Naked jungle

Why GMTV's Keith Chegwin has the dubious honour of being the presenter of the worst TV show ever

Back in 2000 the Naked Jungle was aired on Channel Five giving it its highest ratings, pulling in two million viewers.

The Radio Times has published its full list of the 50 worst shows of all time, compiled by TV expert John Naughton.

He explains: "The home-grown programmes I've picked here all represent moments when television went that extra mile to create something memorably rotten - whether it was an inspirationally - flawed concept, a supremely botched execution, or it suffered from an unusually irritating presenter."

His list contains some star names including Emma Thompson, French and Saunders and Sir Alistair Burnet, as well as our very own Keith Chegwin sitting not-so-proudly at number one!

The top 10

1) Naked Jungle - Cheggers bears all with a bunch of naturists
2) Minipops - Music videos with children in make up
3) Triangle - Soap opera about a ferry
4) Quckfire Balls - Bingo style gameshow
5) Annie's Bar - Dire soap set in parliament watering hole. A prince edward production
6) Wright Here, Wright Now - Ian Wright: great frontman for Arsenal, not for music show
7) Love Thy Neighbour - comedy about black couple living next to white bigot
8) Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends - Ringo Starr's narration "nauseating"
9) Through the Keyhole - Lloyd Grossman in celebrity homes
10) A Year in Provence - "Disastrous" Peter Mayle adaption

The Naked Jungle

Keith Chegwin's gameshow sparked huge debate at the time and was very controversial. 
 
Billed as the "gameshow for naturists", Naked Jungle was broadcast as part of Channel 5's celebration of naturism week.

The programme saw naked host Cheggers leading male and female contestants in a similar state of undress through a series of demanding puzzles in a jungle environment.
 
The games included tests such as the Pool of Death and Waterfall of Venus. Nothing was left to the imagination as contestants swung and abseiled their way through the set.

The Independent Television Commission said it had received only one complaint about Naked Jungle.

But it proved the highest rating entertainment programme on Channel 5 in the whole of the year 2000 drawing two million viewers and a 20% share of the total audience for that time of night.

Cheggers' reaction

"It was one of the worst mistakes of my life and a total misjudgement on my part. I decided to do it fully clothed first of all, but when I got there, I realised it wasn't all bodybuilders and models, it was normal people naked - your everyday naturist," says Keith.

"So, I decided to give it a go and strip off too. It was meant to be part of a Channel 5 week to celebrate nudism and was not meant to be offensive. I thought, what harm can it do? It's a late night Channel 5 programme and no-one will be watching it - how wrong I was as it turned out to be one of the biggest audiences."

"It was crazy, it got out of control and I remember Jenni Murray doing a commentary at Ascot that week when they got a streaker, when asked what the Queen was smiling at - the Queen had said it was the Cheggers Effect!"

"I said I wanted it to be a Generation Game type programme for nudists and it was meant to be a bit of fun. It did effect my career and people stayed away for a short while as it became so controversial."

As far as being named the worst show ever, he says: "I think it's an honour - it's something to be proud of that people are still talking about it now, but I knew it would come back to haunt me again one day".

Do you agree with the Radio Times' list of shame? If not, let us know what programmes you think should have made it in by using the form on this page