In the 2002 Christmas Special of the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses (BBC1, 1981-2003), the central character of ‘Del Boy’ Trotter appears as a contestant on a big money quiz show called Goldrush (hosted by Jonathan Ross). Clearly intended to be Millionaire in all but name, Del is hopeful that the show will make the Trotter family ‘millionaires’, a dream which represents an ongoing narrative in the sitcom itself. Del is confident that he is doing well and when the host asks him, ‘What state was President Kennedy in when he was shot?’, Del responds, ‘Well, he was in a terrible state, wasn't he?’ (BBC1, 25 December 2002). The joke emerges from the fact that Del's response is not only deemed to be wrong, but it is also understood to be in poor taste. As such, this is also in part a class ‘mistake’, as the confusion arises from Del's more colloquial use of language (in which the word state is more likely to refer to personal well-being than to geography or history).

This example usefully introduces a number of key themes which structure the relationship between quiz shows and knowledge, and which will be explored in this chapter. Del is an emblematic figure when it comes to the promise of the genre. The idea that ‘anyone’ can make it ‘big’ and hit the jackpot has historically been central to the quiz show's appeal. But what is less conventional is Del's response to being questioned by the host.