Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes.
The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that contestants spin throughout the course of the game to determine their cash and/or prizes.
The programme was produced by Scottish Television Enterprises, and aired between 19 July 1988 and 21 December 2001 for ITV.
It mostly follows the same general format from the original version of the programme from the United States, with a few minor differences.
On 27 June 2023, Whisper North, in association with Sony Pictures Television and Paramount Global Content Distribution, announced the production of a revival series for broadcast on ITV in 2024, with Graham Norton serving as presenter.
These points have no cash value; their only purpose was to determine the grand finalist, or to choose a winner for a particular round.
This was because, between 1960 and 1992, the Independent Broadcasting Authority and, for the last two years, its successor, the Independent Television Commission, imposed caps on the top prize game shows could give away per week, and standardising the prize on offer per episode ensured the programme did not breach the set limits.
This rule would encourage sacrificing a player's turn if he or she did not know the puzzle rather than risking his or her points by spinning again.
If the contestant landed on a number but picked a letter that did not appear on the puzzle board, or landed on the "LOSE A TURN" space or the "BANKRUPT" space, the contestant could give their "FREE SPIN" loop to the host and spin again.
In the speed round, the host would spin the wheel with the centre player's arrow determining the point value for each contestant.
The prize chosen, the Grand Finale continued with the contestant choosing five consonants and a vowel.
If a player landed on the latter wedge, they had the option of going for 500 points per letter or gambling their round score.
After all instances of the chosen letters are revealed, if the contestant can solve the puzzle within ten seconds, they win a bonus prize.
This time, the bonus round is played for cash, with the prize determined by spinning a smaller wheel, similar to that of the American version, containing 24 envelopes with values ranging from £10,000[c] to £50,000.
During the daytime series, winners of each round could choose from an array of prizes laid out on stage, (CD player, dishwasher, etc.)
All contestants in all series, win or lose, went home with a Wheel of Fortune watch (and sometimes other WoF-related merchandise).
On occasion, the series has had several episodes featuring specific kinds of contestants: From 1988 to 1993, the host would emerge from the right stairs.
After the show's switch to widescreen in 2001, the host and the letter spinner would emerge from the prize pod.
The background colour for unused trilons on the UK's puzzle board was green from 1988 to 1993, after which it was changed to blue.
During the thirteenth series, most ITV regions broadcast episodes at 5.30pm from 2 January to 22 June 2001, except for Meridian, Yorkshire, Tyne Tees, before being switched to a Saturday afternoon slot until 4 August 2001.
On 27 June 2023, it was announced that ITV had commissioned a revival of the game show to air on ITV1 and ITVX in January 2024.
The revival will be produced by Whisper North, a division of Sony Pictures Television-backed Whisper TV, in association with Sony Pictures Television and Paramount Global Content Distribution, and Graham Norton would be the new presenter.
[1] A non-broadcast pilot was originally recorded in 2020 with Alison Hammond as presenter, but ITV announced in June 2022 that they would not go forward on a full series.