Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THEY’VE STARTED SO WE’LL FINISH..
Mastermind filming moves to Ulster
BBC quiz show Mastermind’s big leather chair is on the move and will now be filmed in Northern Ireland.
A joint bid from independent producers Hat Trick and Hindsight won a tender to become the new makers of Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind.
The venture is backed by Northern Ireland Screen – an agency dedicated to promoting sustainable TV production here – and will see the programme based, filmed and edited here. It was previously produced from Salford.
The two-year contract begins in July and covers 31 episodes of Mastermind and 10 episodes of Celebrity Mastermind per year.
John Humphrys will continue to present both shows.
A BBC source said: “We will be looking to recreate the sense of tension and interrogation style that the show is famous for.
“While the structure will remain the same, audiences will notice a different look and feel.”
Mastermind was first aired on
BBC One in 1972 and was hosted by Magnus Magnusson who was billed as the show’s “Interrogator”. Since 2014 BBC has ran the Compete or
Compare strategy which underlines its commitment to commission the best programmes for audiences, regardless of who makes them.
Hindsight and Hat Trick’s bid was considered to be the strongest from a field of eight.
Their vision will bring the show back to its interrogation style roots.
Its creator Bill Wright was a former RAF gunner who drew on his wartime experience as a POW to create its style.
The series was initially thought to be too highbrow and aired in a late-night slot but went on to notch up a huge audience in peak hours.
It was dropped by the BBC in 1997 but returned on BBC Two in 2003 with Humphrys as the new question master.
Kate Phillips, Controller of Entertainment Commissioning, said: “We assessed the bids against four criteria and the bid from Hindsight and Hat Trick was the strongest.
“We liked their idea of Mastermind returning to its roots in a dramatic and pressurised setting. We’re also delighted another BBC show will be made in Northern Ireland.” The announcement comes after the Beeb announced TV coverage of the Proms would be produced by an independent firm for the first time.