Starstrider facts for kids

Starstrider was an exciting children's quiz show. It was made by Granada Television and shown on ITV in 1984 and 1985. The show ran for two series, each with nine episodes.

The main host was a space creature named Starstrider. He came from the planet Ulphrates III. His mission was to find intelligent young people. In the first series, Roger Sloman played Starstrider. In the second series, Jim Carter took over the role.

Starstrider had a funny assistant named Wart. Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy played Wart in both series. Starstrider and Wart always greeted teams with "Hello and welcome." They ended each show saying, "Goodbye and farewell."

Each week, three teams competed. Each team had four young people from schools across the country. They played through five different rounds.

How the Game Worked

The show had different challenges each week. Teams earned points by answering questions or completing tasks. The goal was to have the most points at the end.

The Rounds

Round 1: Brainy Books

This round asked very tough questions. Three team members used reference books to find answers. The team captain wore headphones. This meant they could only hear their teammates. Once the team found the answer, the captain pressed a buzzer. Then they gave the answer. If they were right, they scored points. If they were wrong, the other two teams could try to find the correct answer.

Round 2: Quick Thinking

In the first series, this was a "finger on the buzzer" round. Team captains answered general questions. The first captain to buzz in and give a correct answer scored points. If they were wrong, the question went to the other teams.

In the second series, this round changed. One team member was blindfolded. Their teammates guided them through a space-themed obstacle course.

Round 3: Rodeo Ride and Hidden Images

In Series 1, one team member rode a rodeo-style machine. It was called the Grunderhunter. They answered questions while riding to score points.

In Series 2, a new round was added here. Teams saw a distorted image. A small part of the image was revealed every five seconds. After 15 seconds, the host gave a clue. Teams scored points for guessing correctly. They got 20 points if they guessed in 5 seconds. It was 15 points after 10 seconds, and 10 points after 15 seconds. If the whole image was revealed, they got 5 points. The Grunderhunter round moved to Round 4 in Series 2.

Round 4: Light Maze

This round was called the 'Light Maze'. One team member was blindfolded. Their teammates guided them through a maze on the floor. The maze had red and white squares. Stepping on a white square earned 10 points. Stepping on a red square lost 10 points.

In Series 2, this round was replaced. It became the rodeo-style Grunderhunter round from Series 1.

Round 5: Final Buzzer Challenge

The last round was another "finger on the buzzer" challenge. Team captains answered general knowledge questions. This round lasted two minutes. The team with the most points at the end won the show!

Fun Facts

In Series 2, the presenters made a cool entrance. They walked through a laser light tunnel. This was like the ones you see in nightclubs. Also, the scores were shown using laser lights.

Teams did not win big prizes on the show. But they did get a "Starstrider goody bag." This bag included a pin badge, a sweatshirt, and a mug.

Both series of Starstrider were shown again. They aired on Granada Plus in 1997. A short clip from the show was also featured. It was in the 30 Years of CITV documentary. This documentary aired on December 29, 2012, on ITV.

Transmission Guide