QUIRKY costumes from a 1970s gameshow failed to live up to their knockout status as they went under the hammer and received no bids.

The five huge rubber costumes from the BBC comedy gameshow, It’s a Knockout, were up for auction at Thomas Watson Auctioneers and Valuers, in Darlingon, today (Tuesday) but failed to sell as nobody placed a bid.

Despite a busy salesroom of about 50 people, the outfits, which were set to be sold as one lot, did not meet their reserve price of around £900.

Auctioneer and valuer Peter Cartwright said: “I think it is probably to do with the fact that they are so large - once you have got them there isn’t a great deal you can actually do with them.

“While it is a very iconic television show, it isn’t like Doctor Who or Star Trek.

“They will be going back to the vendor and they will decide what to do with them.”

The outfits included a cowboy-style costume, Santa suit and a headless man.