Mastermind

Mastermind is a long-running BBC television quiz show, first broadcast in 1972. The show is based on a tournament system with eats, semi-finals and finals. In each show four contestants face challenging questions in two separate rounds, one on a specialised subject of the contestant's choice, the other testing general knowledge. Contestants sit in a black leather chair, lit by a solitary spotlight in an otherwise dark studio. The setting and theme music have become trademark features of the show.

It was first broadcast on BBC One on 11 January 1972 with the host Magnus Magnusson who continued until 1997. During his long run, Magnusson coined the catchphrase "I've started so I'll finish", said when the buzzer signalling the end of the round sounded during the reading of a question. He was succeeded by Peter Snow, Clive Anderson and more famously by John Humphrys, who hosted the show from 1998 until retiring from broadcasting work in 2021. The show is currently hosted by Clive Myrie (b.1964)

Classic Mastermind has given rise to the spin-offs Mastermind International, Junior Mastermind, Sport Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind, the latter featuring various pop-culture personalities as contestants. Mastermind Champion of Champions was also broadcast in 2010.

Scrapbook
all scans GraemeWood unless otherwise stated