Brain of Britain


Revision as of 16:44, 24 May 2006

Contents

Host

Robert Robinson

Russell Davies (stand-in, 2004)

Co-hosts

Adjudicators (usually silent): "Mycroft" (Ian Gilles), "Jorkins" (Kevin Ashman)

Broadcast

BBC Radio 4, 1950s to present

Synopsis

Radio's premier clever-clogs quiz show, originally spun-off from a segment in What Do You Know?.

Four contenders gather from a selected region of the UK, and the presenter asks a question of each, continuing until they get one wrong - that's open to the other contestants on (silent) buzzers. There's a point for a correct answer, five in a row gains a bonus mark, and ten seconds are allowed for thought. In the event of a tie, bonus questions count double; a five question play-off is available if required.

Half-way through each episode is a "Beat The Brains" section, where a listener sets two questions, hoping to stump the panel on one, and win a book token.

The contest features 48 competitors (eight each from London, the Home Counties, the Midlands and East Anglia, the North West of England, the North of England, four from Scotland, and four drawn from Wales and Northern Ireland). The twelve heat winners, and four highest-scoring runners-up, compete in semi-finals, with the winner advancing to the final.

Every three years, the annual winners return for a Brain of Brains competition; every third winner of those contests competes in the Top Brain contest, possibly eight years after their original triumph. The next Top Brain is scheduled for 2007.

Champions

Regular Series

1954 Martin Dakin 1972 A. Lawrence 1990 Jim Eccleson
1955 Arthur Maddock 1973 Glyn Court 1991 Chris Wright
1956 Anthony Carr 1974 Roger Pritchard 1992 Mike Billson
1957 Rosemary Watson 1975 Winifred Lawson1993 Geoffrey Colton
1958 David Keys 1976 Thomas Dyer 1994 Ian Wynn-Mackenzie
1959 Dr Reginald Webster 1977 Martin Gostelow 1995 Ian Kinloch
1960 Patrick Bowing 1978 James Nesbitt 1996 Kevin Ashman
1961 Irene Thomas 1979 Arthur Gerard 1997 Daphne Fowler
1962 Henry Button 1980 Tim Paxton 1998 Guy Herbert
1963 Ian Barton 1981 Peter Barlow 1999 Leslie Duncalf
1964 Ian Gillies 1982 John Pusey 2000 Mike Smith-Rawnsley
1965 Robert Crampsey 1983 Sue Marshall 2001 Tom Corfe
1966 Richard Best 1984 Peter Bates 2002 Dr David Jones
1967 Lt. Cmdr. Loring 1985 Richard Fife 2003 David Steadman
1968 Ralph Raby 1986 Stephen Gore 2004 Alan Bennett
1969 T. D. Thomson 1987 Ian Sutton 2005 Christopher Hughes
1970 Ian Matheson 1988 Paul Monaghan
1971 Fred Morgan 1989 Barbara Thompson

Brain of Brains

1956 Unknown
1959 Unknown
1962 Irene Thomas
1965 Ian Gillies
1968 Unknown
1971 Unknown
1974 Roger Pritchard
1977 Tom Dyer
1980 James Nesbitt
1983 Peter Barlow
1986 Richard Fife
1989 Glen Binnie [1]
1992 Mike Billson
1995 Geoffrey Colton
1998 Kevin Ashman
2001 Leslie Duncalf
2004 Alan Bennett

[1] Mr Binnie finished second to Miss Thompson in the 1989 final, and took her place when she was unavailable to record the Brain of Brains competition.

Top Brain

1962 Unknown
1971 Ian Gillies
1980 Roger Pritchard
1989 Peter Barlow
1998 Kevin Ashman

(The assistance of Quizplayers in this section is acknowledged.)

Catchphrase

"Aaaah." (and other slightly pained cries, as Robert Robinson fills while the adjudicator considers an answer.)

Theme music

Various versions of "Rondo", including that by the fabulously named Waldo de los Rios.

Trivia

The record score on a programme final is 35, although there have been higher scores in earlier rounds.

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