A second series of S4C quiz show Y Deis (The Dice) begins on Wednesday 14 October with a special episode featuring celebrity Welsh learners.
The opening show is part of S4C and BBC Radio Cymru’s annual Wythnos Dathlu Dysgu Cymraeg (Celebrating Learning Welsh Week). It starts at 20.00 on S4C, S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer.
Alun Wyn Jones and Jonathan ‘Fox’ Davies, who led Wales to the 2019 Grand Slam, team up to take on comedian Mike Bubbins and presenter Eleri Sion, alongside singer-songwriter Aleighcia Scott and actress Mali Ann Rees. The winning team’s jackpot will be donated to the charities of their choice.
The series is hosted by BBC Radio Wales Breakfast presenter James Williams and filmed in Cardiff. In each show, three teams of two – friends, family members or colleagues – compete across a series of rounds, building their pot through general knowledge, tactics and the roll of the dice. Only one team reaches the final, where they race against the clock to try to win the Jackpot.
Produced by Cardiff-based Slam Media, the new series is made up of 40 30-minute episodes and four 45-minute celebrity specials. Two Christmas editions featuring celebrity pairings and couples are also planned.
James Williams said:
“It’s fantastic to be back for a second series. Y Deis is a general knowledge quiz, but the dice brings in that extra layer of luck and strategy which can completely change the game. You need the knowledge and ability to get through the quiz, but everything can turn on one throw, so you never quite know how it’s going to unfold. Any team that takes the Jackpot has truly earned it.”
Y Deis was created by Gavin Cox of Slam Media, who took inspiration from his late father’s career designing fruit machine games. The show’s dice machine is the visual centrepiece of the set.
Gavin Cox, Y Deis format creator and Executive Producer, said:
“My dad spent his career creating games that people genuinely connected with, and since his passing I’ve really wanted to create something of my own that could have that same impact – something my own children could look back at with pride. With the backing of S4C and TG4, that ambition has become a reality.”
The format has also been taken up in Ireland. Last year, Irish-language broadcaster TG4 acquired the rights to make its own version, An Deis, which is also filmed in Cardiff. A further 22 episodes have been commissioned from Tyrone Productions for its second series, and S4C has commissioned a children’s pilot.
Beth Angell, Head of Entertainment and Factual Entertainment at S4C, said:
“The moment I saw Y Deis, I knew we had a hit on our hands. It’s the perfect mix of knowledge, strategy and pure chance. I was lucky enough to play it during development, and trust me, it completely lived up to the hype!”
Laura Ní Cheallaigh, Director of Content at TG4, said:
“An Deis is an exciting, entertaining and ambitious format that proves the power of creative collaboration between Celtic broadcasters.”
