Which classic TV quiz show will be returning to Channel 4 after a ten-year hiatus – question or nominate?


Well, of course it’s Fifteen To One, isn’t it?

Yes, Channel 4 is bringing back the William G Stewart fronted question and answer show – but without the 78-year-old former quizmaster.

Australian comedian Adam Hills will front four celebrity editions of the quiz, with Sandi Toksvig hosting a run of 20 for daytime.

The commission follows the one-off celebrity Fifteen To One hosted by Hills in September for C4’s 1980s night.

But even without beloved host William G Stewart, news of the return after a decade will be welcomed by fans of the show which has a fearsome reputation as one of the toughest ever quizzes on the box.

Originally running between January 4 1988 and December 19 2003 it begins with 15 contestants and whittles them down to three.

To avoid elimination they must not only answer questions correctly, but also decide which of their opponents to nominate to put under the question spotlight. The 15 highest-scoring winners from the series are then entered into a grand final to find the overall champion. Arguably, the combination of tactical skills and general knowledge made the show unique and influenced successors such as The Weakest Link.

At the start of the grand finale of the 35th and final series in 2003, Stewart revealed that nearly 350,000 questions had been asked to 33,975 contestants in a total of 2,265 programmes.

One of the highlights of the programmes was the 1999 show when Presybyterian minister Bill McKaig got all 40 questions right without losing a single life (see below).

Hills said: “I am thrilled to be part of the ongoing institution that is Fifteen To One. The celebrity specials combine two of my favourite things – general knowledge questions, and the chance to watch well-known people try not to make dicks of themselves in public.”

Toksvig added: “I’m thrilled to be taking up the mantle of hosting Fifteen To One. It is a legendary quiz show with tough questions. I’m glad I’ll be asking not answering. I’m also delighted to be back at Channel 4.”

Filming will take place early next year and the format has been licensed from John M Lewis and distributed by DRG for Channel 4. The Production Company is Remedy Productions.

If you are brave enough to fancy your chances on the show proper, email 15to1apps@remedyproductions.tv for an application form.


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