It’s A Mystery (CITV, 1996-2000)/Mystery (CITV, 2002)
This is definitely the best CITV show that shares a name with an 80s pop song. There were lots of question marks in the opening sequence, and also in the studio as well, but this wasn’t a game show. It’s A Mystery was all about the supernatural, the unexplained, investigating if there was any truth in famous myths, and how things that seemed to be highly unlikely could possibly have happened.
Was there a chance that these mysteries could be solved? Is there really an explanation for everything? I am not that hugely into conspiracy theories, but I do think that there is a chance that rather spooky things can sometimes happen. Have we really had encounters with aliens? Is there a ghost lurking in the house? Will we ever know who built the pyramids?
There would also be location reports, along with guests in the studio who tried to explain what the possible answers could be, and The Video File, where a viewer told their unusual story, and what evidence they had to prove that it had happened, all accompanied by some sub-The X Files-style music. We would then be told if the mystery had been “solved” or “unsolved”.
Although I think I only watched some of the early editions, one of the things that attracted me to It’s A Mystery was Neil Buchanan, and this was one of the many shows that he hosted throughout his entertaining 25-year career with CITV. It was always good to see him, and various other hosts throughout the series included Sophie “Ace” Aldred, Gail Porter, and some guy who used to be in Home And Away (when that was very popular on ITV).
I suppose that this show often asked the question “why” instead of “how” (partly because a different show on CITV at the time did that). There were five series of It’s A Mystery, but it seems that there were some changes, with the title for the final series being abbreviated to just Mystery, and another new hosting line-up following the departure of Neil, but at least he still had Art Attack to get on with.
ADAM'S NOSTALGIC MEMORIES 