Late Night Poker, airing soon

The first impact bearing poker TV show is returning to United Kingdom Television. Late Night Poker will make it's annual return in the UK and Ireland later this year. They have sampled many different formats for the show, but this year are returning to the original player personalities focus, that made the show entertaining and popular over the years.

Produced by Party Poker.com, Late Night Poker revolutionized the way people perceived poker and the players when it first aired in 1999. The program was the first to use under the table cameras and personal interviews with the players.

The total prize pool for 2007 is $335,000, with $125,000 going to the ultimate winner. There will be 49 players participating with a $5000 buy-in, with seven rounds of seven players each, followed by a semifinal and a final. Every round will be filmed, aired, and showcased every night. Viewers can expect the long time pros to remain on the show, as well as some rookies competing across the felt, as well as a limited number of online qualifiers.

To enter as one of the online qualifiers you will have to participate in one of the events for the show on Monday Nights. There is a 300 + 20 pound buy in tournament, with one in 25 winning a 7500 pound package to Cardiff, including a stay in a 5 star hotel, and 800 in spending money. Qualification fees start as little as 1 pound.

The announcement of the return of Late Night Poker has been overshadowed by the news that Rob Gardner, producer of the very first series, recently passed away. A PartyPoker spokesman said, "The emphasis on the old faces is even more poignant with the recent news that the original producer, Rob Gardner, tragically passed away at the age of just 36. Rob's contribution to the rise of televised poker and getting Late Night Poker on our screens was massive and his pioneering work leaves a huge legacy. He will be sorely missed, not only by those that know him but by the poker industry as a whole."