Blankety Blank: Season 17
With falling ratings and the last episodes shelved by ITV, the series went off the air for over a decade. The unaired final episodes eventually premiered on the Freeview channel Challenge in August 2005, while the show itself received a reboot in 2021 with Bradley Walsh.
Season 17 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Blankety Blank Season 16.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Season overview
With falling ratings and the last episodes shelved by ITV, the series went off the air for over a decade. The unaired final episodes eventually premiered on the Freeview channel Challenge in August 2005, while the show itself received a reboot in 2021 with Bradley Walsh.
Episode Guide
Season 17 Progress Shield
Episode 1
May 4, 2002
Lily wears a football-themed outfit to start off the new series and welcome another Savage to the show - Leicester City midfielder Robbie.
Episode 2
May 11, 2002
Melanie Kilburn makes her debut on the panel, while Tina Hobley and Oz Clarke make their sole appearances.
Episode 3
May 18, 2002
"I can't bear that kind of thing" says Lily, after being told one of the contestants used to work with drag queens. Neil Fox and Coleen Nolan make their only appearance, but are jo
Episode 4
May 25, 2002
An all-new panel line-up this week, as Naomi Ryan and H make their debuts, while making their sole appearances are Marc Crumpton, Helen Fraser, Lowri Turner and Gareth Hunt.
Episode 5
Jun 8, 2002
The debut of Kevin Kennedy and Patsy Palmer on the show, and Amanda Barrie returns as a panellist for the first time since 1979.
Episode 6
Jun 29, 2002
Sean Wilson makes the first of two appearances on the show, while Mickey Poppins puts in his sole showing as a panellist. Also making her only appearance is Mary Unfaithful from "L
Episode 7
Jul 6, 2002
Shobna Gulati, Gary Turner and Anna Ryder Richardson make their sole appearances on the panel.
Episode 8
Jul 13, 2002
"Right, well I'm off," claims Lily, "it's gonna be one of these nights, I'm sorry." Unfortunately for Lily, the show's only just started. Among the panellists are Tim Vincent, H an
Episode 9
Jul 20, 2002
Tris Payne takes a break from "Real Rooms" to put in his single appearance on the show. Seated around him are some familiar faces on the panel, including a favourite of Lily's: She
Episode 10
Jul 27, 2002
Four newcomers put in their only appearances on the panel: Simon Rouse, Elizabeth Estensen, Sue Cleaver and Natalie Casey.
Episode 11
Aug 3, 2002
The only appearances for Ross Burden, Charlie Dimmock and Lisa Riley. Joining them is Leslie Grantham, who has been on the show since the days of Les Dawson, and June Whitfield, wh
Episode 12
Aug 10, 2002
Lily and panellist Fiona Phillips are joined by five celebrities new to the series: Robin Cousins, Raji James, Meg Johnson, Lesley Joseph and Greg Proops.
Episode 13
Aug 17, 2002
"The atmosphere in here tonight, can you feel it?" asks Lily, "It's like a public hanging." On the panel for the first and only time is Michael Garner, joined by regulars Carol Smi
Episode 14
Alexandra Fletcher, Joe Mace and Jennie Bond appear on the panel for a single time, sat with one of the show's longest-serving regulars: June Whitfield, who has appeared with all t
Episode 15
This week sees four celebrities make their sole guest turns on the panel: Heather Peace, Kate Garraway, Chris Bisson and Nell McAndrew.
Episode 16
Philip Middlemiss and Ben Shephard make their sole appearances on the panel, while joining them are Dale Winton, June Sarpong, Gloria Hunniford and Sue Jenkins.
Episode 17
Guest panellist Kevin Woodford has lost his voice, but it's not a problem for a contestant's boyfriend sat in the audience - he's prepared to do horse impressions to liven up the s
Episode 18
The sole appearances on the panel of Emily Symons, Nick Pickard, Jane Gurnett and Christopher Price.
Episode 19
Panellists making their only appearance on this edition are Antony Audenshaw, David Dickinson and Denise Robertson.
Episode 20
The final episode of the Lily Savage era, which included appearances from Will Mellor, Claire Sweeney, and John Craven.