It's an all-star Finish Line up

TV presenter Sarah Greene talks to YOLANTHE FAWEHINMI about her new celebrity-packed festive series of game show The Finish Line

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MAKE MERRY: The set has been 'Christmasified'

(CONTESTANT: Tim Vine)

WHEN Sarah Greene first started co-hosting The Finish Line with Roman Kemp in 2023, she didn’t think so many people would fall in love with it.

However viewers were quickly hooked on the show and its nail-biting finishes, as contestants race against each other on moving podiums, answering general knowledge questions for the chance to win a £5,000 cash prize.

The aim of the game is extremely simple: the more you know, the further you go across the studio floor, with the last player in each race eliminated.

Now, The Finish Line is back for a celebratory five-part Christmas series, The Festive Finish Line.

This time around celebrity guests, including comedians Russell Kane and Tim Vine, actor Christopher Biggins, rugby player Zoe Aldcroft and EastEnder Emma Barton, will be putting their general knowledge to the test in themed rounds to raise money for charity.

Here former Blue Peter presenter Sarah, 68, reflects on why the format has been such a hit.

I think it’s a combination of things. It's such a perfect storm. I knew that the very first time I saw this format. It's so strong.

On the one hand, it’s very straightforward. You've got three qualifying rounds, three races, a head-to-head, a final, but it’s so much more than that.

Within that time, you've got five people in every show, you've got time to actually get to know them, to care about who they are, and to become involved with the little snippets of stories you've heard about their lives.