What started as a seemingly light-hearted quiz show on the BBC quickly spiraled into one of the most bizarre TV twists of the year, leaving audiences stunned.
Fans tuning in on Monday night expected a new episode of Inside No 9, the acclaimed dark comedy anthology created by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. Instead, they were met with 3by3, a supposedly brand-new game show hosted by comedian Lee Mack.
The format appeared straightforward at first: three teams of three contestants competing for a cash prize, with Mack delivering his usual sharp one-liners. “Hello, I’m Lee Mack and welcome to 3by3, the brand new quiz show that provides three teams of three people three chances to win a big money reward,” he explained. “Well, I say big money, this is the BBC. In fact if the set doesn’t fall down we’ll be happy.”
But what began as light comedy quickly veered into unsettling territory. As the show drew to a close, cameras cut to a contestant’s mother, Margaret, confined in a soundproof booth. To the shock of audiences at home, her head suddenly appeared to “blow open” on live television.
Social media erupted with confusion and alarm. One viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “What the actual f**k is going on?” Another added: “3 by 3 is really unnerving, anyone else?” Others admitted they changed the channel, unable to tell whether the shocking moment was part of the quiz or a technical disaster.
The surreal and disturbing twist had many questioning whether they had accidentally tuned into the wrong program.
Segment leaves fans dividedThe final seconds brought clarity. As the chaos unfolded, Mack shouted toward a producer and stormed off set. Then, in a sudden shift, the screen cut to the familiar Inside No 9 credits; revealing the entire quiz show had been a staged prank, an elaborate fictional setup masking the anthology’s latest episode.
For Inside No 9 fans, it was another example of the show’s trademark misdirection and willingness to blur the line between comedy, horror, and satire. But casual viewers who had not expected the twist were left bewildered.
One person wrote: "I'm so confused! What is this 3 by 3 programme!"
"3 by 3 what’s this meant to be – apart from weird? Turning over," a second user added.
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton have long relished wrong-footing their audience, from fake trailers to misleading publicity stunts. With this latest gambit, they managed to once again create a national talking point; one that had BBC viewers questioning reality, even if only for a few minutes.