Picture Slam: all you need to know about Alan Carr’s new picture-based game show

Picture Slam host Alan Carr.
Picture Slam on BBC1 is hosted Alan Carr. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Picture Slam on BBC1 gives a new format for a quiz show. Alan Carr is no stranger to quiz shows, having fronted Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow for two years, but from now on Saturday nights on BBC1 will never be the same as he’s all set to host new series Picture Slam. The RuPaul’s Drag Race judge will take the helm of the new picture-based competition where contestants will have to ‘know their Buckingham Palace from their Crystal Palace and their Victoria Beckham from their Victoria Sponge’. And if they succeed in the fast-paced game, they can take home a jackpot worth up to £10,000. 

“Who doesn’t love a good quiz” says Alan? “When I found out the BBC wanted little old me to present Picture Slam I jumped at the chance! I don’t know if I would be any good at the quiz, but luckily I don’t have to play it!” 

Here’s everything we know about the show so far…

Picture Slam release date

Picture Slam launches on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer on Saturday evenings and will be shown some time in 2023. When a definite release date is confirmed, we’ll post it here. The series will be distributed by All3media international.

Picture Slam — how it works

Picture Slam will see three teams tackle a series of pictures that they must name, with each picture worth cash. The more they can name, the more cash they take home but for the big money, they must name them all to get a ‘picture slam’. Across four rounds, the contestants will be presented with a board full of images to identify against the clock. If they clear a board, they get a ‘picture slam’ and get a cash bonus. But only the team who makes it to the final can keep their banked cash and if they can find all the required pictures, they take home the jackpot. 

Behind the scenes and more about Picture Slam

Picture Slam is an eight-part series filmed at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. The show is made by Triple Brew Media, part of All3Media’s Objective Media Group and was commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producers are Julie Kelling, Ed De Burgh and Ben Shephard for Triple Brew Media and Toby Stevens for OMG Scotland. Adeel Amini is the Series producer. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Neil McCallum. 

Ed De Burgh and Ben Shephard, Executive Producers for Triple Brew Media say: “We are super excited to bring this format to the BBC, Alan is the perfect fit for a game that will have the whole family shouting at the TV. It’s fun and addictive and appeals to viewers of all ages, who will be able to play along at home every Saturday night.”

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment for the BBC says: “Picture Slam is a fast paced Saturday night play along quiz that requires contestants to be fast thinking and fast acting which results in loads of laugh out loud moments, making the quick-witted Alan Carr our perfect ringmaster!”

More about host Alan Carr 

Alan Carr hosted his chat show Alan Carr: Chatty Man from 2009 to 2017. He also made the reality show Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job with Amanda Holden and is a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Alan is team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and presented Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow and An Audience With Adele. He also hosts BBC1 show Interior Design Masters. An ITV1 comedy drama Changing Ends about Alan Carr's young life as the son of a football manager will be launching later in 2023.

Amanda & Alan's Italian Job: picture shows Amanda Holden and Alan Carr leaning through an open window in their Italian apartment, both wearing boiler suits and hard hats, and smiling

Earlier in 2023, we enjoyed Amanda & Alan's Italian Job as Alan Carr and Amanda Holden renovated a dilapidated house in Sicily.  (Image credit: BBC)

Is there a trailer for Picture Slam?

Not yet but if and when the BBC releases a Picture Slam trailer we’ll put it on this page. 

Nicholas Cannon
TV Content Director on TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week

I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.