Mastermind

Famous for its challenging questions, intimidating setting and pervading air of tense expectation, Mastermind is a legendary tournament quiz show beloved around the world, from the UK to Russia – and soon, Australia, when it returns to our screens after 34 years, weeknights on SBS from April. With highly respected TV host, journalist and self-confessed quiz junkie Jennifer Byrne (ABC's First Tuesday Book Club, Sunday, 60 Minutes, Foreign Correspondent) at the helm, the program places contenders in the iconic Mastermind chair and gives them two tense minutes to answer as many questions as possible on their chosen specialist subject. Specialist subjects will include everything from Australian Parrots to The Harry Potter Series; John Cusack to The Whitlam Government Dismissal; Wicked: The Musical to Women in Australia Rallysport – and everything in between. The contenders will advance to a general knowledge round, and the person with the highest combined score for both rounds is declared the winner. Each Friday the weekly finals will see one person advance to the semi-finals and eventually compete against other winners at the end of the season for the prestigious title of Australia's Mastermind.