That was one of the most emotionally wrought games i can remember seeing in a long while.
Kerry wore her heart on her sleeve which is admirable in many ways but not always a good tactic when you are up against the Banker. I really think he used her openness against her in making some fairly derisory offers
She started off so bubbly, giggly and manic you couldn't help but fall in love with her a little bit, my favourite sort of player personality wise, but then it all went a bit wrong and by the time she did the lead into the first ad break her voice was cracking and you tell the bad luck was bringing her down.
Finding the 1p and then getting that all blue round definately helped give her a bit of a boost, but then it all went sour again, and by the time she got to 5 box she was pretty much an emotional wreck.
I don't know exactly what Kerry's financial position is, but she did allude to some family debts and given how low those blues were i can certainly understand why she dealt, though personally i think it's exactly the sort of scenario where i would just say to hell with it and press on.
Knew something was coming at the end, like most people I suspect i anticipated the Banker's Gamble and while this isn't that much different it certainly added a new dimension, At the end of the day i don't care if he did it out of good intentions or bad, it made for real drama and was one of the most exciting, distressing conclusions to a game in a long time. I'm so glad it worked out for Kerry. I think i would have been crying with everyone else if it hadn't

Thanks for that comment, Moxx - I couldn't agree with you more, as I said earlier it was so emotional in the studio, bearing in mind it took about 2 hours to film.

It's not always easy to convey that in the edit, but I think they did a pretty good job. You'll notice the emotions were especially high when the banker phoned asking the swap - a lot of us gasped in disgust, even though we sort of knew it would be coming, we just wanted such a great result for Kerry as she had personalised the game so much and endeared herself to everyone with her bubbly personality. I felt a wreck coming out of that game, but I think we'd have all been crying if she'd won nothing - and that was kind of the point.

Then 10 minutes later, it was back for the next game...!

Think KP was right, the £900 deal for a £15k box was 6% of the value, which equates to £15k for the £250k.

Chalk this one down for the producers wanting to make a water-cooler ending rather than anything than resembled any logical gameplay by the banker.

Reminded me a bit of Michael's game in January, when he got offered odds of about 11 to 1 to gamble £8,800 to win £100k with the banker knowing that he couldn't afford to risk the £8,800 - except Kerry was getting 16.66 to 1 for her gamble and without knowing her financial circumstances personally, £900 is probably worth gambling for £15k.

Also odd that one of the rare banker guarantees that was actually helpful and generous (getting 6.66 to 1 on a 40% chance) was declined.

I think I'm just a grumpy old* purist who believes in the game standing alone without recourse to superstition, endorsement of mid-2000s cavalier attitudes to money, outlandish props and otherwise desperate bids to change the game for excitement purposes when the game's quite exciting enough anyway.

But of the 2m-odd regular viewers, maybe ten thousand have anything like my level of knowledge in economic theory, psychology and mathematics. And of those ten thousand, maybe about twenty are as cynical as I am.

This was pure playing-to-the-gallery and the result meant they got away with it. For most viewers, anyway - I am not 'most viewers', and perhaps underestimate the extent to which that is the case. With that in mind, let's get the collective view in Tweets of the Day. Lots today, which is a sign in itself.

If I ever went on Deal or No Deal, I would just start at one end and work across from left to right, which would make for very dull viewing. Don't tell Geordie!!!
I barely watch Deal Or No Deal, but that banker is cruel. Go Kerry!! Just after two-box. Cruel isn't how I'd put it...
just shouted for joy at Deal or No Deal. Good girl Kerry, well in!
i hate deal or no deal. it always seems like a fix. I had to quote that one didn't I?
has just watched Deal or No Deal she,s sick of hysterical people crying over £900 or nothing. Take nothing and get a life! Two words. Digital Spy.
Deal Or No Deal gets better by the day!

And not related to this game but truly awesome:
DEAL OR NO DEAL CONTESTANTS:dont just go on a gameshow without questions 2 prove your thick, applaud the opening of a box also Shame the grammar was wrong on this, in epic irony...

*not that old, I'm not even 23 yet

Kerry was given a generous second chance by the Banker and mercifully took it.

The gamble was exciting though.

Yes it did take ages to record and I wondered how it would look edited down to 30 mins

I sometimes have extremely strong feelings about the boxes and I was convinced that the £15000 was on the table. As soon as Kerry asked what she should do I shot up and if you look as the camera pans around I was stood as other people were just getting up.

I spoke with Kerry afterwards and she said she noticed how quick I stood and that gave her the courage to go for it.

In all the times I have visited the Dream Factory I have only had these very strong feelings twice.

The other time was a lady from Lancashire whose son had made a card saying the £250k was in box 17. She took £26k if I remember rightly and the £250k was in box 17. It was one of the special weeks and she was in fancy dress. You will remember Davey

what a great game kerry you so deserved that money and your little girl will be pround of her mummy ..................well done you all that emotion paid off in the end enjoy your time in graceland

That was Jane collydolly, she played in the last Santa v Scrooge game before Christmas.

Yeah, that's another game I saw with Collydolly back in October last year - she took £28k (close Collydolly), and through picking the 'Santa' won a holiday to Tenerife. That was another live game I enjoyed immensely, even though she had missed out on the top prize, it had a gripping storyline to it with the card her boy made, and Jane was quite entertaining. Bizarrely, I think if she had picked the 'Scrooge', she'd probably have been better off, as she'd have dealt £60k at 2-box and had lower offers leading up to it!

Thanks for that, of course it was Jane and the Santa and Scrooge week

I think the offer was too good to pass up and she was frightened to go on. Also she may not have swapped for the 17 box with the £250k.

Brilliant game, and thanks statsman and collydolly - I always hope that forum members who've seen episodes filmed will comment on them, give a bit of 'insider' information - and I look forward statsman to the same over the next few games.

I personally thought the gamble was pretty straight-forward, but £900 is certainly a lot of money - and it still took guts for Kerry to take it. Thank God it worked out for her, I can't imagine how she'd been if she'd lost it all.

This game and others before has made me wonder if the Banker actually knows what is in the boxes. Does anybody think this is possible?

If he did, it could be done by the independent adjudicator, 'who is the only person who knows where the money is', informing the Banker during round 1.

It does strike me as unlikely, simply because if it was leaked now it would kill the show. I have had my doubts before, though (indeed, am famous in these parts for having done so!).

It certainly would kill the show if the Banker did know and it was leaked. For this reason I would be certain that Noel does not know. However, having watched the game for at least 2 years now, I think I understand the mind-set of the Banker/producers, (i.e. want a dramatic finish, the occasional big winner and "nice deserving" people not going home with nowt), I am convinced he knows.

Maybe I'm niave but I've never once doubted the integrity of the IA. I just can't believe she'd tell anyone what was in the boxes.

I have wondered in the past, particularly with the two QM winners, but I don't think it's possible. It would be seen as cheating, and the producers would be in all sorts of trouble if it was leaked. I have, on occasion, suspected that Noel knows what's in the box. However, that's probably down to editing. Managed to see Kerry's game today, I quite enjoyed it. I think the twist was needed, after her dealing a relatively low amount.

There have been plenty of occasions when the banker has forced a player on with poor offers, or has offered them banker's gambles, and they've had a blue in the box.

There's probably just as much evidence to suggest the banker doesn't know what's in the boxes as there is to suggest he does know.

If he did know, then they could've offered the banker's gamble on more £250k finishes in the past and probably got a second £250k winner a lot sooner; but as it happened there was a 2-year gap between the top prize being won.

The Banker does "box clever" and clearly it would be way too obvious if he always offered or even occasionally offered a Banker's gamble when the player had the £250k. It took me awhile to understand how it was working but once I understood the "types" they wanted to do reasonably well I can see how the offers attempt to produce a good winner and/or a dramatic finale. Obviously, it all depends on what the player does and it clearly does not always work out they way they want it to - e.g. when some of them turn down fantastic offers and go home with peanuts

The way i see it no-one needed to know what was in the boxes for that gamble to work. That was a win-win situation whichever way it played out.(Besides why would he offer the swap if he knew she had the money on the table?)
There were 4 possible endings to Kerry's game

1) (The one we got) Kerry takes the gamble and wins £15k, creates a feelgood ending to the show and ensures a popular and much loved player (judging by how emotional they were on the wings) goes home with a decent wedge of money

2) Kerry takes the gamble, reveals the £250 and goes home empty handed, The Banker's 'evil' reputation is reinforced as a popular but emotionally fragile player is crushed. There is also the option of guilt-tripping Friday's player with the "X for you and £900 for Kerry" offer at some point during their game

3) Kerry declines to gamble and the £15,000 is in her box, Allows Noel and the producers to put the emphasis on RISK and reward, you've got to gamble to get the big money etc etc, as all the other contestants become guilty by association

4) Kerry declines the gamble and reveals the £250. A minor victory for an emotionally fragile player allowing her to end her game on a positive note.

Not all those endings have the same sense of euphoria as the one we got admittedly but it's possible to spin something out of them.

A

Very good point, they can make something of it:

1. creates optimism
2. creates high tension and reinforces a reputation
3. creates plentiful room for the Wakeyist spin
4. creates a sense of relief

Just offering a hypo £6k means the only outcome is the Wakeyist spin, which is rather dented if there's a blue in the box.