Total Wipeout is a British game show hosted by Richard Hammond and Amanda Byram which first aired on the BBC on 3 January 2009. In each episode, contestants competed in a series of challenges in an attempt to win £10,000. These challenges were based in large pools of water or mud and generally involved large assault courses that contestants had to cross. These were gradually eliminated over four rounds until one contestant remained, who won a £10,000 cash prize, except for the “Celebrity Specials,” in which the money was donated to the winner’s chosen charity.

Total Wipeout was a licensed version of Wipeout, the Endemol show that originated in the United States in 2008, with the name slightly altered to avoid confusion with the BBC version of the earlier game show of the same name. The show originally ran for six series, including a special winter-themed series, from 3 January 2009 until 31 December 2012. In the summer of 2020, Top Gear presenters Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness hosted a six-episode best-of series, featuring the presenters narrating shortened episodes of the show, called Total Wipeout: Freddie and Paddy Takeover.

The show was hosted by Richard Hammond, who commentated as the contestants attempted to complete the challenges. He was also seen in a studio to provide certain links within the show. Although the main footage was filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Hammond recorded his sections from a studio in England. Meanwhile, Amanda Byram interviewed the contestants during the show and remained on the sidelines as they made their way through the course.

During Total Wipeout contestants are put through a series of obstacle courses and challenges. After each challenge a certain number of them are eliminated from the competition. After the fourth and final round the fastest of the remaining three competitors around the course wins the game and the cash prize. The eliminated contestants can be seen sitting at the side during later challenges. The first champion in Total Wipeout history was, kitesurfer, Oliver Clatworthy.

The Qualifier involves contestants attempting to complete a short obstacle course in the least time possible; the eight contestants with the slowest times are eliminated, with the fastest twelve advancing to the second round (although in the case of the Celebrity specials, all participating contestants take part in the first two rounds). The Qualifier contains the dominant Sucker Punch and Big Balls. The first and last obstacles change every week, however the first obstacle is always set over a pool of water or mud, and the final obstacle is always a 'swing' to the goal. 54 contenders in the show's history have conquered the Big Balls, declared by Hammond as the hardest Wipeout obstacle ever. Those are: Jo and Carole (Series 1, Episode 5), Kierron (Series 1, Episode 7), Alice (Series 2, Episode 2), Alex (Series 2, Episode 6), Eliza, Julian and Victoria (Series 2, Episode 8), Chris and Katie (Series 2, "Champion of Champions"), Paul and Nix (Series 3, Episode 2), Colm, Nic, Ed and Becky (Series 3, Episode 5), Junior and Andy (Series 3, "Champion of Champions"), Jason King and Sarah Cawood (Series 3, "Celebrity Special #2"), Liam (Series 4, Episode 1), Andy (Series 4, Episode 3 and Champion of Champions), Katie (Series 4, Episode 5), Fran (Series 4, Episode 6), Tamara (Series 4, Episode 7) Scott, Frankie, Mikey and James (Series 4, "Champion of Champions"), Chris Simmons (Series 4, "Celebrity Special #1"), Tupele Dorgu and Dean Macey (Series 4 "Celebrity Special #2"), Marina (Winter Wipeout, Episode 1), Dan (Winter Wipeout, Episode 3 and Champion of Champions), Lawrence (Winter Wipeout, Episode 6), John W (Winter Wipeout, Episode 6 and Champion of Champions), Tom (Winter Wipeout, Episode 7) Edward (Winter Wipeout, Episode 8), Jon, Helen, Mikey and John C (Winter Wipeout, "Champion of Champions"), Nicola McLean (Series 5, "Celebrity Special #1"), Clare Nasir (Series 5, "Celebrity Special #2"), Becky and Amanda (Series 5 Episode 1), Ron and Alex (Series 5, Episode 4) William and Helene (Series 5 Episode 7), Amy, Ellen and Liam (Series 5 Episode 8), and Ashley, (Series 5 "Champion of Champions").

Only 7 contestants; Kierron (Series 1, Episode 7), Becky and Ed (Series 3, Episode 6), Junior (Series 3, "Champion of Champions"), James (Series 4, "Champion of Champions"), Chris Simmons (Series 4, "Celebrity Special #1") and William (Series 5, Episode 7) have not fallen off any obstacle during the Qualifier.

The fastest time on the Qualifier is 0:56 by Dean Macey (Series 4, Episode 12), but given the celebrity course is easier, the civilian record is 1:02 by "Non-Toff" Will (Series 5, Episode 7). The slowest time is 16:44 by ‘Bouncy’ Jill (Series 3, Episode 1).

Richard Hammond would explain the "dos & don’ts for success" for a particular Total Wipeout moment from the course in Argentina.