Don't Scare the Hare is a 2011 British television game show produced by Initial (a subsidiary of Endemol UK) for the BBC, hosted by Jason Bradbury and narrated by Sue Perkins.
[6] The show was piloted at BBC Television Centre in September 2009, with Jason Bradbury as host and Barry Davies providing a live voiceover.
[9] Jason Bradbury was named as host in January 2011, while some newspapers identified comedian Miranda Hart as the show's narrator.
Announcing Don't Scare the Hare, BBC Entertainment's executive editor Alan Tyler said the show "cleverly captures the spirit and fun of interactive family video games that has been sweeping the nation.
He invited the contestants to "do a whole bunch of crazy stuff" (play a few games), but there was one important rule: They must not scare the Hare.
For example, in the first episode the games involved hopping around in sleeping bags to stop alarm clocks from going off, remembering a sequence of lights and using them to "cross" a pond of lilypads, and hooking carrots with fishing rods.
A wrong move on any of the tasks would set off a loud noise, "scaring" the Hare, which ran around the studio squeaking and rolling its eyes.
"[13] Jim Shelley of the Daily Mirror was equally as critical, summing up his review as follows: "The idiots playing might have enjoyed themselves but even toddlers would have found the games dull and Jason creepy.
"[14] A review in The Stage observed: "The actual games are pretty feeble and uninspired, leaving the poor hare and his robotic novelty value to carry the show.
"[15] Digital Spy's Alex Fletcher noted: "Not since the days of Mr Blobby and Ice Warriors have weekends been filled with such peculiar antics.
It was a huge risk we took – it’s co-hosted by an animatronic hare – and while it’s proved successful with children, we were hoping there would be enough knowingness within the show to draw in the adults.