondue set

What better cheesy gift than a fondue set in the 70s, when dipping your food in molten cheese was the height of sophistication?

Fan heater

Homes were colder in the 70s, with many houses still lacking central heating at the start of the decade.

So the latest fan heater could help keep you toasty on a cold evening, if you could just remember it in time.

Electric tea maker and timer

Broadcasters weren’t allowed to promote brands. If they were, they might simply have called this a Teasmaid.

Whatever you chose to call it, this was a must-have household item in the 70s, waking you up in the best way possible with a morning caffeine boost.

Sun lamp

The seemingly never-ending British winter can be a tough time, but one of these could help make the end feel a little bit closer.

These lamps, which mimic natural sunlight to help provide a little cheer when it can be in short supply, were very popular during the 70s.

Shaggy carpet

Yes, one of the prizes on the conveyor belt in the 70s really was some carpet - shaggy, of course, given the home decoration trends of the time. The equivalent prize in the 90s was a rug and some matching cushions.

Stone flagon of wine

In the 70s, one of the prizes was a stone flagon of rosé wine. By the 90s, the conveyor belt had gone a bit upmarket and contestants could take home a case of champagne if they were lucky.

Wine-making kit

Making your own beer and wine was particularly popular during the homebrewing boom of the 70s and 80s. If you weren’t lucky enough to win some booze on the show, you might get the gear you needed to produce your own.

Camcorder

The 90s were the decade of the home video, when many families had a camcorder and would keep recording for as long as possible in the hope of capturing a blooper that could earn them £250 on You’ve Been Framed. This gadget could be a handy little earner.

Radio cassette player

A Walkman, or Walkman equivalent, was among the prizes in the 90s, when that was still the way to listen to music on the move.

The Walkman was only launched in 1979, but before that, cassette recorders featured on the conveyor belt.

In the 90s, electric typewriters, digital phones and cappuccino-makers were among the other coveted items of electrical wizardry that appeared on the conveyor belt.

Toaster

An electric toaster was a mainstay of the conveyor belt across the Generation Game’s two eras.

The only thing that changed was the style. In the 70s, it was more likely to be a shade of brown or orange, possibly with a garish floral motif.

Microwave

The microwave still felt futuristic in the 90s, enabling you to get a hot meal on the table in minutes.

Yet that fare was typically uninspiring, with a bland curry and rice, in separate compartments, among the most popular microwave meals of the day.

Is there any more depressing sound in the kitchen than that of a fork stabbing the plastic covering on a ready meal?

Nigel Mansell racing set

Scalextric was popular throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, but in the 90s, it was a racing set from rival brand FormulaTyco that went whizzing along the conveyor belt when the Generation Game returned for its second stint.

Being the early 90s, it featured Nigel Mansell, who won the 1992 F1 title, on the front of the box.

How well do you remember the Generation Game and the prizes that appeared on the conveyor belt? If you were competing back then, what would you have most wanted to win?

For more 70s, 80s and 90s nostalgia, why not check out our look back at the most popular family games of the era?