The Crystal Maze Is Back For A Full Series, Richard Ayoade To Host
When Channel 4 ran the special of The Crystal Maze for Stand Up to Cancer last year, there was a lot of talk about whether it should come back for a full series. Now, after that special gained an audience of 4.3 million viewers, Channel 4 have confirmed it will return for 20 hour long episodes, with a brand new Maze Master – the wonderfully weird Richard Ayoade. There will also be a new a set of celebrity specials for Stand Up to Cancer.
“The Stand Up To Cancer special was so brilliant and so successful that commissioning a series of The Crystal Maze was almost a no-brainer,” commented Tom Beck, Head of Live & Events at Channel 4. “And I couldn’t be more pleased and excited that Richard has agreed to become the new Maze Master – he’s an inspired choice.”
The series will be filmed at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, where a purpose built maze spanning over 30,000 square feet is being created by the original Crystal Maze designer, James Dillon (The Mighty Boosh, The Royle Family).
The Crystal Maze originally aired from 1990 to 1995 with Richard O’Brien, and later Ed Tudor-Pole as Maze Masters.
Producers are already looking for teams of five contestants who have what it takes to navigate the Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Future zones of the maze. They will face a range of skill, mystery, physical and mental challenges to win crystals that equate to time in the final test – the legendary Crystal Dome. Details of how contestants can apply will soon be announced.
However, if you want to get your ‘Crystal Maze’ on before then, you could always head to The Crystal Maze Experience in London or Manchester, which was used to shoot the special last year. There you can try out the Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Future zones for yourself, but try not to get locked in!
The Crystal Maze will air on Channel 4 later in 2017.
