Analysis: At its peak, the show pulled in a million viewers a week to watch athletes, sportspeople and celebrities compete against each other
The Superstars was a TV series in the 1970s and 1980s where sportspeople from different disciplines competed against one another in a variety of events to determine the best all-round athlete. It was a format that was first devised in the US and spread across Europe. The Irish version took the country by storm and it became the most popular TV show in Ireland. The show is also referred to in Ireland as Milk Superstars as it was sponsored by the National Dairy Council.
The idea was as radical as it was simple: athletes competing in events outside their comfort zone to determine an ultimate winner. Think of Dancing with the Stars but with a greasy cycle track in a damp Salthill instead of a flashy dance floor in a TV studio.
From RTÉ Archives, opening credits for an episode of Superstars broadcast in February 1982
The format was first devised by US Olympic figure skater Dick Button in 1973 and was broadcast on the ABC network as a two-hour special. The 10 sports in the first US version were baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, auto racing, boxing, tennis, bowling, golf and horse racing.
Each of the athletes would select seven of ten events to compete in and would be barred from competing in their own specialty sport. Boxer Joe Frazier caused a stir when he participated in the swimming event despite not being able to swim. His response to the near drowning? "How was I to know I couldn't unless I tried it?"
O.J. Simpson won the US Superstars show in 1975, and his participation undoubtedly popularised the show to a new level. At that time, Simpson was at the height of his sports career as an NFL player with Buffalo Bills before he became a household name as a double murder suspect. He was also an announcer on The Superstars, so he had a dual role in the iconic series.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Archives, footage of the 1985 Superstars final
The format was soon picked up by other countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Sweden. The first Irish series of The Superstars took place in 1979 in University College Dublin campus and later in Galway and Tralee. RTÉ put forth some of its most recognisable and accomplished broadcasters to present the show including Gay Byrne, Michael Lyster and Jimmy Magee.
The programme featured athletes including soccer player David O'Leary, Gaelic footballer Bernard Brogan Snr, decathlete Brendan Curtin and rugby player Tony Ward. Rowing, cycling, sprinting, basketball, swimming, obstacle course and weightlifting were among the events.
Kerry footballer Pat Spillane won the inaugural Irish series in 1979. His victory was leaked before it was even broadcast because he was in the Bahamas to compete in the world series of Superstars instead of being on the Munster team to play Connacht in the Railway Cup semifinal. This was a major disappointment for RTÉ producers who had put such effort into the series, but more meticulous scheduling would have avoided this scenario.
A 90-minute programme broadcast on RTÉ showed Spillane coming 11th out of 12 competitors from Brazil, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, the UK and the US. Other winners of the Irish series included trampolinist Gerry Loftus and canoeists Alan Bates and Declan Burns.
There was also a celebrity version which "added to the entertainment value of the competition". Politicians Ruáirí Quinn, Enda Kenny and Bertie Ahern; singers Dickie Rock and Johnny Logan and actor Frank Kelly were among the celebrity line up in a show which was broadcast in 1982 (see clips above and below).
From RTÉ Archives, closing credits for an episode of Superstars broadcast in February 1982
The final series was broadcast on RTÉ in 1986 which was around this time that The Superstars TV show disappeared off air in other countries too. As with any TV series, the novelty began to wear off and it lost its appeal and most of its audience. In 2004, the BBC revived the British edition for two seasons, but it seemed that the format that caused such a sensation years earlier didn’t resonate with a contemporary audience.
At its peak in Ireland, The Superstars was drawing in over one million viewers each week. It was an effective way of showcasing different sporting disciplines and talented athletes to a wider, national audience. TV shows like Ireland's Fittest Family, Ninja Warrior and Ultimate Hell Week satisfy the appetite for a TV showcasing multidisciplinary and entertaining physical challenges. But they will never compete with the intense nostalgia the dated hairstyles, clothing and overall production that The Superstars stirs up for those who viewed the series in its heyday.
Follow RTÉ Brainstorm on WhatsApp and Instagram for more stories and updates
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
