Brain Of Britain

14: Northern Ireland (ti)

JAMES BLACKLEV.CoTyrone ice-cream manufacturer GRANVILLE WEIR, Co Down production scheduler

THE REV DR M. W. DEWAR , CO DOWn j. G. O'REILLY , Belfast training officer

Including Beat the Brains Devised and written by JOHN P. WYNN

Produced by JOAN CLARK

Contributors

Unknown: Dr M. W. Dewar

Unknown: J. G. O'Reilly

Written By: John P. Wynn

Produced By: Joan Clark

The three finalists from this year's contest v A team of three from Many a Slip: ISOBEL BARNETT

ELEANOR SUMMERFIELD

DAVID NIXON

Chairman FRANKLIN ENGELMANN Devised and written by JOHN P. WYNN

Produced by JOAN CLARK (Repeated: Friday, 6.15 pm)

12.55 Weather; programmenews

Contributors

Unknown: Eleanor Summerfield

Unknown: David Nixon

Unknown: Franklin Engelmann

Written By: John P. Wynn

Produced By: Joan Clark

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 30 April 1990

Previous in series: 16 April 1990

Broadcast history

23 Apr 1990 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

25 Apr 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1990-04-05.

BBC Programme Number: 90LC4126

Producer: R. EDIS

See more BRAIN OF BRITAIN programmes (242)

25 Apr 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4).

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 15 April 1991

Previous in series: 23 April 1990

Broadcast history

30 Apr 1990 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

02 May 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1990-04-05.

BBC Programme Number: 90LC4127

Producer: R. EDIS

See more BRAIN OF BRITAIN programmes (242)

02 May 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4).

First Round: London and Home Counties: Howard Pizzey (accountant); Ian Sewell (retired printer); Rev Richard Sturch

(country parson); Kevin Ashman (civil servant). Producer Richard Edis. Stereo

Chairman Robert Robinson.

First Round - Home

Counties. Peter Watson (retired journalist); Geoff Colton (retired computer systems designer);

Andrew Watts (self-employed potter);

David Clarke (self-employed accountant).

Producer Richard Edis

Robert Robinson. First Round - The South of England.

Richard Green (hotel night porter); Derek Watts

(teacher); John Windus

(retired inspector of taxes); Marke Peppe (freelance illustrator).

Producer Richard Edis

Robert Robinson. First Round - The South of England.

Richard Green

(hotel night porter); Derek Watts (teacher);

John Windus (retired inspector of taxes); Marke Peppe (freelance illustrator).

Round 1: Scotland. Eoin Robertson (electron microscopist); Alastair Love (accountant); Alan McLean (educational consultant): and Donald Yule (corporate communications consultant). Producer Richard Edis

Producer Richard Edis

The Final. Geoff Colton (retired computer systems designer); Ian Sadler (mature student); Kentigern Smith (English teacher); Barry Jones (maintenance technician).

Producer Richard Edis

First Round- London. Toby Davies (banker); Jeremy Cotton (biologist); Penelope Feeney (accountant); and George Hill (journalist). Producer Richard Edis

First Round - London. Cormac Gordon

(analyst programmer); Ron Farquhar (archaeologist); Elizabeth Gibson (business woman); and Ian Whiteman (accountant). Chairman Robert Robinson.

Producer Richard Edis

First Round - South of England, David Piggott (schoolmaster); Julian Allen (bank official); Alan Bird (telecom engineer); and Keith Mitchell (retired oil company executive).

Producer Richard Edis

First Round South of England. David Piggott (schoolmaster); Julian Allen (bank official); Alan Bird (telecom engineer); and Keith Mitchell (retired oil company executive).

First Round - South of England. Nigel Bailey (Inland Revenue executive); Alan Stanton (college lecturer); Stephen Waterman (photographic technician); Paul Lewis (retired civil servant).

Producer Richard Edis

First Round - South of England. Nigel Bailey (Inland Revenue executive); Alan Stanton (college lecturer); Stephen Waterman (photographic technician); Paul Lewis (retired civil servant).

First Round - Midlands and East Anglia. Bob Thompson (printer); Bill Stratton (project manager); Steve Evans (company director); and Steven Havercroft (systems consultant).

Producer Richard Edis

First Round - Midlands and East AngHa. Bob Thompson (printer); Bill Stratton (project manager); Steve Evans (company director); and Steve Havercroft (systems consultant).

Producer Richard Edis

First Round- North West of England. Frank Kirkham (retired teacher); Roy Smith (management accountant); James Maloney (retired lecturer); Peter Cole (sales support manager).

'First Round- North West of England. Jim Banks (British Council officer); Phil Cocker (retired lecturer); Rob Hughes (surveyor for Valuation Office Agency, Inland Revenue); John Clarke (university lecturer). Producer Richard Edis'

'First Round North West of England. Jim Banks (British Council officer); Phil Cocker (retired lecturer); Rob Hughes (surveyor for Valuation Office Agency, Inland Revenue); John Clarke (university lecturer).'

Producer Richard Edis

Producer Richard Edis

Producer Richard Edis

Producer Richard Edis. Rptd Wed at 6.30pm

Counties. With Gavin Fuller , a library assistant from London; Ian Joy , a university technician from llford; Barry Nicholas , a chauffeur from Stoke

Poges in Buckinghamshire; and Brian Sheridan , a retired civil servant from Croydon, Surrey. Chairman

Robert Robinson. Including 'Beat the Brains'. Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Robert Robinson. Including Beat the Brains. Producer Richard Edis

Counties. Chairman Robert Robinson. Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

Counties. Chairman Robert Robinson.

Including Beat the Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Anglia. Chairman Robert Robinson. Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Anglia. Chairman Robert Robinson.

Producer Richard Edis. Rptd Wednesday6.30pm

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Russell Davies chairs a special edition of the nationwide general knowledge contest to find the Brain of Brains 2004, featuring the winners from the last three years. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm]

Russell Davies chairs a special edition of the nationwide general knowledge contest to find the Brain of Brains 2004, featuring the winners from the last three years. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

The competitors are the 2008 champion Geoff Thomas from Northwich in Cheshire; the 2010 champion Dr Ian Bayley from Oxford; and the reigning 'Brain of Britain', Dr Iwan Thomas from Beeston in Notts. It's anyone's guess which of these seasoned quiz champions will emerge victorious.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

~Brain Of Britain champions compete in the ultimate general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies welcomes another four competitors to the BBC Radio Theatre in London, for the penultimate heat in the quest for the 2011 Brain of Britain champion. This week's contenders are from London, Surrey and Worcestershire. A listener also gets the chance to win a prize by suggesting questions to outwit the participants, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 16 April 1990

Previous in series: 18 August 1987

Broadcast history

09 Apr 1990 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

11 Apr 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1990-04-03.

BBC Programme Number: 90LC4124

Producer: R. EDIS

See more BRAIN OF BRITAIN programmes (242)

11 Apr 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4).

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 27 May 1996

Previous in series: 1995 FINAL

Broadcast history

11 Sep 1995 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

13 Sep 1995 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1995-07-04.

Producer: R. EDIS

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 27 May 1996

Previous in series: 1995 FINAL

Broadcast history

11 Sep 1995 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

13 Sep 1995 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1995-07-04.

Producer: R. EDIS

The 2012 series of the general knowledge contest reaches the second semi-final, with competitors from Elgin in Morayshire, London, Twickenham and Sale in Cheshire bidding for a place in the Final next month.

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair. Among the questions facing this week's contestants are the name of the country of which Goodluck Jonathan is the President; and which well-known painting had the not-very-revealing original title 'Arrangement in Grey and Black', when exhibited in 1872?

As usual, there's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with question suggestions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Second semi-final, with competitors from Elgin in Morayshire, London, Twickenham and Sale.

Robert Robinson chairs the final heat of the perennial general knowledge contest, with four contestants from Scotland and the north of England.

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 23 April 1990

Previous in series: 09 April 1990

Broadcast history

16 Apr 1990 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

18 Apr 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1990-04-03.

BBC Programme Number: 90LC4125

Producer: R. EDIS

See more BRAIN OF BRITAIN programmes (242)

18 Apr 1990 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4).

The semi-final stage of the 2011 general knowledge contest gets under way, with competitors from Lancashire, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire vying for a place in the Final. Russell Davies asks the questions.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Robert Robinson introduces the perennial general knowledge quiz. This eighth heat features contestants from the south east of England.

Russell Davies chairs another semi-final of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 11 September 1995

Previous in series: 28 August 1995

Broadcast history

04 Sep 1995 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

06 Sep 1995 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1995-06-27.

Producer: R. EDIS

Producer: R.

EDIS

Next in series: 11 September 1995

Previous in series: 28 August 1995

Broadcast history

04 Sep 1995 12:25-12:55 (RADIO 4)

06 Sep 1995 18:30-19:00 (RADIO 4)

Recorded on 1995-06-27.

Producer: R. EDIS

According to the comic history classic '1066 And All That', which parliament was so-called because it had been sitting for such a long time? And which figure from South American history gives his name to the currency of Venezuela?

These are among the questions posed by Russell Davies in the second heat of the evergreen general knowledge contest, which comes this week from the BBC Radio Theatre in London, with competitors from Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire, London and Northern Ireland.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The competitors joining Russell at the Radio Theatre in London will include Shakespearean actors and directors, as well as those who've written and researched extensively in the field of Shakespeare studies. The questions will range across Shakespeare's life, plays and poems, and there'll be plenty of musical and archive extracts to identify. The winner will lift the trophy as the official 'Bard Brain of Britain'.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs a contest to find Britain's top Shakespeare expert.

Russell Davies welcomes four experts from the theatre and the world of Shakespeare studies, to determine who knows most about William Shakespeare and his works.

This special edition of the nation's longest-running general knowledge quiz was originally recorded in 2016 to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. The competition pits the much-loved theatre and film actors Fiona Shaw and John Sessions against experts Carol Rutter of the University of Warwick and Paul Edmondson of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The questions range across Shakespeare's life, plays and poems, and there'll be plenty of musical and archive extracts to identify. The winner will lift the trophy as the official BBC 'Bard Brain of Britain'.

Russell Davies welcomes four experts from the theatre and the world of Shakespeare studies, to determine who knows most about William Shakespeare and his works.

This special edition of the nation's longest-running general knowledge quiz was originally recorded in 2016 to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. The competition pits the much-loved theatre and film actors Fiona Shaw and John Sessions against experts Carol Rutter of the University of Warwick and Paul Edmondson of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The questions range across Shakespeare's life, plays and poems, and there'll be plenty of musical and archive extracts to identify. The winner will lift the trophy as the official BBC 'Bard Brain of Britain'.

Producer Paul Bajoria.



First Round - North West of ENGLAND.

Chairman Robert Robinson.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

first Round - North West of England Chairman Robert Robinson.

Producer Richard Edis. Rptd Wednesday 6.30pm

First round - Midlands and East Anglia.

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

First Round - North of ENGLAND.

Chairman Robert Robinson.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

first Round - North of England Chairman Robert Robinson.

Including Beat the Brains. Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Tenth Round - West of ENGLAND.

Chairman Robert Robinson.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Nationwide general-knowledge contest. Tenth Round - West of England Chairman Robert Robinson. Producer Richard Edis Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

`Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

A nationwide general-knowledge contest chaired by Robert Robinson. Fourth Semi-Final.

Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

Contestants include two retired lecturers, a former secretary and a teacher.

The final of the nationwide general-knowledge contest chaired by Robert Robinson. Producer Richard Edis Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

Fighting for the title are:

Dan Adler from Farnham (the 2023 Brain of Britain champion)

Eleanor Ayres from Cambridge (runner-up in 2023)

Marianne Fairthorne from London (runner-up in 2022)

Karl Whelan from the Wirral (the 2021 champion)

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The ultimate general knowledge contest between the most recent Brain of Britain champions

Russell Davies chairs a run-off between some of Britain's brightest quizzers, as the most recent Brain of Britain champions play for the title Brain of Brains 2024.

`Eleventh Round - Scotland'.

Chairman Robert Robinson.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Nationwide general-knowledge contest. Eleventh Round - Scotland

Producer Richard Edis. Rptd Wednesday 6.30pm

`First Semi-Final'.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

A nationwide general-knowledge contest chaired by Robert Robinson. First Semi-Final

Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

The 2018 season of the venerable general knowledge quiz gets under way. Russell Davies welcomes the first four competitors, who come from Surrey, Lancashire, Aberdeen and Winchester. Over the next four months 48 competitors engage in the knockout tournament, which will see one of them lift the trophy in the summer as the 65th BBC Brain of Britain.

The series will include a selection of the best question suggestions received from listeners, who stand to win a book voucher prize if their questions manage to Beat the Brains.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies asks the questions in the second heat of the 2018 tournament. Which classic novel is set in a nightmarish future in which the US has been renamed the Republic of Gilead? Which genus of plant has a name derived from the Latin for 'rock-breaker'? And what are the equivalent terms in the House of Lords for the Commons' 'ayes' and 'noes'?

The contestants face these and many other tests of their general knowledge, with a guaranteed place in the series semi-finals for today's winner.

There will also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the competitors with questions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

`Second Semi-Final'.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

A nationwide general-knowledge contest chaired by Robert Robinson. Second Semi-Final Producer Richard Edis Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

`Third Semi-Final'.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

A nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Robert Robinson. Third Semi-Final

Producer Richard Edis

Repeated Wednesday 6.30pm

`Twelfth Round - Wales'.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

A nationwide general-knowledge contest chaired by Robert Robinson. Twelfth Round - Wales Producer Richard Edis. Rptd Wednesday 6.30pm

`Twelfth Round - Wales'.

Including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

A nation-wide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete for this title chairman

FRANKLIN ENGELMANN

1: London

MRS OLGA EVANS

BEN BARTLE computer programmer THOMAS STOCK, lecturer RICHARD RUSSELL-SMITH hostel warden

The programme includes Beat the Brains in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants Devised and written by JOHN P. WYNN

Produced by JOAN CLARK

(Pre-recorded at The Paris, Lower Regent Street, London, SW1. Rptd.: Friday, 7.30 pm)

Contributors

Unknown: Ben Bartle

Unknown: Richard Russell-Smith

Written By: John P. Wynn

Produced By: Joan Clark

1/17. Russell Davies chairs the first heat of the general knowledge quiz. Repeated from Monday

Contributors

Unknown:

Repeated from Monday 12.25pm

As ever, 48 of the brightest quiz contestants from around the UK will be joining Russell for the knockout competition. Each of the twelve heats sends a winner forward to the semi-finals, where they will be joined by the four highest-scoring runners-up of the series.

This year's contestants include civil servants, teachers and IT professionals alongside a novelist, a gardener and a postman. Most are completely new to the contest, while one or two are having another go after being pipped at the post in previous years. Only one of them can be named the 58th Brain of Britain, at the end of the Final which will be broadcast in the new year.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies continues the hunt for the 58th Brain of Britain.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies continues the hunt for the 58th Brain of Britain.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies continues the hunt for the 58th Brain of Britain.

Russell Davies welcomes four more contestants bidding to become Brain of Britain, in the fifth heat of the current series, from the BBC Radio Theatre in London.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Presenter Russell Davies.

Producer Paul Bajoria

Four more contestants join Russell Davies in Manchester for the latest heat in the long-established general knowledge contest. This week they are from Swansea, Manchester, Northwich in Cheshire and Middle Rasen in Lincolnshire. The winner goes through to the 2011 semi-finals, with a chance of being named the 58th annual Brain of Britain.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Four contestants from the North of England join questionmaster Russell Davies in Manchester for the latest heat of the nationwide general knowledge quiz. Which of them will win a place in the series semi-finals?

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies welcomes another four competitors to the BBC Radio Theatre in London, for the penultimate heat in the quest for the 2011 Brain of Britain champion.

This week's contenders are from London, Surrey and Worcestershire.

A listener also gets the chance to win a prize by suggesting questions to outwit the participants, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies welcomes another four competitors to the BBC Radio Theatre in London, for the penultimate heat in the quest for the 2011 Brain of Britain champion. This week's contenders are from London, Surrey and Worcestershire. A listener also gets the chance to win a prize by suggesting questions to outwit the participants, in 'Beat the Brains'.

The quest for the 2011 Brain of Britain champion reaches the twelfth and last heat, with Russell Davies in the questionmaster's chair.

Today's contest will decide who completes the line-up in the semi-finals which begin next week.

The programme comes from Manchester, with contenders from Liverpool, Kidderminster, Leicester and Beeston in Notts.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The quest for the 2011 Brain of Britain champion reaches the twelfth and last heat, with Russell Davies in the questionmaster's chair. Today's contest will decide who completes the line-up in the semi-finals which begin next week. The programme comes from Manchester, with contenders from Liverpool, Kidderminster, Leicester and Beeston in Notts.

The semi-final stage of the 2011 general knowledge contest gets under way, with competitors from Lancashire, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire vying for a place in the Final.

Russell Davies asks the questions.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies welcomes a further four semi-finalists to BBC Maida Vale to contest a place in the 2011 Brain of Britain Final.

This week's contenders come from Widnes in Cheshire, Bakewell in Derbyshire, Northwich in Cheshire and Sutton in Surrey.

Which word for a lamentation, or warning against the morals of the times, is taken from the name of a Hebrew prophet?

On a coat of arms, what's the name given to the centre point of the escutcheon or shield?

Wembley Stadium was first built for which exhibition, that took place in 1924?

You can find the answers to these, and many other questions, in this week's programme.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies welcomes a further four semi-finalists to BBC Maida Vale to contest a place in the 2011 Brain of Britain Final. This week's contenders come from Widnes in Cheshire, Bakewell in Derbyshire, Northwich in Cheshire and Sutton in Surrey.

Competitors from Walsall, London, Cardiff and Beeston in Notts join Russell Davies for the third semi-final of the 2011 contest.

The winner will go through to the Final in two weeks' time.

As ever, a listener has the chance to win a prize by outwitting the contenders with his or her own ingenious questions, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Among the questions asked in this week's programme:

Which city became the capital of Pakistan when it gained independence and remained so until the late 1950s?

Princess Mary, the daughter of Charles I, was the first person to hold which official title?

In the celebrated Morecambe and Wise sketch featuring Andre Previn, which piece was it that was being played with 'all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order'?

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Competitors from Walsall, London, Cardiff and Beeston in Notts join Russell Davies for the third semi-final of the 2011 contest. The winner will go through to the Final in two weeks' time. As ever, a listener has the chance to win a prize by outwitting the contenders with his or her own ingenious questions, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Russell Davies asks the questions of four more competitors, who have come successfully through the heats to fight for the last remaining place in the 2011 Final.

This week's quartet are from Merstham in Surrey, Malvern in Worcestershire, Warrington in Cheshire, and Winchester. Just one of them will get to join the winners of the three previous semi-finals, in competing to be named the 58th Brain of Britain.

Among the questions they face this week:

Which celebrated jazz pianist, who worked closely with Louis Armstrong in the 1920s, was nicknamed 'Fatha'?

Young Scarface' was the alternative title for which famous British film thriller of 1947, directed by the Boulting Brothers?

In physics, what's the anti-particle to the electron called?

Producer Paul Bajoria.

The Finalists are from Northwich in Cheshire, Prescot in Lancashire, Beeston in Nottinghamshire, and Winchester.

All have come through heats and semi-finals to face this last hurdle for the silver trophy and the title Brain of Britain, in the 58th contest since the programme was devised.

Among the questions they face in the Final are:

The best-known Shakespearean character named Valentine is one of the Two Gentlemen of Verona; but what's the other gentleman of Verona called?

Which is the longest river in Scotland?

The actor Peter O'Toole won accolades for portraying the same King of England in two very different films during the 1960s.

Which king?

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(17/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES chairs the 2011 Final of the evergreen general knowledge contest. The Finalists are from Northwich in Cheshire, Prescot in Lancashire, Beeston in Nottinghamshire, and Winchester. All have come through heats and semi-finals to face this last hurdle for the silver trophy and the title Brain of Britain, in the 58th contest since the programme was devised.

The actor Peter O'Toole won accolades for portraying the same King of England in two very different films during the 1960s. Which king?

The quest begins for the 59th Brain of Britain champion, as competitors from all over the UK line up to face Russell Davies' general knowledge questions.

The first heat, from the BBC Radio Theatre in London, features competitors from as far apart as London and Inverness.

They are the first of 48 appearing in this year's heats, most of them taking part for the first time, some returning for another go - but all hoping they can progress through to the Final in spring, and add their names to the illustrious list of Brains of Britain down the years.

As usual, in the current series, there's a chance for listeners to outwit the contestants by submitting questions with which to win a prize and 'beat the brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The quest begins for the 59th Brain of Britain champion, as competitors from all over the UK line up to face Russell Davies' general knowledge questions. The first heat, from the BBC Radio Theatre in London, features competitors from as far apart as London and Inverness. They are the first of 48 appearing in this year's heats, most of them taking part for the first time, some returning for another go - but all hoping they can progress through to the Final in spring, and add their names to the illustrious list of Brains of Britain down the years.

According to the comic history classic '1066 And All That', which parliament was so-called because it had been sitting for such a long time? And which figure from South American history gives his name to the currency of Venezuela?

These are among the questions posed by Russell Davies in the second heat of the evergreen general knowledge contest, which comes this week from the BBC Radio Theatre in London, with competitors from Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire, London and Northern Ireland.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Competitors from East Anglia, the West Midlands and London join Russell Davies at the BBC Radio Theatre for the third heat in the quest for the next Brain of Britain.

From which port, in 1588, did the Spanish Armada set sail? And which singer fronted the Jeff Beck Group in 1968 and 1969 before going on to sing with The Faces?

There's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize and outwit the contestants with questions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

With competitors from East Anglia, the West Midlands and London.

Russell Davies chairs the latest heat in the contest to become the 59th Brain of Britain. The competitors tackling the age-old general knowledge quiz this week are from Scotland and North-West England. As always, there's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to 'beat the brains' with teasing questions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Competitors from Scotland and North West England battle it out.

(5/17)

What name is given to the curved surface of a liquid as it stands in a tube, caused by surface tension? And what kind of creature is a great curassow?

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair for the fifth heat in the current series.

Aiming to become the 59th Brain of Britain champion are competitors from Aberdeenshire, the West Midlands, Berkshire and Essex.

Today's winner will progress to the semi-finals in the new year.

There'll also be a chance, as usual, for a Brain of Britain listener to outwit the contestants with questions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair for the fifth heat in the current series. Aiming to become the 59th Brain of Britain champion are competitors from Aberdeenshire, the West Midlands, Berkshire and Essex. Today's winner will progress to the semi-finals in the new year.

(6/17)

Arranged alphabetically, which is the last book of the Old Testament?

If the contestants' general knowledge is up to scratch in this week's Brain of Britain contest, the answer to this question may help them in their bid to become the 59th proud holder of the Brain of Britain title.

Russell Davies is joined by four contestants from the North of England in this sixth heat of the series.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

If the contestants' general knowledge is up to scratch in this week's Brain of Britain contest, the answer to this question may help them in their bid to become the 59th proud holder of the Brain of Britain title. Russell Davies is joined by four contestants from the North of England in this sixth heat of the series.

Would you know which organ of the human body is affected by Gerstmann Syndrome? Or what official post was held by Bernard de Launay, who became the first prominent casualty of the French Revolution?

RUSSELL DAVIES is in the chair for another heat of the evergreen general knowledge contest. This week, contestants from South Wales, London and the Home Counties compete for a place in the semi-finals.

A Brain of Britain listener will also be hoping to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(7/17)

(8/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES hosts the eighth heat of the current series of the evergreen general knowledge quiz, featuring competitors from East Lothian, West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Nottinghamshire. This week the programme comes from the BBC studios in Salford.

The winner will go through to the semi-finals and will be one step closer to the coveted title of 'Brain of Britain 2012'.

As ever, a Brain of Britain listener gets the chance to outwit the contestants with devious questions of his or her own, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(9/17)

Which major battle took place at Drumossie Moor near Inverness? And if Shakespeare was known as the 'Swan of Avon', which writer was the 'Swan of Usk'?

RUSSELL DAVIES puts these and many other questions to the competitors in today's ninth heat of the general knowledge quiz, each of them aiming for a place in the semi-finals and a further step towards the coveted title 'Brain of Britain 2012'. Today's contestants come from London, Stevenage and Edinburgh.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(10/17)

The canvas entitled 'Nude Descending A Staircase', first exhibited in 1912, was the first major success of which artist?

RUSSELL DAVIES puts this and many other questions to the competitors in the tenth heat of the 2012 contest. This week's programme comes from the BBC's new Salford studios, with quiz enthusiasts from Cheshire, the West Midlands and Edinburgh bidding for a semi-final place.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(11/17)

The 2012 contest reaches the penultimate heat, from Salford, with RUSSELL DAVIES in the chair. This week's competitors come from Hull, Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds.

Among the questions they face will be: What's the usual title given to the poem by ROBERT BROWNING that begins 'Oh, to be in England, now that April's there'?

And: Which physicist gave his name to zones of highly energised charged particles trapped at high altitude in the earth's magnetic field?

The winner today takes one of the last remaining places in the semi-finals, and takes a crucial step closer to the coveted title of Brain of Britain 2012.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(12/12)

The 2012 general knowledge contest reaches its twelfth and final heat, with one automatic place remaining in the semi-finals which begin next week. Which of today's four competitors will win through?

Russell Davies is in the chair, at the BBC's Maida Vale studios.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(13/17)

Can you remember who was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year trophy for 2011, just a few weeks ago? RUSSELL DAVIES puts the contestants on the spot in Brain of Britain, and you can hear how they get on in this week's programme.

The time-honoured general knowledge quiz reaches the semi-final stage this week, with four competitors who have come unscathed through the heats continuing their progress towards the title Brain of Britain 2012.

The first batch of semi-finalists are from County Fermanagh, Merseyside, London and Sussex.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The 2012 series of the general knowledge contest reaches the second semi-final, with competitors from Elgin in Morayshire, London, Twickenham and Sale in Cheshire bidding for a place in the Final next month.

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair. Among the questions facing this week's contestants are the name of the country of which Goodluck Jonathan is the President; and which well-known painting had the not-very-revealing original title 'Arrangement in Grey and Black', when exhibited in 1872?

As usual, there's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with question suggestions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Second semi-final, with competitors from Elgin in Morayshire, London, Twickenham and Sale.

The third semi-final of the grand-daddy of general knowledge quizzes features competitors from Windsor, Glasgow, Tottenham and Farnsfield in Nottinghamshire. Each of them has come unscathed through the heats stage, and now plays for a place in the grand 2012 Final the week after next.

Russell Davies puts questions from every conceivable field of knowledge. Which war was formally ended by the Treaty of Paris of 1856? In the Beatles' first film 'A Hard Day's Night', which Irish-born actor played the grandfather?

As always, there's also a chance for a listener to win a prize with his or her suggestions for fiendish questions to defeat the contestants' combined brainpower.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Third semi-final, featuring competitors from Windsor, Glasgow, Tottenham and Farnsfield.

The fourth and last semi-final of the 2012 series will determine who takes the remaining place in the grand Final. The competitors are from Reigate, Inverness, Disley in Cheshire and Neath in South Wales.

Russell Davies asks the questions, which include: What's the name of the man-eating water monster who plagues the hall of King Hrothgar in the Old English poem Beowulf? And which sea-area in the Met Office shipping forecast extends furthest west?

The answers could prove crucial in the contest to discover who'll take a step closer to the 2012 'Brain of Britain' title.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The last semi-final to determine who takes the remaining place in the grand final.

Russell Davies is in the chair, as the 2012 season of the longest-lived general knowledge contest of them all reaches the Final. The four competitors who have come unscathed through heats and semi-finals line up for the last hurdle, which will determine who is named the 59th 'Brain of Britain'. This year the Finalists are from London, South Wales and Nottinghamshire.

They can expect the questions to be especially challenging in the Final contest. They'll be asked, among many other questions, to name Dickens's mistress who was the subject of an acclaimed biography by Claire Tomalin in the 1990s; and the Pope who instigated the First Crusade with an uncompromising sermon in the year 1095.

As always, the champion takes home the handsome silver 'Brain of Britain' trophy.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the grand 2012 final of the general knowledge quiz.

The most venerable radio general knowledge quiz of them all returns for the 2012-13 season, with RUSSELL DAVIES welcoming 48 competitors from all over the UK hoping to be named the 60th Brain of Britain.

In the first programme the contestants are from the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, South Wales and Aberdeen.

History, music, science, geography, literature, mythology, popular culture, and all points in between, lurk in Russell's pack of questions. This is the quiz where you can't save yourself with clever tactics, hedging your bets, making your opponents go first, or voting them off! The winner will be the contestant who knows the most correct answers - who will go through to a place in the series semi-finals in the new year.

As always, the programme includes the 'Beat the Brains' feature, in which the competitors tackle a pair of questions suggested by a listener trying to outwit them.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

What does the musical instruction 'da capo' mean? And which national newspaper features the motto 'Without fear and without favour' on its front page?

RUSSELL DAVIES is in the questionmaster's chair for the second heat in the current series of the evergreen general knowledge quiz. This week he's welcoming competitors from London, Hampshire and Kent to the BBC Radio Theatre.

As always they'll need the widest possible knowledge of science, history, the arts, current affairs, music and popular culture, to stand a chance of making it through to the series semi-finals in the new year, and possibly being named the 60th Brain of Britain champion.

There will be a chance for listeners to try to outwit the contestants by suggesting their own intriguingly tricky questions, in the 'Beat the Brains' feature.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(3/17)

Which film actor was known as 'The Great Stone Face'? And which Welsh rugby coach is credited with first using the phrase 'get your retaliation in first'?

The competitors in Brain of Britain will have to come up with the answers, and many others, as they face RUSSELL DAVIES' questioning in the third heat of the current series. The programme comes from Salford and the contestants this week hail from Liverpool, Norwich, Leeds and Lincoln. If their general knowledge carries them through to the next stage in the new year, they'll stand a real chance of becoming the sixtieth holder of the prestigious quiz title, 'Brain of Britain'.

As always, a Brain of Britain listener stands to win a prize, as the competitors try to answer a pair of fiendish questions he or she has devised.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Which explorer gave the Pacific Ocean its name? And which film actor played both Sergeant Bilko in 1996 and Inspector Clouseau in 2006?

RUSSELL DAVIES asks the questions in this fourth heat of the current series of Britain's longest-running general knowledge contest. The competitors are from Chorley in Lancashire, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham and Aberdare. They'll each be hoping they can win through to the semi-finals in the new year, with a chance of becoming the sixtieth holder of the coveted Brain of Britain title.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by devising questions tricky enough to stump the combined brainpower of the contestants.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Which writer's first published novel, 'Jumping The Queue' appeared when she was aged 70? And in a special televised ceremony at the end of 1999, who was named Sports Personality of the 20th Century?

Russell Davies chairs the latest heat of the longest-running general knowledge quiz on British radio, this week from the BBC's Maida Vale studios. Competitors from Swindon, Reading, London and Petersfield in Hampshire try for a place in the 2013 semi-finals.

As always, there's a chance for a listener to 'Beat the Brains' by devising questions that may outwit all four contestants.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies.

This week's four contenders come from the West Country and the Home Counties. They're bidding for a semi-final place in this, the sixtieth series of the ever-popular general knowledge contest. As usual, the questions cover every imaginable subject, from literature and music to geography, medicine and science.

There'll also be the customary chance for a Brain of Britain listener to outwit the contestants with some cunning questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(6/17)

Nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies.

What did the 'P.G.' stand for in the name of the writer P.G. Wodehouse? And what's a Wheatstone Bridge used for in an electrical circuit?

~Brain Of Britain returns to Media City in Salford for another heat featuring competitors from the North of England. This week's four contestants come from Westhoughton in Lancashire, Nuneaton, Derby and Haydon Bridge in West Yorkshire. They compete for a place in the semi-finals of this 60th season of the time-honoured general knowledge quiz.

RUSSELL DAVIES is in the questionmaster's chair, and he'll also be selecting a pair of questions mailed to Brain of Britain by a listener, hoping to confound the combined brainpower of the contestants in order to win a prize.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The nationwide general knowledge quiz, with Russell Davies asking the questions.

What term is used in astronomy for the observable lengthening of the wavelength of light from an object, as a result of that object moving away from the observer? And which Dutch sprinter, a star of the 1948 London Olympics, was nicknamed 'the Flying Housewife'?

This week's competitors face these and many other wide-ranging questions from chairman Russell Davies, in the eighth heat in this year's series of radio's longest-running general knowledge contest. The programme comes from Media City in Salford, with contestants from Teesside, Leeds, North Lincolnshire and Bolton.

As always, it will be the one who can get the most general knowledge questions correct who'll win through to the semi-finals which begin next month. A listener also stands to win a book token prize if the questions they have devised can stump the combined brainpower of the contestants.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, chaired by Russell Davies.

Can you name the city, a World Heritage Site since 1985, that was the ancient capital of the Nabataeans? And who was the author of 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'?

These are just two of the questions faced by the competitors in this week's ninth heat of Brain of Britain 2013, with RUSSELL DAVIES in the chair. This week they hail from Dorset, Berkshire and Hertfordshire.

As always, a listener also stands to win a prize, if he or she can 'beat the brains' with questions of their own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the latest heat in the 60th season of the general knowledge quiz.

What was the name of Mussolini's mistress? And which word was once described as the 'great Australian adjective'?

The answers to these and many other questions can be found in the tenth heat of Brain of Britain, with RUSSELL DAVIES in the chair. This week's competitors come from London, Maidenhead and Cardiff, and they'll each be hoping their general knowledge will win them a place in the 2013 semi-finals and a further step towards the coveted title.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Tenth heat of the nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies.

RUSSELL DAVIES asks the questions in the eleventh heat of the 2013 series of the evergreen general knowledge quiz. IN this episode the competitors come from Staffordshire, Gloucestershire, North Yorkshire and Leeds. At stake is a coveted place in the semi-finals which begin after two more heats.

The contestants will face Russell's questions on everything from music and literature to science, sport, history, mythology, etymology, popular culture and current affairs.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the assembled brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES

Nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies.

What particular time of day is celebrated in the type of poem or song known as an 'aubade'? And which British city was twinned with the German city of Dresden in 1959?

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair for the twelfth and last of the heats in this sixtieth series of radio's most venerable quiz. The competitors are bidding for the last of the automatic places in the semi-finals which begin next week. In this episode they hail from Sheffield, Anglesey, Devon and Glasgow.

They face Russell's questions on everything from music and literature to science, sport, history, mythology, etymology, popular culture and current affairs.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the assembled brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The nationwide general knowledge quiz reaches its final heat, with Russell Davies.

Russell Davies asks the questions, in the first of this year's semi-finals of the evergreen general knowledge quiz. Today's competitors have all come successfully through the heats, and are vying for a place in the grand Final and the chance to take the title of 'Brain of Britain 2013'.

In addition to the twelve outright heat winners, the four top-scoring runners-up across the series also have another chance to try for a place in the Final.

The questions get tougher as the contest proceeds: so they will need all the knowledge they can muster, as Russell's questions cover every imaginable field from history and mythology through to sport and popular culture.

There will also be the chance for a listener to win a prize by defeating the combined brainpower of the contestants.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies hosts the first semi-final in the 2013 series of the general knowledge quiz

In the metamorphosis of arthropods and other organisms, what is meant by the word 'exuvia'? And what's the Spanish word for summer?

Russell Davies tests the general knowledge of four more semi-finalists who have come successfully through the heats of this year's competition. One of them will win a place in the Final and a real chance of taking the title 'Brain of Britain 2013'.

The questions get tougher as the contest proceeds: so they will need to draw on all their reserves of knowledge of every field from history and mythology, science and geography, literature and music, to current affairs and contemporary culture.

There will also be the chance for a listener to win a prize by coming up with questions that could stump the contestants.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The nationwide general knowledge quiz reaches the second semi-final with Russell Davies.

The book 'Ten Days That Shook The World', by JOHN REED, is an eyewitness account of which event? And what was the subject of the public inquiry over which the High Court judge Lord Mersey presided in 1912?

These are among the questions faced by the semi-finalists, in the third semi-final of Brain of Britain 2013, with RUSSELL DAVIES in the chair.

The winner will take a place in the series Final in just a couple of weeks' time, so the stakes are high. As always, there's also a chance for a listener to outwit the combined brainpower of the contestants, by suggesting devious questions of his or her own.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the third semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Russell's questions will test their knowledge in every field. Will they know with which disease the immunologist Edward Jenner infected his subjects in the attempt to make them immune to smallpox? Or what the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale is used to measure?

As always, a listener will get the chance to win a prize by 'Beating the Brains', if his or her questions can stump the combined brainpower of the contestants.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the last semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

RUSSELL DAVIES chairs the general knowledge quiz as it reaches the climax of its 2013 series, at the BBC Radio Theatre in London. Forty-eight contestants have been whittled down to just four Finalists, who are about to find out which of them will be named the 60th Brain of Britain.

These contestants being the creme de la creme, they face the toughest questions of the series in their bid to lift the trophy. The broadcaster and Professor of Classics at Cambridge University, MARY BEARD, will perform the championship ceremony.

The Finalists this year come from London, Leeds, Lancashire and Portsmouth. Will they be stumped by the interval questions set especially to bamboozle them, by last year's Brain of Britain champion?

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the grand final of the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes the first four contestants in the quest for the 2014 Brain of Britain.

Forty-eight competitors from all over Britain take part this winter, with the eventual winner being named the sixty-first Brain of Britain champion in the spring of 2014. The longest-running general knowledge quiz on British radio is still the title every serious quiz contestant wants to win.

Whether it's science, history, music, mythology, popular culture, literature or sport, there's no telling what the next question will be about, and no clever strategies to resort to if you don't know the answer. There's a point for every correct answer and a bonus point for getting five right in a row. There are no other rules!

The programme also offers the chance for a listener to 'Beat the Brains' by suggesting questions which might be more than a match for the combined knowledge of the contestants.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

Competitors from Oxfordshire, West Sussex, London and Kent join RUSSELL DAVIES for the second heat in the current series of the longest-lived general knowledge quiz on British radio.

The eventual winner after heats, semi-finals and Final will be named the sixty-first Brain of Britain in the spring of 2014.

As always, the contestants will also pool their brainpower to tackle questions from a listener hoping to win a prize by 'Beating the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

RUSSELL DAVIES is in Salford this week, for the third heat of the contest to find the 61st Brain of Britain champion. The competitors come from Sunderland, County Durham, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. As always, there will also be the chance for a listener to challenge the contestants with questions of his or her own, in the 'Beat the Brains' feature.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Third heat of the nationwide general knowledge quiz, chaired by Russell Davies.

How is the colour silver referred to in heraldry? And which cult movie was based on a 1951 story called The Sentinel?

The competitors in the fourth heat of Brain of Britain won't stand a chance of making it through to the semi-finals of the tournament unless they can answer these and many other questions put to them by RUSSELL DAVIES. The programme this week comes from Media City in Salford, and the competitors are all from Scotland and the north of England. One of them may be going all the way to lifting the trophy as the 61st Brain of Britain champion at the end of the series.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

Which philosopher's best known work is the 'Critique of Pure Reason'? RUSSELL DAVIES has the question, and will be hoping one of this week's contestants has the answer, as they start their bid for the title Brain of Britain 2014.

This week's contenders are from London, Berkshire and Cornwall. The winner will take a place in the series semi-finals, and move a step closer to the 61st Brain of Britain title which will be awarded in the spring. The questions cover the widest possible range of general knowledge, from history, science, mythology and the Classics to film, music and popular culture.

As always there'll be a chance for a listener to win a prize with questions designed to outwit the contestants, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes competitors from Thames Ditton, Portsmouth, Twickenham and Henley on Thames, in the latest heat of the nationwide general knowledge quiz. This week's contest comes from the BBC's Maida Vale studios.

The winner will take his or her place in the series semi-finals, and move a step closer to being named the 61st Brain of Britain champion in the spring.

As always they'll have to prove the breadth of their general knowledge, with questions covering everything from Classical mythology to information technology, and from classic literature to current affairs.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

What traditional size of paper gets its name because it is produced by folding a standard sheet eight times? And John Lennon's childhood home in Liverpool was named after which range of hills?

RUSSELL DAVIES asks these and many other questions in the latest heat of the prestigious general knowledge quiz, now in its 61st season. The four contestants taking part today are competing for a semi-final place which will take them a step nearer to the coveted title of Brain of Britain 2014.

They come from Brighton, St Austell, Hedgerley Green in Buckinghamshire, and Kingswood in Surrey.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

The name of which chemical element derives from the Greek word for 'lazy'? And to which province of Canada does Cape Breton Island belong?

RUSSELL DAVIES puts these and a plethora of other general knowledge questions to today's competitors, who come from Cardiff, Ayrshire, Northumberland and North Yorkshire. They're hoping to win a place in the 2014 semi-finals which begin in a few weeks' time.

Russell's questions cover history, music, science, literature, mythology, popular culture and more besides. There's also a chance for an ingenious listener to 'Beat the Brains' with questions of his or her own devising - with a prize on offer if the contestants' combined brainpower can't work them out.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

Competitors from London, Buckinghamshire and Surrey join RUSSELL DAVIES for the latest heat in the 2014 series of the prestigious general knowledge quiz. At stake is a place in next month's semi-finals and a chance to go forward to take the 61st Brain of Britain title.

Russell's questions cover everything from history and mythology, music and theatre, literature and popular culture, to medicine, the natural world, technology and geography. The time-honoured format couldn't be simpler: each question is worth a point and the contestant with the most points takes the semi-final place.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by 'Beating the Brains' with ingenious questions of his or her own.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Nationwide general knowledge quiz, hosted by Russell Davies.

How often would a hebdomadal meeting take place? And in which town do the football team St Mirren play their home games? RUSSELL DAVIES puts these and many other general knowledge questions to today's competitors, who come from Leeds, Accrington, Grimsby and York.

Today's winner will become the eleventh person to go through automatically to the semi-finals - but with just two weeks to go before the semi-finals begin, they'll all be trying to score as many points as they can, in the hope of securing one of the sought-after places for the highest-scoring runners-up.

As always, a Brain of Britain listener gets the chance to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with quiz questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from East Yorkshire, Worcestershire, Lancashire and North Wales to Media City in Salford for the last of the 2014 heats. Up for grabs is the last of the automatic places in this year's Brain of Britain semi-finals.

As well as competing with one another to answer the questions, the contestants have to grapple with puzzles submitted by a listener, who'll win a prize if they can't answer the questions successfully.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

What surname is shared by a Danish composer of six symphonies, and an actor whose roles include Frank Drebin in 'Police Squad'? And what was the name of the first-ever space station, launched in 1971?

RUSSELL DAVIES has the answers to these and many other general knowledge questions - and will be hoping the contestants do too, as they compete for a place in the 2014 Brain of Britain Final. The first batch of semi-finalists are from London, Surrey and Wearside - and they've all proved their mettle by winning their heats over the past few months, or being so narrowly beaten they've qualified for a semi-final place.

As always there's a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by suggesting tricky questions with which to 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the first semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

(14/17)

Competitors from Portsmouth, Bolton, Ormskirk and Leeds face Russell Davies' questions, in the second semi-final of radio's most venerable general knowledge quiz. They have all won their respective heats, or been among the top-scoring runners-up, and now stand a real chance of a place in the 2014 Final.

Can they identify the New York jazz club whose address in its heyday was 1678 Broadway? Or the name given to the constant expressing the quantity of electric charge carried by a mole of electrons?

They'll also be called upon to pool their knowledge and see if they can deal with the listener's cunning questions chosen this week to 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(15/17)

The third semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge quiz comes from the Radio Theatre in London, with RUSSELL DAVIES in the chair. The competitors have all either won their heats or been among the top-scoring runners-up in this year's series. Today's winner will go through to the grand Final, and into the home straight in the race for the title of 61st Brain of Britain.

(16/17)

Which star, noted for roles in ALFRED HITCHCOCK films, is the mother of the actress Melanie Griffith? And with which waterway is the nautical mirage known as the Fata Morgana most closely associated?

These are among the general knowledge questions RUSSELL DAVIES puts to the semi-finalists in today's contest, which will decide who gets the one remaining place in the 2014 Final. Today's competitors are from Bristol, Bromley in Kent, Skipton in North Yorkshire, and Oswestry in Shropshire.

As ever, there'll also be a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the contestants with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(17/17)

The four competitors who have come through heats and semi-finals unscathed now face each other in the 2014 Final - with the 61st annual Brain of Britain title at stake.

Russell Davies asks the questions in what promises to be a nail-biting contest between four of the brightest and most determined quizzing minds in Britain. As usual the questions fall entirely at random, and the only rule is that a contestant's turn is over once he or she has answered five correctly in a row.

There's also the usual interval in which the Brains pool their knowledge to tackle a pair of questions as a team rather than as rivals - and, by tradition, the questions for the Final have been set by the reigning Brain of Britain champion.

The programme comes from the BBC Radio Theatre in London.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Which politician was described by the writer Malcolm Bradbury as 'the BERTIE WOOSTER of Marxism'? And the A horizon, B horizon, C horizon and O horizon are all layers of what?

RUSSELL DAVIES returns to Radio 4 with the first contest in a new season of the evergreen general knowledge quiz, with contestants from all over Britain competing for the title Brain of Britain 2015. It's the 62nd series of the quiz, and the eventual champion will join a long and illustrious list of names which down the years has included Irene Thomas, DAPHNE FOWLER, Kevin Ashman and Barry Simmons.

The competitors in this week's opening heat come from London, Guernsey, Bath and Norwich.

The programme also offers the customary chance for a listener to 'Beat the Brains' by suggesting ingenious questions that may stump their collective general knowledge.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

Which South American country owns Robinson Crusoe Island? And which punctuation mark is used in maths to stand for the factorial of an integer?

Russell Davies puts these and many other questions to the contenders in the second heat of the 2015 series. This week they come from Leicestershire, Hampshire, East Sussex and the West Midlands. Each will be hoping he or she can win a place in the semi-finals and perhaps stand a chance of adding their name to the illustrious list of Brain of Britain champions.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

3/17)

The collective noun a 'business' or 'busyness' is used for a group of which mammals? And Joanne Wheatley, John Whaite and Nancy Birtwistle have all had the distinction of winning which TV reality contest?

Russell Davies will be testing whether the contenders in this week's third heat of the general knowledge quiz are up to the challenge of these, and many other questions. They come from London, Norfolk, Essex and Kent - and each will be hoping their general knowledge may see them through to the semi-finals and perhaps even taking their place on the illustrious list of Brain of Britain champions.

As usual, there's a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize too, by coming up with questions that might stump the combined knowledge of the panel.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Which is the largest landlocked country in the world? And which word is both an Imperial measurement of weight and the alternative name for the snow leopard?

Russell Davies puts these and many other questions to the four latest competitors in the evergreen general knowledge quiz. They'll each be hoping their general knowledge proves to be good enough to carry them through to the semi-finals, and perhaps even all the way to the 62nd Brain of Britain title.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by suggesting questions that will stump the contestants' collective knowledge, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs another heat of the general knowledge quiz.

(5/17)

Which singer was fatally shot by his father on the first of April 1984? And in the name of the West African terror group, what do the words 'Boko haram' actually mean?

RUSSELL DAVIES puts these and many other questions to the participants in the fifth heat of the 2015 series, which comes from the University of Salford. The winner will go through to the semi-finals in April - and others may too, as there are places for the highest-scoring runners-up across the series.

As always there's a chance for a listener to 'Beat the Brains' by suggesting a devious pair of questions with which to try and defeat the combined brainpower of the contestants.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

Who played Jane to Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan? And which scientist's four equations form a complete description of the production and inter-relation of electric and magnetic fields?

Today's competitors face these and many other questions as RUSSELL DAVIES chairs the sixth heat of the 2015 series, from the University of Salford.

As well as competing for a place in the semi-finals in the spring, the contenders will also have to collaborate to tackle a general knowledge challenge from a listener hoping to 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The latest heat of the long-running general knowledge quiz, with Russell Davies.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Competitors from Norfolk, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Kent join RUSSELL DAVIES for the seventh heat of the general knowledge quiz.

To win a place in the semi-finals they'll have to face questions such as which of the asteroids is the brightest as seen from earth, and which mainland South American country's coast is just seven miles from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago?

There's also the usual opportunity for a listener to win a prize by stumping the competitors with questions of his or her own, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

Russell Davies hosts the seventh heat of the long-running general knowledge quiz.

They're young... they're in love... and they kill people' was the promotional tag-line for which 1967 film release?

This and many other general knowledge questions face the competitors in the eighth heat of 'Brain of Britain', who this week come from London, Bath and Belfast. Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair - and music, history, politics, mythology, geography, science and popular culture are all fair game for Russell's questions. The winner will take another of the automatic places in the semi-finals of the 2015 contest later in the spring.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with his or her own question ideas, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

This and many other general knowledge questions face the competitors in the eighth heat of 'Brain of Britain', who this week come from London, Bath and Belfast.RUSSELL DAVIES is in the questionmaster's chair - and music, history, politics, mythology, geography, science and popular culture are all fair game for Russell's questions. The winner will take another of the automatic places in the semi-finals of the 2015 contest later in the spring.

Russell Davies asks the questions in the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Which two English cathedrals hold original copies of Magna Carta? And which science fiction novel's title is a direct reference to the temperature at which books spontaneously ignite?

Russell Davies chairs the ninth heat in the current season of the ever-popular general knowledge quiz, with contestants from the North of England competing at the BBC's Salford studios for a place in the semi-finals in the spring.

Every point counts, as it's not just the heats winners who go through but also the runners-up with the highest scores across the series.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies asks the questions in the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Which Pharaoh ordered the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world? And which familiar two-word term was first coined by the film critic Nino Frank, when discussing films such as The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity?

The competitors in today's heat will have to answer these and many other questions to stand a chance of qualifying for the semi-final stage of this year's tournament. Russell Davies is in the chair, and the contestants come from Huddersfield, Liverpool, Leeds and Kendal.

They'll also face questions suggested by a listener, with the aim of 'Beating the Brains' and winning a book token prize.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the tenth heat of the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

In the name of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, what does the 'hebdo' part mean? And which two cities did Winston Churchill cite in 1946 as the northern and southern end-points of the newly-created 'Iron Curtain'?

The eleventh heat of radio's longest-running general knowledge quiz is chaired by Russell Davies. Competitors from London, Surrey and Bristol vie for one of the few remaining semi-final places, and a chance to take another crucial step towards the title of 62nd Brain of Britain.

The Brains will also face a challenge from a listener hoping to defeat their combined knowledge with his or her own question suggestions.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Four more contestants join Russell Davies for the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

The 2015 season of the nationwide general knowledge quiz reaches the last of the heats, with Russell Davies in the questionmaster's chair. With just one more automatic place in the semi-finals to be decided, and four places available to the top-scoring runners-up of the series, it all hinges on the outcome of today's contest.

Russell's unpredictable questions include which three words appear in the centre of the Brazilian flag, and what type of motion is described by the Navier-Stokes equations.

The contestants in this final heat are from London, Oxford, High Wycombe and Bristol.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the twelfth and last of the 2015 heats.

(13/17)

Which chemical element discovered by the Curies in 1898 is five thousand times as radio-active as radium? RUSSELL DAVIES has the answer - but do the competitors in this week's Brain of Britain?

It's the first of the 2015 semi-finals, with three winners from the heats, and one of the top-scoring runners-up over the past three months, returning to play for a place in the Final.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(14/17)

Competitors from Worcestershire, Hampshire, Norfolk and North Yorkshire join Russell Davies for the second semi-final of the 2015 series.

One of them will take another of the places in the Final, and stand a real chance of joining the roll of honour as the 62nd Brain of Britain champion.

Russell's questions in this semi-final encompass Indian politics, the 2014 football World Cup, and Wagnerian opera - among many other topics. There's also the customary chance for a listener to outwit the competitors with devious questions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(15/17)

The 2015 Brain of Britain tournament reaches the third semi-final, with RUSSELL DAVIES' questions encompassing topics as diverse as 1980s TV theme music, the genetic code, and the political history of Greece.

The participants today have all come through the heats with flying colours and will be hoping to take a coveted place in the 2015 Final in two weeks' time. They hail from Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.

As always, Russell will also be giving a listener the chance to 'Beat the Brains' with ingenious questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

Who declared himself King of France in 1795 but didn't come to the throne for another nineteen years? And which Hollywood actress's autobiography was entitled 'Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It'?

Russell Davies asks the questions in the nail-biting fourth semi-final of the 2015 tournament, with four more keen quizzers vying for the single remaining place in the Final next week. The winner stands a real chance of being named the 62nd BBC Brain of Britain champion.

The contenders come from London, Bath, Bromley and Lytham in Lancashire.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the last semi-final of the 2015 series.

(17/17)

The 2015 season of the most durable general knowledge quiz of them all reaches its climax, with the Final from the Radio Theatre in London. RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes the four competitors who have come unscathed through heats and semi-finals, and could now be just half an hour away from becoming the 62nd BBC Brain of Britain.

Will they be able to name the Galilean moons of Jupiter, the first female US Secretary of State, or the town where DYLAN THOMAS is buried?

Every point could be crucial - and the gleaming 2015 Brain of Britain trophy awaits the winner.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

The 2015 season of the most durable general knowledge quiz of them all reaches its climax, with the Final from the Radio Theatre in London.RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes the four competitors who have come unscathed through heats and semi-finals, and could now be just half an hour away from becoming the 62nd BBC Brain of Britain.

RUSSELL DAVIES hosts the quiz that's been testing the general knowledge of the general public for longer than any other. Now in its 63rd season, Brain of Britain returns with another 48 quiz enthusiasts from around the UK competing for the title Brain of Britain 2016.

The first heat of the new series draws together competitors from Cardiff, Shrewsbury, St Andrews and Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. At least one of them will be going forward to the semi-final stage in the spring. There are also semi-final places for the top-scoring runners-up, so those pipped in close contests can often get a second chance.

Russell will also be selecting a pair of questions submitted by a listener in a bid to 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(2/17)

Russell Davies hosts the second heat in the 2016 series, with competitors from London and Leicester taking their first step towards the title Brain of Britain.

Would you know which city is the setting for Verdi's opera La Traviata? Or who the Republican nominee was, when Barack Obama won his second Presidential election in 2012? Russell has plenty more questions that will put today's four contenders to the test.

The winner will go forward to the series semi-finals after Easter, and there are semi-final places for the top-scoring runners-up of the series too, so there is a chance that more than one competitor today will qualify.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(3/17)

Russell Davies welcomes four more competitors to the Radio Theatre in London for Heat Three of the 2016 series. This week two of them are from Scotland and two from the South East of England. At least one will be going through to the semi-finals in the spring, and perhaps all the way to taking the coveted title of Brain of Britain. Will they know which of Shakespeare's plays used Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain as a major source? Which US President was the first to officially give the White House its name? Or precisely what the word 'cuneiform' means?

The Brains will also have to face the challenge of two questions from a listener, which they have to combine their knowledge to tackle, with the setter winning a prize if they're not up to it.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(4/17)

The Queen overtook Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning monarch last year - but who is the longest-reigning King in British history? And when Mandy Rice Davies said 'He would, wouldn't he?' - who was she referring to?

These are just two of the questions Russell Davies puts to the contenders in this week's edition of Brain of Britain, the fourth heat of the 2016 series. At stake is a place in the semi-finals in the spring.

The Brains will also be challenged by a listener on whose questions they have to collaborate - and who'll win a prize if they can't agree on the right answers.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(5/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes competitors from Kidderminster, Chester, Stirling and Rothbury in Northumberland to Media City in Salford for the latest contest in the 2016 series.

To stand a chance of making it through to the semi-final stage they'll have to know where Britain's first-ever safari park was, which 19th century war was ended by the Treaty of San Stefano, and the name of the party led by the Greek politician Alexis Tsipras.

There's also an opportunity for a Brain of Britain listener to 'Beat the Brains' with his or her question suggestions.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The sixth heat in the current season of the general knowledge quiz comes from Salford, with competitors from Shropshire, Merseyside and Lincolnshire making their bid for the title of Brain of Britain 2016.

RUSSELL DAVIES asks the programme's traditionally testing questions. Could you remember who narrated the original series of The Clangers; who was runner-up in the Sports Personality of the Year award for 2015; or say what the time difference is between Perth and Sydney?

Today's winner will go through to the 2016 semi-finals later in the spring. For a bit of light relief the contestants will have to combine their knowledge to answer questions devised by a Brain of Britain listener, who'll win a prize if they can't do so successfully.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the prestigious general knowledge quiz.

(7/17)

Which artery takes deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs? Which actor was future Vice-President Al Gore's roommate at Harvard? And who wrote the novel on which the Hitchcock film Psycho was based?

RUSSELL DAVIES puts these and a host of other questions to the latest contenders for the Brain of Britain 2016 title. The programme comes from the Radio Theatre in London, with the winner assured a place in the semi-finals of the contest later in the spring.

There'll also be the chance for a Brain of Britain listener to outwit the contestants with ingenious questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(8/17)

Russell Davies puts another four would-be Brains of Britain through the toughest general knowledge test of them all. Which is the hottest planet in the solar system? Who painted the notorious 80th birthday portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, which he hated and which his widow destroyed after his death? What type of well is named after a region of France near the modern border with Belgium?

The winner today is assured a place in the semi-finals which begin after Easter - but all of the competitors will be going for as many points as they can, as the top-scoring runners-up across the series also go through.

A listener will also be challenging the competitors with his or her own questions, in an attempt to Beat the Brains.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(9/17)

The quest for the 63rd BBC Brain of Britain reaches heat nine, with Russell Davies in the question master's chair and four contestants from the Home Counties and the West Midlands.

What name for a type of seafarer or pirate is thought to derive from a Caribbean word meaning 'to dry meat on a barbecue'? Which was the first western to win an Oscar for Best Picture?

The contestants face these and many other tough teasers on their way to a possible semi-final place. A Brain of Britain listener also stands a chance of being a winner by providing fiendish questions with which to try and 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies puts four more would-be Brains of Britain through the toughest of general knowledge tests, at the Radio Theatre in London.

Why is the chemical element argon so named? In which TV series did the heroes have to defeat the lumbering Cybernauts, even before the Cybermen made their first appearance in Dr Who? Who, according to the title of the play in which they feature, were Bob Acres and Captain Jack Absolute?

The winner today will win a place in the semi-finals in a few week's time, but there could be a chance for a runner-up to go through too, if any of them scores highly enough to be one of the top scorers of the series.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(11/17)

The All England club at Wimbledon officially caters for tennis and which other sport? What are the first two prime numbers you come to when counting upwards from 100? Which border is the setting for author Cormac McCarthy's so-called 'Border Trilogy'?

These are just three of the questions the competitors have to face in the penultimate heat of this year's Brain of Britain contest.RUSSELL DAVIES is in the chair, at Media City UK in Salford. The winner will go through to the semi-finals next month.

There's also a chance for a listener to 'Beat the Brains' and win a prize with devious questions of his or her own.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

These are just three of the questions the competitors have to face in the penultimate heat of this year's Brain of Britain contest. Russell Davies is in the chair, at Media City UK in Salford. The winner will go through to the semi-finals next month.

(12/17)

What's the better known name for the Flavian Amphitheatre? Which football stadium has the smallest capacity in Premier League history? And which 19th century composer's third symphony is known as the 'Rhenish' because it was inspired by a Rhine excursion?

Contestants from Middlesbrough, Nottingham, Liverpool and York face RUSSELL DAVIES' notoriously challenging questions, in the final heat of 2016. The programme comes from Media City UK in Salford. Only one automatic place remains in the semi-finals which begin next week. Will any of the runners-up today score enough points to qualify too?

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(13/17)

The competition steps up a gear with the start of the 2016 semi-finals, chaired by Russell Davies. Three heat winners and one of the top-scoring runners-up across the series compete for a place in the 2016 Final.

On which of the Hawaiian islands is Pearl Harbor? How many players are there on a Gaelic football team? And which character in Disney's original cartoon of The Jungle Book was voiced by the actor George Sanders?

As always, there's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to 'Beat the Brains' by suggesting devious questions of his or her own with which to outwit the competitors.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(14/17)

Russell Davies welcomes four more semi-finalists to the Radio Theatre in London, competing for a place in the 63rd Brain of Britain Final.

This week's competitors, from Edinburgh, Leicester, Buckinghamshire and Merseyside, are all either heat winners or top-scoring runners-up from earlier in the series. To win through to the Final they'll need to know the name of the battle commemorated by the climactic section of Tchaikovsky's '1812' overture, the surname of the Goods' neighbours in the sitcom The Good Life, and the sporting tournament whose winner is awarded the Wanamaker Trophy.

There'll also be the usual opportunity for a listener to 'Beat the Brains', with fiendish questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(15/17)

The third of this year's semi-finals features competitors from London, Merseyside, Lincolnshire and the West Midlands. Russell Davies asks the questions.

As well as being a football ground, Stamford Bridge is a village where a battle took place in 1066 - in which present-day English county? What was the name of the US Air Force base in California where Space Shuttle landings took place from 1981-2001? Which building was described in the Architectural Review in 1932 as 'the new Tower of London'?

Today's winner will go through to the 63rd Brain of Britain Final in two weeks' time. There'll also be a chance for a listener to win a prize by devising questions to stump the competitors.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(16/17)

The last of the 2016 Finalists will be decided this week as Russell Davies welcomes the last four semi-finalists of the tournament. They're from Stirling, Southampton, Tunbridge Wells and Sheffield.

Which Israeli political party has a name meaning 'consolidation'? In which year did divorce become legal in the Republic of Ireland? Which country's national flag includes a stylised representation of a yurt?

The semi-finalists will also be pooling their knowledge to tackle questions from a Brain of Britain listener, who'll win a prize if they can't answer them successfully.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

(17/17)

The grand Final of the 2016 series comes from the Radio Theatre in London, with Russell Davies in the chair. The four competitors who've come through the heats and the semi-finals with heads held high, compete for the silver Brain of Britain trophy. The winner will add his or her name to the 63-year roll-call of champions that has included such illustrious quizzing names as Irene Thomas, Kevin Ashman and Barry Simmons.

The Finalists will also be asked to combine their knowledge to tackle a pair of devious questions set for them by the outgoing Brain of Britain champion, Nigel Jones.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(1/17)

Russell Davies launches the 2017 season of the perennial general knowledge tournament, welcoming the first four contenders to the BBC's Maida Vale studios. In the opening contest they hail from London, Carlisle, Richmond in Surrey and Elgin on the Moray Firth. Over the next few months a total of 48 hopeful contestants will be whittled down to 16 semi-finalists and, eventually, four Finalists - the prize being the title of 64th BBC Brain of Britain.

Each week there'll also be a chance, as always, for a listener to win a prize by suggesting a pair of devious questions with which to 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies asks the questions in the longest-running general knowledge contest of them all, as four more competitors gather at the BBC's Maida Vale studios for the second heat of 2017. Literature, history, physics, geography, sport, popular music and current affairs all crop up within the first few minutes. In Brain of Britain you never know how the questions will fall, and a few educated guesses can make all the difference. Today's winner will automatically go through to the semi-finals in the spring.

As always, a listener also stands to win a prize by suggesting an ingenious pair of questions with which to try and 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Competitors from Cheshire, North Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Teesside join Russell Davies for the third heat in the current series. Would you know which film director first used the term 'splatter movie' to describe one of his films? Or by which treaty the island of Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain? These and other general knowledge teasers await today's contestants, with the winner going through automatically to the semi-finals in the spring.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Which New York building was once described as the 'Mozart of skyscrapers'? And which type of meat takes its name from the Latin for 'to hunt'?

These and many other questions await the contenders in today's heat of the 2017 tournament, to decide who takes the fourth of the automatic places in this year's semi-finals later in the spring.

There's also a chance, as always, for a listener to win a prize by suggesting ingenious questions which will 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The nationwide general knowledge tournament continues, with Russell Davies.

What's the current name of the country formerly known as South West Africa? Which famous theatrical partnership wrote the musical 'Allegro'? Who is the shortest-serving British Prime Minister of the last 100 years?

If the competitors in today's fifth heat of Brain of Britain can answer these questions they may stand a fighting chance of a semi-final place in this year's tournament. Russell Davies is in the chair with the unpredictable and challenging general knowledge questions for which the quiz is renowned. Even the most seasoned of quiz contestants can slip up...

There'll also be a chance, as always, for a listener to stump the contestants with questions of his or her own devising, and win a prize for doing so.

Producer Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies asks the questions in the nationwide general knowledge quiz, with contestants in this edition from Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.

Which two English football teams contest what's referred to as the Second City Derby? And what name was given to the generation of nuclear reactors that used uranium metal fuel contained in a magnesium non-oxidising alloy sleeve?

Russell Davies puts these and many other questions to today's competitors, as they vie for a place in the 2017 semi-finals. There's also an opportunity for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the Brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

Russell Davies chairs the wide-ranging general knowledge quiz.

(8/17)

Russell Davies welcomes another four competitors to the BBC's Maida Vale studios for the latest general knowledge contest. Will they know the shared name of Jane Austen's mother and sister, what specific number the word 'myriad' technically means, or where Stalin was born? If they do, they may be in with a chance of a place in the semi-finals, and be another step nearer to the 64th Brain of Britain title.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

The Fields Medal is awarded for achievement in what field of endeavour? And if something is described as 'amygdaloid', what shape is it? These and many other questions await the competitors in the ninth heat of this year's tournament, which comes from Salford. Today's winner will take another of the automatic places in the semi-finals, with the possibility open for a runner-up to go through too if they score enough points.

A Brain of Britain listener also stands to win a prize if the four competitors, between them, can't answer the questions he or she has devised for the interval.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(10/17)

The competitors joining Russell Davies today come from Rochester, Twickenham, Windsor and Brighton. How much do they know about drowned villages in the Lake District, Sicilian delicacies named after operas, or the numbers of protons in stable nuclei?

Russell Davies asks the questions, with another of the automatic places in the 2017 semi-finals at stake. And could a runner-up do well enough to qualify for the semi-finals too?

A Brain of Britain listener also stands to win a prize if the competitors, by pooling their knowledge, can't solve an ingenious pair of questions he or she has devised.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(12/17)

In the last of the 2017 Brain of Britain heats the competitors are from Northwich in Cheshire, Bingley in West Yorkshire, Wigton in Cheshire and Hilton in Derbyshire. The winner will go through to the semi-finals, and it's also the last chance for a runner-up to notch up a high enough score to qualify. Russell Davies, the competitors and the audience are the guests of the UTC at Media City UK in Salford.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(13/17)

The first semi-final of the 2017 season features three of the winners from the past three months of heats, plus a top-scoring runner-up. There's no such thing as an easy victory at this stage in the contest, with a place in the Final at stake.

Will the contenders know who staged an attempt to steal the Crown Jewels in 1671, or the temperature at which the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales coincide? Will their trigger fingers be quick enough to give them the chance to answer, even if they do?

As always, the contest features a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by stumping the competitors with ingenious quiz questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.



Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(14/17)

In a North-South semi-final contest this week, two of the competitors are from Surrey and two from Cumbria. They all either won their heat over the past three months of the 2017 tournament, or narrowly missed out as a high-scoring runner-up. The standard promises to be high today, with another place in the Final at stake.

As ever, the 'Beat the Brains' feature also offers a listener the chance to have his or her question suggestions put to the panel, to see if their combined knowledge is up to the challenge.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.



Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(15/17)

With another of the four places in the 2017 Final up for grabs, today's contest once again pits three heat winners from earlier in the series against one contestant who only narrowly lost out as a high-scoring runner-up. It could be anyone's game, as the semi-finalists wrestle for every point they can pick up.

If the periodic table of the elements were listed in alphabetical order, which would come first? What are the Latin mottoes on the masthead of the Times newspaper? And which novel that caused a literary sensation in 1991 has a protagonist named Patrick Bateman? If the competitors can answer these questions they may be in with a strong chance of a place in the Final - and within sight of the 64th BBC Brain of Britain title.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.



Producer: Paul Bajoria.

(16/17)

Russell Davies chairs the contest to decide who takes the last of the four places in the 2017 Final.

To jump the final hurdle the semi-finalists will need to know which languages appear on the Rosetta Stone, the year of the St Valentine's Day Massacre, and the name of the actress who played Jane to Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan - among many other questions.

As always, there's also a chance for a listener to stump the competitors with cunning questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.



Producer: Paul Bajoria.

A listener also stands to win a prize by attempting to outwit the champions with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

RUSSELL DAVIES chairs a general knowledge contest of champions.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(1/17)

The 2018 season of the venerable general knowledge quiz gets under way. RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes the first four competitors, who come from Surrey, Lancashire, Aberdeen and Winchester. Over the next four months 48 competitors engage in the knockout tournament, which will see one of them lift the trophy in the summer as the 65th BBC Brain of Britain.

The series will include a selection of the best question suggestions received from listeners, who stand to win a book voucher prize if their questions manage to Beat the Brains.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

RUSSELL DAVIES asks the questions in the second heat of the 2018 tournament. Which classic novel is set in a nightmarish future in which the US has been renamed the Republic of Gilead? Which genus of plant has a name derived from the Latin for 'rock-breaker'? And what are the equivalent terms in the House of Lords for the Commons' 'ayes' and 'noes'?

The contestants face these and many other tests of their general knowledge, with a guaranteed place in the series semi-finals for today's winner.

There will also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the competitors with questions of his or her own.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

RUSSELL DAVIES chairs the venerable general knowledge quiz.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

Which former Chelsea footballer was named the new President of Liberia in 2018? And which is the longest land border any European country shares with another?

RUSSELL DAVIES has these and a host of other general knowledge questions to put to the competitors in the third heat of this year's tournament. The winner will take another of the automatic places in the 2018 semi-finals - with the possibility of a place for a high-scoring runner-up too, if the contest is close.

This week's competitors are:

Beverley Beesley, a copy editor from Billericay in Essex

Amit De, a financial services advisor from Sutton in Surrey

Jill Goodwin, a retired insurance claims officer from Swindon

IAN PORTER, a former accountant from Great Yarmouth.

There will also be the customary chance for a listener to win a prize by beating the Brains with his or her own devious questions.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

The nationwide general knowledge tournament, chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(4/17)

In this week's contest the questions cover human anatomy, Danish literature, palaeontology, the moons of the solar system and the writers of broadsheet arts coverage - and these are just the first five questions. As always RUSSELL DAVIES brings friendly rigour to the competition, with another guaranteed semi-final place awaiting the winner today.

Today's competitors are:

Mark Eves, an accountant from Bexley in London

Andrew Fanko, a freelance translator from Market Harborough in Leicestershire

Gillian Ledwick, a retired college admin officer from Brentford in Middlesex

JOHN ROBINSON, an English teacher from Birmingham.

A Brain of Britain listener also stands a chance of winning a prize if the questions he or she has devised outwit all four competitors.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(5/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes another four contenders for the title of Brain of Britain 2018, this time at MediaCityUK in Salford. The unpredictable questions take in everything from mythology and etymology to literature, astronomy and popular television. Today's winner will take another of the automatic places in the semi-finals which begin in May - and there may be a semi-final place awaiting a runner-up too, if he or she gets a high enough score.

Today's competitors are:

Jim Cross, a horticulturalist from Wrexham;

Colin Daffern, a data analyst from Salford;

Joanna Munro, a civil servant from Liverpool;

Paul Prior, a retired instrument technician from Ormskirk in Lancashire.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(6/17)

Which two Australian cities lie at either end of the route taken by the train known as the Indian Pacific? In which port city did the German naval mutiny of 1918 take place? And which Oscar-winning British actress's last ever film was called Ship of Fools? RUSSELL DAVIES makes a return visit to Salford for the sixth heat in the 2018 tournament. As always, the contenders have no idea of the subject matter of the questions they'll face, and every point counts with semi-final places at stake.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Today's competitors are:

Graham Cox, a business development manager from Cheadle in Greater Manchester;

Mel Kinsey, a retired steelworker from Scarborough;

Darren Martin, a business analyst from Whittle le Woods in Lancashire;

Paul Webster, a National Trust worker from Rowlands Gill on Tyneside.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(7/17)

Who were Roger Bannister's two pace setters in the race that broke the four-minute mile barrier in 1954? And what's the common name of the disease transmitted to human beings by the tsetse fly? These are just two of the questions in RUSSELL DAVIES' pack as he welcomes another four amateur competitors to the trickiest general knowledge tournament of them all. There's a place in the semi-finals waiting for the winner, with a possibility of a runner-up getting through too, if his or her score is high enough.

Today's competitors are:

Rob Butlin, who works in advertising and comes from Great Doddington in Northamptonshire

Kathy Price, a retired consultant anaesthetist from Sunderland

Brian Roles, a retired IT programmer from Maidenhead in Berkshire

TOM WILLIAMS, a personal assistant from London.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(8/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES returns to the Radio Theatre in London for the seventh heat in the 2018 general knowledge tournament. The questions cover everything from Spanish painting and Shakespeare to astronomy and the history of mathematics. A semi-final place awaits today's winner. There will also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize, by outwitting the Brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Today's competitors are:

Dan Adler, an IT consultant from Farnham in Surrey

Debbie Green, a puzzle magazine editor from Leatherhead, also in Surrey

Garry Holland, a writer from Didcot in Oxfordshire

Steve Lacey, a mortgage adviser from Corby in Northamptonshire

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(9/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES is in the chair for another general knowledge test, with questions on subjects ranging from the English Civil War to the Eurovision Cong Contest, and from the Bible to the Beano. A semi-final place awaits today's winner.

The competitors are:

Mark Cooper, a civil servant from Brighton

Brian Eastty, an actor and teacher from Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex

Anthony Fish, a community safety officer from Pontypool

Daniel Fullard, an employment manager from Sunderland.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(10/17)

This week's contest sees another four general knowledge contenders embarking on their bid to become the 2018 Brain of Britain. Today's winner will go through to the semi-finals in a few weeks' time, with a possible place for a runner-up too if they score highly enough. RUSSELL DAVIES' questions range across geography, sport, politics, languages, science and popular culture.

As always, there's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by Beating the Brains.

Today's competitors are:

Tim Footman, a freelance editor from Croydon

Brian Johnson, a statistician, now retired, from Sutton Coldfield

Jean Staines, a retired IT support worker from Colchester

Anna Swain, an insurance underwriter from Bath.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(11/17)

The penultimate heat of the 2018 Brain of Britain tournament features four contenders from the north of England bidding for one of the few remaining places in the semi-finals. RUSSELL DAVIES chairs the contest from MediaCityUK in Salford.

This week the contenders are:

Margaret Brecknell, a shop assistant manager from Garstang in Lancashire

Diana England, a housewife from Penrith in Cumbria

Paul Gibbons, an electron microscope technician from Prescot on Merseyside

Greg Spiller, a software engineer, recently retired, from Stockport.

As always, a listener also stands to win a prize by beating the Brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(12/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES meets the last four of the contenders in the 2018 tournament hoping to win a place in the semi-finals which begin next week. This week's contest comes from the north of England and features four keen northern quiz players. They are:

Rob Cruise, a primary school teacher from Liverpool

Clive Dunning, a teacher from Stockton-on-Tees

Tony Quinn, a former broadcast systems engineer from Liverpool

BRIAN THOMPSON, a retired teacher, also from Liverpool.

The questions range widely as ever, from history to sport, from chemistry to cinema and from maths to music. If the scores are high enough a runner-up still stands a chance of capturing a semi-final place too, as well as the winner, at this late stage.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(13/17)

The first of this year's four semi-final contests features questions on topics ranging from Greek mythology to botany, theatre history, music, classic science fiction and sport. At stake is a place in the 2018 Final and a real chance for the winner of being named the 65th BBC Brain of Britain.

As is traditional, the semi-final contenders comprise the twelve heat winners this season, alongside the top-scoring runners-up across the series. Today they are:

Daniel Adler, an IT consultant from Surrey

Jack Bennett, a student from Lancaster

Graham Cox, a business development manager from Greater Manchester

Rob Cruise, a primary school teacher from Liverpool.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(14/17)

The second of this year's semi-finals will determine who takes another of the places in the 2018 Brain of Britain Final. RUSSELL DAVIES asks the questions, which include the name of the current President of South Africa, the final film of Sir Ralph Richardson, and the Shakespeare play that inspired a Tchaikovsky overture.

The contenders today are

Colin Daffern, a data analyst from Salford

Amit De, a financial services adviser from Sutton in South London

Tim Footman, a freelance editor from South London

BRIAN THOMPSON, a retired teacher from Liverpool.

The Brains will also be invited to collaborate in answering a brace of questions set by a Brain of Britain listener, who stands to win a prize if they are defeated.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(15/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES chairs the third of the 2018 semi-finals, featuring another four heat winners or exceptional scorers from the earlier stages of the tournament. A place in the Final awaits the winner. This week's semi-finalists are:

Clive Dunning, a teacher from Stockton-On-Tees

Garry Holland, a writer from Didcot

Julia Lemagnen, a retired company director from Whaddon in Buckinghamshire

TOM WILLIAMS, a personal assistant from London.

The competitors will also be asked to collaborate in answering a pair of questions supplied by a Brain of Britain listener hoping to outwit them - who will win a prize if he or she succeeds.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(16/17)

With one more place in the Final remaining, the last of this year's heat winners and high scorers take to the stage to see if they can clear the final hurdle. RUSSELL DAVIES' questions range across the usual wide spectrum, from chemistry and computing to comics and classic TV. The hopeful semi-finalists are:

Mark Cooper, a public servant from Brighton

Diana England, a housewife from Penrith

Mark Eves, an accountant from London

Paul Prior, a retired instrument technician from Ormskirk

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

(17/17)

RUSSELL DAVIES takes the questionmaster's chair for the final time this series as the cr耀me de la cr耀me of this year's tournament compete for the silver Brain of Britain trophy. The winner will become the 65th BBC Brain of Britain champion.

Having come through heats and semi-finals unscathed, the four Finalists face their toughest challenge yet. As is traditional, they'll also face a couple of particularly devious questions to answer in collaboration, set by the outgoing Brain of Britain champion John Beynon.

With four formidable potential champions and an eager audience at London's Radio Theatre, a tense Final is ensured.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.



Producer: PAUL BAJORIA.

What shape are the twelve identical faces of a dodecahedron? What was the name of the politician played by Paul Eddington in Yes, Minister? What type of establishment was founded by the Scottish emigre Allan Pinkerton in Chicago in 1850?

Russell Davies is back for the 2019 season of Brain of Britain, putting these and many other general knowledge questions to the first batch of contenders. Across the next few months 48 competitors will face heats and semi-final knockout stages, before the 2019 title is decided at the Final in July. The competitors come from all corners of the UK and have already made it through a rigorous audition process to win their places in the series.

Each week there'll be a chance for a listener to win a prize in the Beat the Brains challenge, in which the competitors pool their knowledge to tackle the listeners' questions.

Taking part in the opening contest are:

Gareth Aubrey, a solicitor from Cardiff

David Croly, a library assistant from Kidbrooke in London

Daniel Isenberg, a barrister from London

Caroline Latham, a semi-retired teacher from Romford in Essex.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies.

Russell Davies welcomes another four contenders for the 66th Brain of Britain title, at the Radio Theatre in London.

Among the unpredictable topics they'll be asked on today are classic 20th century drama, active volcanoes, the Bible, James Bond theme songs and the composition of the blood. There's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with questions of his or her own devising.

Today's competitors are:

Harry Heath from Redditch in Worcestershire

Ian Parkes from Burton-on-Trent

Jeremy Platt from Bracknell

Ruth Wright who lives near Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The wide ranging general knowledge quiz with competitors from all around the UK

Competitors from the North West of England join Russell Davies for the latest contest in the 2019 series. Among the unpredictable topics they face in today's quiz will be the Winter Olympics, the Old Testament, the UK Coast to Coast path, technical terms in poetry and British sitcoms of the 1970s.

A listener also gets the chance to win a prize by Beating the Brains with questions of his or her own.

Today's competitors are:

Ashton Davies, a teacher from Poynton

Stephen Hatcher, a semi-retired teacher from Ashbourne in Derbyshire

James Haughton, a student from Manchester

Alice Walker, a retired IT consultant from Stockport.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The wide ranging general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies

Who was the first ever elected head of government to give birth while in office? Which city was once nicknamed Copperopolis? Which two seas are linked by the Suez Canal? Russell Davies has these and many other general knowledge questions on his cards in today's contest, which will determine who takes the fourth of the automatic places in this year's semi-finals.

As always, a listener also stands a chance of winning a prize if his or her questions succeed in Beating the Brains.

Today's competitors are:

Dennis' Dennis, a resting academic from London

Matthew Ledbury, a writer and lecturer from Oxford

Alan Franklin, a retired librarian from Fulham in London

Helen Waters, a social care administrator from Ipswich.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The toughest general knowledge quiz on radio, with Russell Davies

Russell Davies is joined by another four competitors at the Radio Theatre in central London as the quest continues for 2019's Brain of Britain. Today's Brains will need to know about the stories of Hemingway, the characters in Waiting for Godot, the teams in the 2018 World Cup and how to make eggs Benedict.

They are:

Allen Clarke, a retired air traffic control engineer from Southampton

Steve Goddard, a lecturer in French from Oxford

Rob Hemming, an author from Evesham in Worcestershire

David Sherman, a hospital administrator from Chelmsford.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The toughest general knowledge quiz on radio, with Russell Davies.

Russell Davies asks the questions in the sixth of this year's heats. Who were the architects of Paris's Pompidou Centre? Which superhero was played by Chadwick Boseman in 2018? Which 20th century Prime Minister had the shortest tenure in office?

Today's contest comes from MediaCityUK in Salford, and the winner today will take another of the automatic places in the semi-finals in the summer.

The competitors are:

Bob Currie, a legal investigator from Bramall in Stockport

Michael Harrington, a retired teacher from Rochdale

Liz Hartley, a retired university librarian from Lancaster

Mike Meakin, a hospital operating department practitioner from Harrogate

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The wide-ranging general knowledge quiz, with Russell Davies

Russell Davies asks the questions in the latest heat of the 2019 tournament, from the Radio Theatre in London.

As usual the competitors will be asked on a wide and completely unpredictable range of topics, from pre-conquest British history to Japanese theatre, from Grand Slam tennis tournaments to the location of the ancient city of Nineveh. Today's winner goes through to the semi-finals in the summer.

Taking part are:

Mark Hollings, a pub quiz compiler from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire

Nina Metson, a business partner in internal communications, from Colchester

Paul Millgate, a retired banker from Petts Wood in Kent

David Smith, an IT consultant from Chiswick in London.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The wide-ranging general knowledge quiz, chaired by Russell Davies

Another four competitors start their campaign to become the 66th BBC Brain of Britain, as Russell Davies asks the questions in the latest heat of the general knowledge tournament. They'll be asked on a variety of unpredictable topics including the artist Banksy, the Wren churches of London, the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt and the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. There's a place in the semi-finals awaiting today's winner.

There'll also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the panel with a pair of questions of his or her own devising.

Joining Russell this week are:

Andy Bacon, a web designer from Pinxton in Nottinghamshire

Tim Hall, a researcher from Kidlington in Oxfordshire

Rob Hannah, a company director from Torquay

Brian Snowdon, a learning and development manager from Leighton Buzzard.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies welcomes competitors to MediaCityUK in Salford for the latest contest in the 2019 general knowledge tournament. This week's questions test their knowledge of physicists, novelists, contemporary artists, politicians, TV soap characters and reggae stars, to name but a random few. A place in the semi-finals awaits the winner.

A listener also stands a chance of winning a prize if their questions are chosen to test the combined powers of today's four Brains.

Taking part are:

Peter Baber, a journalist from Todmorden in West Yorkshire

Colin Foster, an accountant from Warrington

David Love, an investment planner from Wombourne in the West Midlands

Olivia Woolley, a university lecturer from Aberdeen.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the wide-ranging general knowledge quiz

Which American city was once known as 'the Paris of the Midwest'? What substance did the ancients give to the substance they thought was released from matter during combustion? And in what situation would you use the safety measure known as a 'Dutch reach'?

The four competitors in today's heat will need to know the answers to these questions and many more, as they try to secure a place in the 2019 semi-finals of the most venerable general knowledge contest of them all. Taking part are:

Catherine Beresford from Penkridge in Staffordshire

Harry Shaw from Cheltenham

Martyn Smith from Croydon

David Stainer from Hertford.

A listener also stands a chance of winning a prize by outwitting the competitors with questions of his or her own, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest

In the penultimate heat of the 2019 general knowledge tournament, another four contenders will be going all out to secure a place in the series semi-finals. What's the name of the Prime Minister of New Zealand? Which novel by Benjamin Disraeli shares a name with a character in Fawlty Towers? What did Karl Lagerfeld say a woman can never be under-dressed or over-dressed when wearing?

Today's contest is between

Malcolm Dent from Reading

Frankie Fanko from Market Harborough in Leicestershire

Richard Lawrence from Tormarton in Gloucestershire

Roger Look from Kenilworth in Warwickshire.

To provide some light relief for the contestants, a listener will also get the chance to win a prize by outwitting them with questions he or she has suggested.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies hosts the nationwide general knowledge quiz

Richard Lawrence from Chipping Sodbury

With just one automatic place remaining in the semi-finals, four contenders from the North of England line up at the BBC's Salford headquarters for the last of the 2019 heats. For what sort of buildings did the architect Frank Matcham become famous? Which unit of measurement derives its name from the Latin for 'a thousand paces'? Which political group did Trotsky say belonged on the 'dust heap of history'? Russell Davies has all the questions, and all the answers - but how will the contestants get on?

Today's contest features:

Pamela Culley from Preston

Andrew Fisher from Sheffield

Matt Goodstadt from Eccles

Gary Grant from Lytham St Anne's.

There's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to Beat the Brains, and win a prize, by outwitting them with his or her own ingenious questions.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz

RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes the first four of this season's semi-finalists to the Radio Theatre in London. All of the competitors have won their heats or been high-scoring runners-up in the tournament so far. The standard promises to be high and the pace hots up, with a place in the 2019 Final awaiting today's winner.

Competing today are:

Frankie Fanko, a freelance translator from Market Harborough

Tim Hall, a researcher from Kidlington in Oxfordshire

Stephen Hatcher, a teacher of modern languages from Ashbourne in Derbyshire

Ruth Wright, a part-time gardener from a village near Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The second set of semi-finalists who've come through unscathed from this year's heats face Russell Davies's questions on everything from physics and anatomy to ballet and television comedy, as they bid for a place in the 2019 Final.

Competing today are

Bob Currie, a legal investigator from Stockport

Caroline Latham, a teacher from Romford

Roger Look, a consultant clinical psychologist from Kenilworth in Warwickshire

Paul Millgate, a former banker from Petts Wood in Kent

As always they'll also face a challenge from a Brain of Britain listener hoping to win a prize by outwitting them with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Which infectious disease first described in 1975 is named after a place in Connecticut? Which piece of music by Maurice Ravel was originally commissioned by the Russian dancer Ida Rubenstein? What species of whale is Moby-Dick?

These and other general knowledge challenges face the semi-finalists in today's competition, with the third of the four places in the 2019 Brain of Britain Final at stake. The competitors have all either won their respective heats, or scored more points as runners-up than the winners of other contests. They are:

Simon Dennis, a resting academic from London

Colin Foster, a chartered accountant from Warrington

RICHARD LAWRENCE, a patent attorney from Tormarton in South Gloucestershire

David Stainer, a tax advisor from Hertford.

RUSSELL DAVIES is in the chair, and also has some question suggestions to put to the Brains from a listener - for which the listener will win a prize if the competitors can't get them right.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

David Stainer, a solicitor from Hertford.

With one remaining place in the 2019 Final up for grabs, the last four of this year's semi-finalists take to the stage. Will they remember which was the first ghost to visit Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol? What Frederick Sanger was the first British person ever to do? Or what middle name the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave their first child?

RUSSELL DAVIES has all the questions and all the answers - and he'll also be teasing the Brains with a couple of questions suggested by a listener, aiming to win a prize by outwitting them.

The semi-finalists today are:

Gareth Aubrey, a planning environmental law solicitor from South Wales

Steve Goddard, a lecturer in French from Oxford

Gary Grant, a GP from Lytham St Anne's

ALICE WALKER, a former IT consultant from Stockport

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The 2019 season of the annual general knowledge competition reaches its climax, as the four competitors who have come through heats and semi-finals unscathed line up to see which of them can become the 66th Brain of Britain champion.

As always, they'll face RUSSELL DAVIES's questions on unpredictable topics, from Russian history to Formula One, from medicine to opera. A tight contest is assured between four formidable quiz players, who are:

Gareth Aubrey, a planning environmental law solicitor from South Wales

Frankie Fanko, a freelance translator from Leicestershire

Roger Look, a retired consultant clinical psychologist from Warwickshire

David Stainer, a tax advisor from Hertfordshire.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The final of the general knowledge tournament, chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

The 2020 season of the nation's longest running general knowledge quiz gets under way, with Russell Davies in the questionmaster's chair. The first four of the 48 competitors taking part this year begin their campaign to become the 67th BBC Brain of Britain.

Appearing today are:

John Adedoyin, a management consultant from London

Hugh Brady, a scientist, also from London

Andrew Codling, a former business analyst from Egham in Surrey

Ellie Mackin, a writer and translator from Nottingham.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz

In classical mythology, what was the name of the first mortal woman, created by Hephaestus? And which South American city gave its name to a Madonna hit of 2019? If you can answer either of these questions you might be able to keep pace with the competitors in the second heat of the 2020 Brain of Britain season. Four competitors from around the UK take the first step in the knockout competition leading to the 67th annual Brain of Britain title.

Appearing today are:

Graeme Anderson, a former HR director from Tonbridge in Kent

Daniel Lawson, a medical student from the Wirral

Rebecca Lovegrove, a retired musician and music teacher from Redruth in Cornwall

Nathan Mulholland, an economist from County Derry.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz

(3/17)

The third heat of the 2020 Brain of Britain tournament comes from London, with Russell Davies asking questions on everything from medicine and astronomy to world music and international soccer.

Awaiting the winner today is another of the places in the 2020 semi-finals to be held later in the year. There's also the chance for a lucky listener to win a prize by stumping the contestants with questions of his or her own devising.

Taking part today are:

Linda Emmett, a self-employed project manager from Launceston in Cornwall

Mark Heptinstall, a former bank manager from Ashford in Kent

Bill Muir, a retired tax inspector from Swaffham in Norfolk

Dave Taylor, a retired transport manager from Sunderland.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

(4/17)

In which decade were the first ever Nobel prizes awarded? Which painter had an expletive added to his name in the title of a Lana Del Rey album? And what did John Kay invent that revolutionised the clothing industry?

These and many other questions await the contenders in today's heat of the prestigious general knowledge quiz. Russell Davies welcomes the contestants to the Radio Theatre in London in a programme recorded before restrictions were imposed on public gatherings.

Taking part are:

Brian Chesney, a retired university librarian from Malvern in Worcestershire

Rev Judith Maizel-Long, a Methodist minister from Romford in Essex

Danny McMillan, a risk analyst from Walthamstow in East London

Andrew Smithies, an actuary from Tonbridge in Kent.

A Brain of Britain listener also stands the chance to win a prize, if a pair of questions he or she has suggested turn out to outwit the panel.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

(5/17)

In astronomy, what is a P.H.O? Which are the hills that make up Yorkshire's so-called Three Peaks? And which is the first event in the women's heptathlon? Russell Davies asks the questions of four more potential Brains of Britain, in a contest recorded before the restrictions on public gatherings.

Taking part are:

Jon Clatworthy, a risk assessor from Chichester

Nicki Cockburn, a student from Cardiff

William Dunbar, a journalist from London

Simon O'Brien, a digital editor, also from London.

A semi-final place awaits today's winner, and there'll also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by outwitting the contestants with his or her own questions.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

(6/17)

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair, with questions on topics as diverse as meteorology, Hindu gods, the books of the Bible and video games. Today's heat was recorded in London before the restrictions on public events.

Taking part are:

Phil Anderson, a chemist from Buntingford in Hertfordshire

George Ferzoco, a university lecturer from Bristol

Graham Holliday, a writer from Lower Seagry in Wiltshire

Dom Tait, a media and entertainment consultant from Guildford in Surrey.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Following a break during the coronavirus lockdown, the nationwide general knowledge quiz resumes with four competitors from the North of England joining Russell Davies. Although no audience can be present, the contestants face all the normal tension and challenge of the toughest quiz on radio, with today's winner going through to the semi-finals later in the series.

The Beat the Brains interlude also gives a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the brains with questions he or she has devised.

Taking part in today's heat are:

Andy Cook, a research student from Huddersfield

Joanne Hancox, a civil servant from Burntwood in Staffordshire

Tom Mead, a civil servant from Stocksbridge in South Yorkshire

Jon Stitcher, a paralegal from the Wirral.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest for the title of Brain of Britain.

Russell Davies chairs the latest heat of the general knowledge quiz from the studios of Media City UK in Salford. Once again this week's competitors answer Russell's questions without an audience present - but there's no less at stake, as the winner goes through to the series semi-finals and, come the autumn, could even find themselves taking home the silver trophy as the official 2020 BBC Brain of Britain.

The Beat the Brains interlude also provides a chance for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the panel with questions of his or her own devising.

Today's competitors are

Graham Barker, a former dental surgeon from Merseyside

Rev Wayne Clarke, a Baptist minister from Manchester

James MacKenzie, a client director from Bradford

Steve Peek, from Wilmslow in Cheshire, who's retired.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge quiz for the title of Brain of Britain.

What was the full name of Brian's mother, as played by Terry Jones in Monty Python's Life of Brian? And can you name three British Prime Ministers since the Second World War who didn't go to university?

Another four competitors join Russell Davies for the eighth heat of the general knowledge tournament, recorded under socially-distanced conditions without an audience. There's still plenty of tension as they compete for another of the places in the 2020 semi-finals. As well as the outright winner, a high enough score could send one or more of the runners-up through too. This week's contest comes from MediaCity UK in Salford, and the participants are:

Brett Bostock, a retired mental health worker from Rochdale

Paul Hopkins, a software developer from the Wirral

Helen Shrimpton, a pensions administrator, also from the Wirral

Roy Smith, a retired management accountant from Warrington in Cheshire.

A listener could also win a prize if his or her questions are chosen to test the contestants in the 'Beat the Brains' interlude.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The prestigious general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

Many of us have heard of the Battle of Gettysburg and the famous Gettysburg Address, but in which American state will you find Gettysburg? Which Italian club did the Welsh international footballer John Charles play for in the 1960s? And in which year was the last ever Frost Fair held on the River Thames?

You can find the answers in the latest of the delayed heats in the 2020 Brain of Britain tournament, which comes from Salford, with contestants joining Russell Davies without an audience present. Another of the places in the semi-finals is up for grabs, and possibly even more than one place if the runner-up scores are good enough.

Today's competitors are all from the North of England: they are

Dan Greenwood, a junior doctor from York

Dag Griffiths, a retired teacher from Ormskirk in Lancashire

Richard Payne, a teacher from Huddersfield

Nick Reed, a local government clerk from Masham in North Yorkshire.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide contest for the title Brain of Britain 2020, with Russell Davies.

The latest of the postponed heats in the 2020 general knowledge tournament takes to the air, from the Radio Theatre in London, with the contestants competing behind closed doors. Russell Davies asks the questions.

There's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by beating the Brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The general knowledge quiz for the prestigious title of Brain of Britain.

In the last of the heats in the 2020 series, Russell Davies puts another four contenders through their paces. The winner will take the last of the automatic places in the semi-finals, and the scores today will also determine which four of the runners-up go through with the highest points totals. The contest was recorded under special safe conditions with no audience present.

A listener also gets the chance to Beat the Brains, by stumping them with questions he or she has suggested.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

Appearing today are

Ricki Kendall, a personal tutor from Spalding in Lincolnshire

Stephen Longridge, a retired bank employee from London

Manuel Lovell, an insurance recruiter from London

Mat Williams, a market researcher from Tonbridge in Kent.

The first four of the most successful players so far in the 2020 tournament return, as the competition intensifies in the first semi-final. Three of the outright heat winners are joined by one of the top-scoring runners-up across the series.

Russell Davies asks the questions, which range across the usual spread of history, literature, popular culture, politics, science and geography. There are some unpredictable music choices to test the contestants' knowledge - and another pair of questions for the panel from a listener hoping to Beat the Brains.

Today's winner takes the first of the places in the 2020 Final.

Taking part are

Brian Chesney, a retired librarian from Malvern

Michael Smith, who sells mares' milk and lives in Chiswick in London

Roy Smith, a retired management accountant from Warrington

Jon Stitcher, a paralegal from the Wirral.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge quiz for the title of Brain of Britain.

RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes another three of the 2020 heat winners, along with a particularly high-scoring runner-up from one of this year's contests. The winner today will take another of the places in the grand Final in October. The questions are challenging at this stage and the competition is fierce.

A listener also stands a chance of winning a prize by coming up with questions that might defeat the combined brainpower of the contestants, in the Beat The Brains interlude.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Russell Davies is in the chair as three of the 2020 heat winners return, along with another particularly high-scoring runner-up from one of this year's contests. Today's winner will take another of the places in the grand Final.

A listener also stands a chance of winning a prize if the questions he or she has devised turn out to outwit the contestants, in the Beat The Brains interlude.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The prestigious general knowledge contest for the title of Brain of Britain.

Russell Davies welcomes the last of this year's semi-finalists, who once again comprise three of the heat winners, along with a particularly high-scoring runner-up. They're fighting for the sole remaining place in the 2020 Final, and the competition is sure to be fierce.

A listener also stands a chance of winning a prize by coming up with ingenious questions that might Beat The Brains.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

The current season of the general knowledge tournament reaches the grand Final, with the four semi-final winners playing off for the title Brain of Britain 2020.

A tense contest is assured as the 'cream of the crop' compete for the handsome Brain of Britain trophy, behind closed doors at the Radio Theatre in London. Russell Davies is in the question-master's chair, and by tradition the 'Beat the Brains' questions for the interlude are supplied by last year's champion.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The Final of the 2020 general knowledge tournament, with Russell Davies.

The quest for the 2021 Brain of Britain champion begins in earnest, with the first four of this season's 48 competitors joining Russell Davies at the BBC Radio Theatre for the 68th season of the general knowledge contest.

Taking part are

Claire Barrow, a trust and estate practitioner from Honiton in Devon

Lillian Crawford, a freelance writer from Bearsted in Kent

David Gregson, a civil servant from London

Chris Kilbride, a retired maths teacher from St Austell in Cornwall.

Today's winner will go through to the semi-finals in the autumn, but one of the others could join them if the scores are high enough to get them through as a top-scoring runner-up.

As always, there's a prize on offer for a listener who manages to outwit the competitors with questions of his or her own devising, in the Beat The Brains interval.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

Competitors from London, Gloucestershire and Teesside are in the hot seat for the latest heat of the prestigious general knowledge contest, recorded without an audience under Covid-restricted conditions. Russell Davies asks the questions - with a place in the semi-finals awaiting the winner. There is also an opportunity for a listener to 'Beat the Brains' by outwitting the contestants with questions of his or her own devising.

Taking part today are

Toby Cox, a civil servant from Prestbury in Gloucestershire

Joyce Fulbrook, a retired teacher from Putney in London

Michael McPartland, an office manager from Middlesbrough

Rachel Pagan, a communications manager from Pimlico in London.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies

Off the coast of which state in the USA did the tanker Exxon Valdez spill millions of tonnes of oil in 1989? And what's the most famous invention of John Montague? If you know the answers to these questions, you can find out if the contenders in Brain of Britain do too, as Russell Davies hosts the third heat of the 2021 tournament.

The programme comes from the Radio Theatre in London and was recorded without an audience under Covid rules on indoor gatherings.

Tackling today's questions are:

Mark Manson, a restaurateur from Carmarthen

Caroline Markovitch, an NHS administrator from Letchworth

Bernadette Stott, a former banker and Open University student from South London

Lisa Tulfer, a freelance writer from Glastonbury.

Today's winner will take another of the places in the Brain of Britain semi-finals in the autumn. There's also an opportunity for a listener to win a prize by devising questions with which to stump the combined knowledge of the panel.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Can you name all three of the female presenters of Desert Island Discs since 1988? And the tribal chieftain defeated by Julius Caesar when he was Proconsul in Gaul? If you can, you could give the contenders in this week's quiz a run for their money. Russell Davies asks the questions in the fourth heat of the 2021 season, which comes from Salford.

Taking part today are:

Helen West, a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities support lead from Bradford

Rachael Neiman-Wiseman, a record company owner from South Manchester

Alan Sharp, a writer and tour guide from York

Karl Whelan, a civil servant from the Wirral.

There's a place in the semi-finals awaiting the winner, with more than one place potentially up for grabs if the runner-up scores are high enough today. A listener will also have a chance to win a prize by providing questions that defeat the combined knowledge of the contestants, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The prestigious general knowledge quiz with Russell Davies

In which sport might you use an 'eggbeater kick'? And which writer created the Swedish detective Wallander? The competitors in today's Brain of Britain heat will need to know the answers to these and many other questions, if they're to stand a chance of winning through to the series semi-finals. Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair, in a programme recorded in Salford under Covid restrictions. Today's competitors are all from the North of England.

They are:

Colin Atkinson, a retired financial adviser from Newcastle

Alan Hodgson, a part-time customer service assistant from Macclesfield

Paul Hood, a retired civil servant from Oldham

Gaetana Trippetti, a support assistant in film and TV, from South Cheshire.

There will also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by challenging the Brains with questions he or she has suggested.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The challenging general knowledge quiz, with Russell Davies

Another four contenders join Russell Davies for a socially-distanced contest in Salford, the latest heat in the 2021 season of the nationwide quiz. Today's winner will take another step towards the coveted title of Brain of Britain, by making it through to the semi-finals later this year. Among other things they'll need to know the name of Joe Biden's dog, which priest warned the Trojans not to let the wooden horse into their city, and the lyrics of 'Africa' by Toto.

Taking part today are:

Malcolm Barraclough, an office manager from Leeds

Derek Heyes, a retired teacher from Horwich near Bolton

Sarah Hunt, a police force communications officer from the Black Country

Neil Wright, a retired biomedical scientist from the Wirral.

The programme also includes 'Beat the Brains', in which a listener gets a chance to challenge the competitors with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest, chaired by Russell Davies

Competitors from Somerset, the Home Counties and London join Russell Davies this week for the latest heat of the 2021 general knowledge tournament, recorded in London under pandemic restrictions. Among other things, they'll need to know the name of Vincent Van Gogh's art dealer brother, the distance run in an Olympic steeplechase, and the names of the Imperial Cities of Morocco. Today's winner will take another of the places in the semi-finals later in the season.

Taking part are:

Heather Auton, a retired marketing director from Amersham in Buckinghamshire

George Bulmer, a retail manager from Hammersmith in London

Ian McKillop, a locum pharmacist from Ilminster in Somerset

Emma Napper, a personal assistant from Arlesey in Bedfordshire.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The prestigious general knowledge quiz, chaired by Russell Davies

Competitors from Somerset, the Home Counties and London join Russell Davies this week for the latest heat of the 2021 general knowledge tournament, recorded in London under pandemic restrictions. Among other things they'll need to know the name of Vincent Van Gogh's art dealer brother, the distance run in an Olympic steeplechase, and the names of the Imperial Cities of Morocco. Today's winner will take another of the places in the semi-finals later in the season.

In the 1570s who was the most famous member of the Spanish Marines? Which campaigning organisation was founded by Peter Benenson? And who was the singer in the punk band the Modern Lovers? Russell Davies puts these questions, and many more, to the contenders in today's heat of the general knowledge tournament.

Today's winner will take another of the places in the semi-finals coming up in a month or so's time. The contenders today are:

Gill Powell, a music and legacy festival manager from Herefordshire

Phil Small, a contracts director from Reading

Laura Trowern, a teaching assistant from Southsea in Hampshire

Allie Wharf, a seaweed farmer from Warham in Norfolk.

There's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by defeating the assembled Brains with quiz questions of his or her own.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Competitors from Belfast, Edinburgh, County Durham and Merseyside join Russell Davies for the general knowledge contest.

Which metal is extracted from its ore using the Kroll process? Spook, The Brain and Fancy-Fancy were companions of which cartoon character? And which play was Abraham Lincoln watching when he was shot? These and many other answers will be required, in order to stand a chance of getting through to the semi-finals. There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the Brains with his or her own questions.

Today's competitors are

Innis Carson, a researcher living in Belfast

Dorothy Clarkson, a retired superintendent registrar from Weardale in County Durham

Dave McBryan, a writer from Edinburgh

John O'Malley, a retired doctor from Liverpool.

The programme was recorded in Salford under socially distanced conditions.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The challenging general knowledge quiz with Russell Davies asking the questions

Who's the only rugby player to have been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year? In what field of activity is Stanley Gibbons a famous name? And if Joe Biden is the 46th President of the USA, what number Vice President is Kamala Harris?

Russell Davies puts these and many other questions to the competitors in today's Brain of Britain contest, with another semi-final place at stake. The programme comes from Salford and was recorded under socially distanced conditions.

The Brains will also be tackling a pair of questions suggested by a listener, who'll be hoping to stump them and win a prize.

Taking part today are:

Alan Hay, a financial administrator from Paisley

Edward Brunt, a retired IT analyst from Altrincham in Cheshire

John Payne, a warehouse operative from Manchester

Ian Welham, a retired headteacher from Middle Rasen in Lincolnshire.

Asst Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

Russell Davies welcomes another four competitors to Salford for the penultimate heat in the 2021 season of the general knowledge tournament.

In which book of the Bible will you find the story of Joseph and his multi-coloured coat? Whom did James Corden replace on television as host of America's Late Late Show? And which Lincolnshire-born painter was especially known for his many portraits of Emma, Lady Hamilton?

If the competitors can tackle these questions they may be on their way to a place in the semi-finals, and a step closer to the title Brain of Britain 2021.

Appearing today are:

Alan Burns, a retired solicitor from Salford

Charlotte Jackson-Orland, a modern languages teacher from Manchester

Derek Moody, a retired planning and logistics manager from Warrington in Cheshire

Lauren Watts-Keane, a data engineer from Cardiff.

There will also be a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the competitors with questions he or she has suggested.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The challenging general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Which comedy film was set in a fictional town called Rock Ridge? And which writer boasted shortly before his death that he'd just had eighteen straight whiskies? You might be able to answer these questions, but more crucially, can the contestants in the last of the Brain of Britain 2021 heats? A place in the semi-finals is at stake, as competitors from London, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and Cambridgeshire take to the stage.

Russell Davies asks the questions, and there'll also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to challenge the contenders with questions specially devised to try and Beat the Brains. The programme was recorded under socially distanced conditions without a studio audience.

Today's competitors are

Nicola Baker, a retired communications manager from North London

Graeme Johnston, a semi-retired accountant from Chackmore in Buckinghamshire

Brenda Mortimer, a retired solicitor from Camberley in Surrey

Liz Walliker, an exam invigilator from Ely in Cambridgeshire.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The challenging general knowledge quiz with Russell Davies in the chair

~Brain Of Britain reaches the semi-final stage, as the first four of this year's heat winners and high scorers play off for a place in the 2021 Final. Russell Davies asks the questions. Will the contenders know what the French football referee Stephanie Frappart was the first to do? Or which is the largest castle in Wales? Or who was the first Australian performer to win a Grammy award?

The semi-finalists today are

Chris Kilbride, a retired maths teacher from St Austell in Cornwall

Mark Manson, a restaurateur from Carmarthen

Rachael Neiman-Wiseman, a record label owner from Manchester

Phil Small, a contracts director from Reading.

As always, there will also be the chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by stumping the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Another four semi-finalists take their places for the latest round of the challenging general knowledge contest, with a place in the 2021 Final up for grabs. RUSSELL DAVIES is in the questionmaster's chair. Will the competitors know which Roman god was supposedly the father of the twins Romulus and Remus? Or which member of the Dad's Army cast was also a successful playwright? Or which ELTON JOHN song KATE BUSH has had a Top 20 hit with?

Appearing today are

Heather Auton, a retired marketing director from Amersham

Edward Brunt, a retired IT analyst from Altrincham

Innis Carson, a researcher from Belfast

Alan Hodgson, a customer service assistant from Macclesfield.

There's also a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize if his or her questions are chosen to challenge the Brains.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The challenging nationwide general knowledge quiz chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Which performing artist is the focus of the movie Amazing Grace? Which bird features on the flag of Papua New Guinea? Russell Davies puts these and a wide range of other questions to the semi-finalists in today's contest, in which another place in the 2021 Brain of Britain Final will be decided. The programme was recorded at the Radio Theatre in London under socially distanced conditions, with no audience.

The competitors are:

Alan Burns, a former solicitor from Salford

Toby Cox, a civil servant from Prestbury in Gloucestershire

John Payne, a warehouse operative from Manchester

Karl Whelan, a civil servant from the Wirral.

As always, the Brains will also tackle a pair of questions suggested by a listener who'll win a prize if his or her questions stump the panel.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The last four of this year's Brain of Britain semi-finalists join Russell Davies to decide who'll take the only remaining place in the 2021 Final.

What's the name of the statue that stands on top of the Old Bailey court building in London? Which fictional planet was the birthplace of Superman? Who had a no.1 hit with the song Don't Cry For Me Argentina, from Evita, but never appeared in the stage musical?

These, and many other questions from all fields of knowledge, stand between the contestants and the Final place. With all four of them having come through the heats with their general knowledge credentials intact, the contest is sure to be closely fought.

As always, a listener also stands to win a prize if questions he or she has devised succeed in outwitting the panel.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The UK-wide general knowledge quiz chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies welcomes the four competitors whose wide general knowledge has propelled them through heats and semi-finals, who now take their place on the stage for the 2021 Brain of Britain Final.

Their knowledge will be truly put to the test in order for them to leap the final hurdle and hold the trophy. Which Greek letter is used in physics to denote wavelength? Which was the first US state to ratify the constitution? What would you take an antitussive medicine for?

An appreciative audience is on hand to encourage the competitors and cheer the eventual champion, who'll become the 68th official BBC Brain of Britain.

Assistant Producer Stephen Garner

Producer Paul Bajoria

~Brain Of Britain is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4

The grand final of the general knowledge quiz, chaired by Russell Davies.

Sport, medicine, classic literature, art, languages, history, music and physics are just some of the fields from which questions are drawn in this opening edition of the series.

Taking part today are:

Azeez Feshitan from London

Angela Hawke from Bognor Regis

Emma Laslett from Milton Keynes

Ray Walters from Cheltenham.

As always, a listener will also get the chance to win a prize if they can Beat the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Sport, the human body, medieval literature, opera, European politics, crime fiction, cinema and chemistry are just some of the subjects on which the contenders can expect to be tested today. As always, they will also face questions from a listener hoping to Beat the Brains, in the interlude in which they pool their knowledge to work as a team.

The contestants in today's heat are:

Dan Afshar from Kingston-on-Thames

Julie Aris from East Sussex

Shelley Nix from London

Linda Preece from Swansea

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Taking part today are:

Gill Austen from Drumnadrochit in the Scottish Highlands

JAMIE HALL from Manchester

Darren Martin from Chorley in Lancashire

Rebecca Mathis from Newbury in Berkshire.

A Brain of Britain listener will also discover whether he or she has won a prize by stumping the contestants in 'Beat the Brains'.

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Appearing today are:

Julian Aldridge from Westhoughton in Lancashire

Kathryn Forrester from Wrexham

Isabelle Heward from Goxhill in North East Lincolnshire

Thomas Leeming from Adlington in Lancashire.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

The winner will take a place in the semi-finals of the 2022 series, to be held in the autumn.

Taking part today are:

Lindsay Easton, a guest house owner from Blair Atholl in Perthshire

Rob Moran, a science teacher from County Durham

Gail Treliving, a retired teacher from Durham City

Ian Wilkinson, a retired advice worker from Hull.

A listener also stands to win a prize if a pair of questions he or she has devised can stump the assembled Brains.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

Taking part at London's Radio Theatre are:

Nicholas Comfort, from south east London

Annabel Gaskell, from Abingdon

Tom Gibson from St Ives in Cambridgeshire

Wendy Merrick from the West Midlands.

A place in the semi-finals later in the year awaits the winner today.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

RUSSELL DAVIES puts these and many other questions to the contenders in Heat Seven of the current series, recorded at the Radio Theatre in London. Today's winner will go through to the semi-final stage of the tournament later in the year and take a step closer, perhaps, to being named Brain of Britain 2022.

Taking part are

Roger Bowen, from Blaenavon in South Wales

Alison Jay, from Suffolk

Ned Pendleton, from North London

Gail Trimble, from Oxford.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Taking part today are:

Rob Earnshaw from Dudley

Jim Maginnis, originally from County Armagh

Jo McEvedy from Newcastle upon Tyne

Sarah Trevarthan from Manchester

A lucky Brain of Britain listener will also have a chance to win a prize if his or her questions succeed in outwitting the combined brainpower of the contestants.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

A place in the 2022 semi-finals awaits the winner today.

Taking part are:

Carol Bates from Nottingham

Carolyn Evans from Worcestershire

Gill Taylor from West Yorkshire

Scott Torrance from Dumfries.

There's also a chance for a listener to Beat the Brains with questions he or she has suggested.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

The contenders in today's heat of the prestigious general knowledge quiz will need to have ready answers to these and many other questions, as RUSSELL DAVIES hosts the contest from the Radio Theatre in London. The winner will take another of the few remaining semi-final places in the current series.

Appearing today are:

Catherine Bates from Richmond on Thames

Crispin Dawes from London

Jo McLeod from East Sussex

Henry Male from Bristol.

A Brain of Britain listener will also get a chance to win a prize by outwitting the Brains with questions he or she has suggested.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

Awaiting the winner is a guaranteed place in the 2022 semi-finals which begin in two weeks' time.

Taking part today are:

Patrick Buckingham from London

Julia Day from Alton in Hampshire

Will Howells from London

TOM LEE from London.

There will also be the usual chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by stumping the competitors with questions of their own.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES

Appearing today are

Helen Blackburn from Midlothian

Marianne Fairthorne from London

Hadrian Jeffs from Long Stratton in Norfolk

John Webley from the New Forest

The winner will take a place in the semi-finals, but there may be a place in the semi-finals for a runner-up if they can accumulate enough points at this crucial stage in the tournament.

There will also be a chance for a listener to Beat the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The prestigious nationwide general knowledge contest, chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

The competition promises to be fierce, as the contenders grapple with questions such as which New York thoroughfare is known as the Avenue of the Americas, who is currently Team GB's youngest ever Olympic medal winner, and which multiple Grammy-award-winning composer and record producer has the middle name Delight?

Appearing in today's semi-final are

Dan Afshar from London

Isabelle Heward from Lincolnshire

Gill Taylor from West Yorkshire

Ian Wilkinson from Hull.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The prestigious general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES

RUSSELL DAVIES asks the questions, which encompass computer-generated music, the beliefs of Rastafarianism and the layout of a Monopoly board - among many other topics. The competition at this stage of the tournament is stiff, and the contenders need speed on the buzzer as well as wide knowledge. It's sure to be close.

Taking part are:

Catherine Bates from West London

JAMIE HALL from Manchester

Ned Pendleton from Northamptonshire

Sarah Trevarthen from Manchester

As always, there will be a chance for a listener to win a prize by beating the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES

Another quartet of semi-finalists lines up to face RUSSELL DAVIES' questions. They have all won their heats in recent months, or been one of the top-scoring runners-up, so a keen contest is guaranteed. Only one of them can go through to the 2022 Final and stand a chance of becoming the 69th person to be named BBC Brain of Britain.

Taking part are:

Crispin Dawes from London

Marianne Fairthorne from London

Will Howells from London

Thomas Leeming from Adlington in Lancashire

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES

Only one place remains in the 2022 Brain of Britain Final and it will go to today's winner. RUSSELL DAVIES welcomes the last four of the semi-finalists who have come unscathed through this year's heats.

Classic cinema, the geography of India, the history of Wimbledon, Star Wars and the turbulent recent developments in British politics are among the subjects that will be tested by the questions in this semi-final. With all of the semi-finalists at the top of their game, the competition is sure to be tough.

Taking part are:

Helen Blackburn from Midlothian

Tom Gibson from St Ives in Cambridgeshire

Emma Laslett from Milton Keynes

Darren Martin from Chorley in Lancashire.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

The contenders for the title are:

Marianne Fairthorne from London

Isabelle Heward from Goxhill in Lincolnshire

Emma Laslett from Milton Keynes

Sarah Trevarthen from Manchester.

Only one of them can take away the silver trophy as the 69th official Brain of Britain.

Assistant Producer: STEPHEN GARNER

Producer: PAUL BAJORIA

The grand Final of the annual general knowledge contest, chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES

The grand final of the annual general knowledge contest, chaired by RUSSELL DAVIES.

CORRECTION We would like to make it clear that the Adam Smith Institute is based in Great Smith Street in London, and is not one of the organisations headquartered at 55 Tufton Street as stated in a question in today's programme.

The first four competitors of the new season join Russell Davies at the Radio Theatre in London, for the opening heat of the 2023 general knowledge tournament. 48 competitors this year from all around the UK will be whittled down to just four Finalists in December. Could the eventual Brain of Britain champion be among the contenders today?

The competitors in the first heat are Jason Butler from Kent, Jude Child from Hampshire, Susannah Croft from Essex and Akin Yilmaz from London.

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains', in which a listener gets the opportunity to win a prize by stumping the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz.

Another four contenders join Russell Davies to launch their bids to become Brain of Britain 2023. Today's winner will go through to the semi-finals in the autumn.

Taking part in the second heat are Peter Almond from Bristol, Sue Brearley from London, Leigh Haggar from Hampshire and George Scratcherd from Essex.

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains', which gives a listener a chance to win a prize by stumping the Brains with questions of his or her own.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

The 2023 season of the general knowledge tournament continues with a contest from London's Radio Theatre. Russell Davies asks the questions, which today range across topics as diverse as botany and chemistry, architecture and ska music. There'll also be a chance for a listener to outwit the Brains and win a prize with questions he or she has thought up.

Appearing today are:

Atalanta Beaumont from Surrey,

David Cowan from Swansea,

John Esling from Suffolk

Emma Goodridge-Hobson from Suffolk.

Today's winner will return for the semi-finals later in the series.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the prestigious nationwide general knowledge contest

In which month of 1066 did the Battle of Hastings take place? Which mathematician is known as the Father of Geometry? Which musical is set on board the SS American? Russell Davies puts these and many other brain-wracking teasers to the contenders in today's heat of the venerable general knowledge tournament, coming from the Radio Theatre in London.

Taking part today and hoping to win a place in the semi-finals are:

Eleanor Ayres from Cambridgeshire

Matt Barr from Bolton

Richard Burr from Colchester

Ruth Downing from London.

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Another four contenders join Russell Davies for the first of the northern-based contests in this year's Brain of Britain season. An enthusiastic audience at the BBC's Salford studios will find out who's going through to the semi-finals and taking a step closer to the title.

What are the five colours of the Olympic rings? What's the first of the Ten Commandments? What was the protest group The Anti-Heptagonists opposed to? The Brains today will have to grapple with these and many more questions from all fields of knowledge, as well as tackling questions from a listener hoping to Beat the Brains with questions he or she has supplied.

Taking part are:

Jean Burtonwood from Huddersfield

Brian Craythorne from Belfast

Rob Greenhill from Leicester

Gill Hollis from Lichfield.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

~Brain Of Britain comes from Salford for the second time this series, with Russell Davies putting the contenders through their paces on all aspects of general knowledge. At least one of them will be going through to the semi-finals later in the autumn and taking a step closer to being named the 2023 champion. Will they know which presenter launched BBC Radio 5Live, or the common name for the illness pertussis? What about the title of Gustave Flaubert's last novel, or the first Russian Tsar?

Appearing today are

Tracey Lambert from Downpatrick

Brian Leddy from Glasgow

Julia Mayer from Liverpool

Gareth Williams from Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire.

There'll also be a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the contenders with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies.

The general knowledge quiz comes from Salford this week with four more contenders starting their bid to become the 70th BBC Brain of Britain. Russell Davies's questions range from Tudor history to hi-hip and from football to philosophy - with a guaranteed place in the semi-finals awaiting today's winner.

Appearing in today's heat are

Julie Byres from Aberdeen

Jude Cole from Sheffield

John Robinson from Birmingham

Haydn Thompson from the Peak District.

There'll also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by stumping the contenders with questions he or she has devised, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies welcomes four keen quiz competitors from northern England and the Midlands to another heat of the 2023 tournament, from MediaCityUK in Salford. They may know plenty about sport and TV drama but how confident are they on chemistry, classical music or the Bible? Russell's questions come from every field of knowledge and are sure to test them.

Appearing today are:

Jim Cook from Stourport on Severn

Ian Fennell from Kidderminster

Ian Mostyn from Ramsbottom in Lancashire

Joanna Munro from Liverpool.

A Brain of Britain listener also stands to win a prize if the Brains can't successfully answer questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

In which city did this year's Tour de France begin? What's the title of the poem by Philip Larkin that ends with the line 'Never such innocence again'? And what's a 'Chicken of the Woods'? The answers to all of these questions can be found in today's heat of Brain of Britain - but will the competitors know them? Russell Davies is in the chair, with a lively audience cheering on the contestants at the Radio Theatre in London.

Taking part today are

Ray Eaton from London

Michael Frankl from Windsor

Carolyn Schofield from King's Lynn

Mickie Wynne-Davies from Oxted in Surrey.

There'll also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize by Beating the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies chairs the ninth heat in the current series of the prestigious general knowledge quiz, to discover who will be named Brain of Britain 2023

Four contenders join Russell Davies for another heat of the general knowledge contest from London's Radio Theatre, as the competition for semi-final places hots up. Today's winner will go through, but will any of the others score well enough to win a place as a high-scoring runner-up?

Appearing today are

Karen Barnes from Woking

Andrew Craig from Pewsey in Wiltshire

Colin Kidd from Bushey in Hertfordshire

Carol Norton from Romsey in Hampshire

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the competitors with his or her own devious questions.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies asks the questions in the prestigious general knowledge quiz, with competitors from around the UK bidding to become Brain of Britain 2023

The penultimate heat of this year's Brain of Britain tournament comes from London's Radio Theatre, with Russell Davies asking the questions. Which Chancellor of the Exchequer is remembered for the phrase 'Je ne regrette rien'? Who painted the canvas known as 'The Night Watch'? And of which reality TV show was Craig Phillips the first ever winner?

There's a place in the semi-finals on offer to the person who notches up the most points today. A listener also stands to win a prize if the questions he or she has devised succeed in Beating the Brains.

Appearing in today's quiz are:

Dan Adler from Surrey

Hazel Humphreys from Essex

Anne McElhinney from South Wales

Richard Pyne from Richmond on Thames.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies asks the questions in the latest heat of the general knowledge quiz with competitors from around the UK

Russell Davies chairs the twelfth and last of the 2023 heats, with four quizzers from around the UK vying for the one remaining place in the semi-finals. Will they know who led the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, which country Dame Sandra Mason is President of, and what the title of the first ever episode of Dr Who was?

The contest comes from the Radio Theatre in central London and the contenders are:

Sue Brooks from Broadstairs

David Hopkins from mid-Suffolk

Graham McNeilly from Tunbridge Wells

Elizabeth Mowbray from East London.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies is in the chair for the last of this year's heats in the nationwide general knowledge tournament.

Three of the heat winners from the past few months, alongside one of the highest-scoring runners-up, compete in the first semi-final of the general knowledge contest. Questionmaster Russell Davies puts them through their paces as they vie for a place in the 2023 Final and a real chance of being named Brain of Britain.

Will they know what the word 'Chipping' means in English town names, or in which sport Nelly Korda has won Olympic gold? Or which musician appeared at an awards ceremony with the word 'Slave' written across his face?

As always there'll also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to win a prize with questions he or she hopes will defeat the panel.

Appearing today are:

Ian Fennell from Kidderminster

Gill Hollis from Lichfield

Colin Kidd from Bushey in Hertfordshire

John Robinson from Birmingham.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies is in the chair as the first set of semi-finalists for 2023 take a step closer to the prestigious title Brain of Britain

Russell Davies welcomes another four semi-finalists to the Radio Theatre in London where one of them will take a step closer to being named Brain of Britain 2023.

Appearing in today's contest are

Dan Adler from Farnham in Surrey

Jude Cole from Sheffield

David Cowan from Swansea

Mickie Wynne-Davies from Oxted in Surrey.

The competition for the buzzer is bound to be fierce and the contenders may find it tougher to pull away from the pack as they did in their respective heats. They'll also face a challenge from a listener hoping to Beat the Brains with fiendish questions they have devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies is in the chair for the second of the semi-finals in the prestigious general knowledge tournament

Another four contenders take a step closer to being named the 70th BBC Brain of Britain, as Russell Davies chairs the third semi-final at the Radio Theatre in London. To win through to the Final they'll have to know about Broadway musicals and medieval poetry, British wildlife and professional darts, the structure of the brain and the history of radio comedy. Not much to get your head around...

Taking part are:

Eleanor Ayres from Cambridge

Sue Brearley from South London

Jason Butler from Sittingbourne in Kent

John Esling from Suffolk.

A listener also stands to win a prize by suggesting questions that might outwit the panel's collective brainpower, in 'Beat the Brains'.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

The nationwide general knowledge contest chaired by Russell Davies

Russell Davies chairs the third 2023 semi-final, with four of the top contenders in the heats competing for a place in the Final of the general knowledge tournament.

Would you know who's depicted on the twenty-pound banknote, what number corresponds to neutral on the pH scale, or who's been on the cover of the Radio Times more often than anyone else? The competitors in Brain of Britain will have to dredge these facts from the recesses of their minds if they're to progress to the Final, in today's contest between returning winners from the heats stage.

Today's semi-finalists are:

Matt Barr from Bolton

Sue Brooks from Kent

Brian Leddy from Glasgow

George Scratcherd from Essex

A listener also stands a chance of winning a prize, if questions they have devised succeed in defeating the combined brain-power of the contestants.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the prestigious nationwide general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies hosts the fourth semi-final in the 2023 general knowledge tournament, from the Radio Theatre in London.

After four months of heats and semi-finals, the cream of this year's quizzers join Russell Davies at the Radio Theatre in London for the 2023 Final. One of them will take away the silver trophy as the 70th official BBC Brain of Britain.

The Finalists are

Dan Adler from Surrey

Eleanor Ayres from Cambridge

Colin Kidd from Hertfordshire

George Scratcherd from Essex.

They have all proved impressive and consistent on their climb to the final rung and a tight contest is guaranteed. Might it even come down to a tiebreak, as two of this year's semi-finals did?

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies hosts the grand final of the nationwide general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies is in the chair for the 2023 final of the ultimate general knowledge quiz.

Luck as well as knowledge comes into play, as the moment the competitors get a question wrong they lose their turn and may have to watch others forging ahead until the next round. There is a safety net for runners-up going forward to the semi-finals, but their scores will need to be impressive...

Starting their bids for the title today are

Richard Aubrey from London

Brendan Curtis from Tunbridge Wells

Heather Smith from Chichester

Sophie Williamson from Norwich.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK to compete for the prestigious title Brain of Britain 2024.

(1/17)

Four contenders for the title Brain of Britain 2024 join Russell Davies at the Radio Theatre in London. At least one of them will win through to the semi-finals and take another step towards becoming the 71st name on the roll of champions. The questions cover all aspects of general knowledge, from literature, film and music to geography and the natural world.

Appearing in Heat Two are:

Andrew Fanko from Market Harborough in Leicestershire

Anthony Fish from Pontypool in South Wales

Caroline Latham from Romford in East London

Dr Sarah Merry from Banbury in Oxfordshire

The competitors will also face a pair of tricky questions supplied by a Brain of Britain listener aiming to Beat the Brains.

Assistant Producer Stephen Garner

Producer Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies hosts the classic general knowledge quiz.

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK to compete for the prestigious title Brain of Britain 2024.

Which is the only nation spread across all four hemispheres? Which fashion designer's signature is red-soled shoes? And which Chinese dynasty was founded by Kublai Khan?

Four contenders join Russell Davies for the latest heat in the 2024 quiz tournament, to face questions from all fields of general knowledge. A semi-final place awaits the winner, with a safety net for the top-runners up of the series too, if their scores are high enough.

Appearing today are

Dennis', from Whitstable in Kent

Helen Lippell from East London

Mark Robotham who lives near Banbury in Oxfordshire

Shanine Salmon from Croydon.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK to compete for the prestigious general knowledge title Brain of Britain 2024

What name is shared by both a wind-powered sculpture in the Pennines and an East German children's film of the 1960s? Which city in Southern Britain was Alfred the Great's capital? In classic DC Comics, which team originally included the Green Lantern, the Spectre and Doctor Fate?

These and many other general knowledge questions await the contenders in the latest heat, chaired by Russell Davies at London's Radio Theatre. Another of the semi-final places will be decided today.

The contenders are:

Paula Dempsey from south-east London

Annabel Lloyd from Wantage in Oxfordshire

Simon Mason from Hampshire

Jim Murdock from Bangor in County Down

There will also be the chance for a listener to win a prize by Beating the Brains with questions he or she has devised.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK to compete for the prestigious quiz title Brain of Britain 2024

Four more quizzers from around the UK join Russell Davies for the UK's longest-established general knowledge quiz. Today's winner will take another of the semi-final places and increase their chances of being named BBC Brain of Britain 2024.

The competitors today are

Andrew Bingham from Woolwich in London

Eithne Cullen from East London

Sean Lea from Lewisham in London

Hannah Reilly from Clarkston near Glasgow.

A Brain of Britain listener will also have a chance to win a prize if the competitors fail to answer questions he or she has submitted.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz.

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK to compete for the prestigious title Brain of Britain 2024.

What's the largest artery in the human body? What's the biggest-selling single in Britain never to have reached no.1? And when Shane Warne bowled the so-called 'Ball of the Century', who was on the receiving end? You can find the answers to these and many other questions - and discover whether the contestants know the answers - in the sixth heat of the 2024 Brain of Britain tournament.

There's a place in the semi-finals reserved for today's winner, but others could go through too if the contest is tight and their scores are high enough.

Taking part are:

Jo Cardwell from Lichfield

David Edwards from Denstone in Staffordshire

Brian Johnston from Sutton Coldfield

Janie Mitchell from Lydbury North in Shropshire.

Brain of Britain is a BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK to compete for the prestigious quiz title Brain of Britain 2024

Would you know the actual name of the castle in Bavaria that's sometimes known as the 'Disney castle'? Or the title of the famous novel that was originally published under the pen-name Victoria Lucas?

These are just two of the questions the competitors will face in today's heat of Brain of Britain. Russell Davies runs them through their paces at the Squire theatre in Nottingham, as they attempt to win a semi-final place later in the season.

Appearing today are

Colin Daffern from Salford

Andrew Fisher from Sheffield

Charlotte Jeffreys from Nottingham

Sarah Thornton from Holmfirth in West Yorkshire.

Brain of Britain is a BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner

Producer: Paul Bajoria

Russell Davies chairs the classic general knowledge quiz

Russell Davies welcomes competitors from around the UK in the latest heat of the general knowledge contest, for the prestigious title Brain of Britain 2024

Including Beat the Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Including Beat the Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Including Beat the Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

/ Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

Including Beat the Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

/ Robert Robinson chairs the fourth semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge contest, featuring the highest-scoring runners-up.

/ Robert Robinson chairs the final of the nationwide general knowledge contest.

First round - the north-west of ENGLAND.

First round - north of ENGLAND.

First round - north west of ENGLAND.

Round One: Scotland.

First round - north of ENGLAND.

First round - west of ENGLAND.

Round One: Wales.

First semi-final.

Round One: Scotland.

Second semi-final.

Round One: Wales.

Third semi-final.

First semi-final.

Fourth semi-final.

Second semi-final.

Third semi-final.

/ Robert Robinson chairs the final of the nationwide general knowledge contest, including `Beat the Brains', in which listeners put their own questions to contestants.

Fourth semi-final.

First round - the south of ENGLAND.

First round - the south of ENGLAND.

First round - Midlands and East Anglia.

First round - the south of ENGLAND.

First round - Midlands and East Anglia.

First round - the north-west of ENGLAND.

First round - Home Counties.

First round - LONDON and the South of ENGLAND.

First round - the North of ENGLAND.

Round 1: West of ENGLAND.

Round 1: Wales and Northern IRELAND.

Round 1: West of ENGLAND.

Round 1: Scotland.

The first semi-final.

First round - LONDON and the South of ENGLAND.

First round - Home Counties.

The first semi-final.

First round - the Midlands.

First round - LONDON and the South of ENGLAND.

First round - the Midlands.

First round - the North West.

The fourth semi-final.

First round - the West of ENGLAND.

First round - the North West.

This first round match is between contestants from LONDON and the Home Counties.

This first round match is between contestants from LONDON and the Home Counties.

This first round match is between contestants from the South of ENGLAND.

This first round match is between contestants from the South of ENGLAND.

This first round match is between contestants from the Midlands and East Anglia.

This first round match is between contestants from the Midlands and East Anglia.

This first-round match is between contestants from the West of ENGLAND / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first round match is between contestants from the Midlands and East Anglia.

This first-round match is between contestants from the North of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from North-West ENGLAND / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first-round match is between contestants from the West of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from Scotland / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first-round match is between contestants from the North of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from North-West ENGLAND / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first-round match is between contestants from Wales and Northern IRELAND.

This first semi-final is between contestants from LONDON, the Home Counties and the South of ENGLAND / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first-round match is between contestants from Scotland.

The second semi-final is between participants from the Midlands and the West of ENGLAND / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first-round match is between contestants from Wales and Northern IRELAND.

The third semi-final is between participants from the North and North-West of ENGLAND, Scotland, Wales and IRELAND / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

This first semi-final is between contestants from LONDON, the Home Counties and the South of ENGLAND.

The second semi-final is between participants from the Midlands and the West of ENGLAND.

The last semi-final is between the highest-scoring runners-up / Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest.

The third semi-final is between participants from the North and North-West of ENGLAND, Scotland, Wales and IRELAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from the South of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from the Midlands and East Anglia.

This first-round match is between contestants from the north west of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from the north west of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from the west of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from the west of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from the north of ENGLAND.

This first-round match is between contestants from Scotland and Wales.

The first semi-final is between contestants from LONDON, the South and the Home Counties.

The second semi-final is between contestants from the Midlands and north west of ENGLAND.

The third semi-final is between contestants from the west and the north of ENGLAND and Wales.

The fourth semi-final is between the highest-scoring runners-up.

Includes Beat The Brains where listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Includes Beat The Brains where listeners test the contestants.

Chairman: Robert Robinson First Round: The Home Counties Mrs Pauline Saringer (a Retired Teacher) David Stedman (a Publisher) Dr Robert Waller (a Teacher) Neil Crockford (a Freelance Translator) The programme includes 'Beat The Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Today's round comes from the North West of ENGLAND.

Today's contestants are Andrew Grealey, a Welfare Rights Officer, David Griffiths, a teacher, Patrick Gibson, a Software Designer, and Mike Kane, a Retired Chemist.

The programme includes 'Beat The Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

This week's contestants are Barry Simmons, an IT systems developer; David Fairburn, a lorry driver; Joe Shelley, a retired teacher; and Edward Pearce, a writer and journalist.

Today's first round features contestants from the West of ENGLAND: Anthony Hutchings - a Fish Wholesaler David Wilson - an Artist Ken Smith - an Office Cleaner.

Today's first round sees Scotland take on Northern IRELAND.

Contestants: Hamish Cameron - a Computer Manager Jane Ann Liston - a Local Councillor Dr.

Bill Harvey - a Civil Servant Elizabeth Stuart - A Charity Manager.

The cotestants are: Chris Perrin - a Civil Servant Fred Filby - a Retired Engineer David Good - a Software Developer David Stedman - a Publisher The programme includes Beat The Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

The cotestants are: Robert Ackerman - a Retired Academic Alan Heathcote - a Retired Accountant John Grantham - a Retired Teacher David Griffiths - a Teacher The programme includes Beat The Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Featuring the highest scoring runners up: Neil Crockford - a Freelance Translator Philip Duffy - a Civil Servant Barry Simmons - an IT Systems Developer Hamish Cameron - a Computer Manager Includes Beat The Brains, in which listeners put their questions to contestants.

Programme devised by John P.

Wynn.

Questions set by Kevin Ashman.

If you would like to be considered as a contestant for Brain Of Britain 2004, please write now requesting an audition to: Brain Of Britain, BBC, Broadcasting House, LONDON W1A 1AA and you will be contacted in the New Year.

John Bates, an Editor

Dr Peter Hayward, a Clinical Psychologist

David Harper, a Data Processor

Ian Godfrey, a Blue Badge Tourist Guide

The programme includes Beat The Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

This first round comes from LONDON.

Philip Wardle - a Journalist

Azeez Feshitan - a Lecturer

Mrs.

Judith Baldwin- a Committee Secretary

Gavin Fuller - a Database Supervisor.

A nationwide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete to become this year's Brain of Britain. This first round comes from London.

Mrs. Judith Baldwin- a Committee Secretary

Today's contestants are:

Patrick Yarnold - a Retired Diplomat

Christopher Ratcliffe - a Tour Driver

Mrs.

Anne Miller- a Retired Librarian

Miss Dawn Townsend - a Housewife

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete to become this year's Brain of Britain. [Rpt of Mon 1.30pm]

Mrs. Anne Miller- a Retired Librarian

Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. This first round game features contestants from the Home Counties. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm]

Mrs Julie Aris, Audit Manager

Olav Bjortomt, Journalist

Mrs Pamela Buckingham, Retired Teacher

David Hodder, Retired Civil Servant.

A nationwide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete to become this year's Brain of Britain.

Chaired by Robert Robinson

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest for those who fancy themselves as 'Boffins of Blighty'. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm]

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest for those who fancy themselves as 'Boffins of Blighty'. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest for those who fancy themselves as 'Boffins of Blighty'. [Rpt of Mon 1.30pm]

First Round - North of ENGLAND

Featured contestants:

Christopher Gibson, Teacher

Ray Ward, Librarian

Mike Harris, Local Government Officer

Mark Kerr, Chartered Surveyor

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Then News.

Featured contestants:

Norman Clark, Retired Teacher

Nick Mills, Software Tester

Graham Sharp, Retired Insurance Executive

Ian Welham, Retired Teacher.

A nationwide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete to become this year's Brain of Britain, chaired by Russell Davies.

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants

First Round - West of ENGLAND and Wales

Featured contestants:

Miss Anne Roberts, Retired

Christopher Braunholtz, Retired Civil Servant

Geoffrey North, Computer Analyst

Gwyn Jones, a Retired Civil Servant.

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants

Then News.

Mrs Dilys Hartland, Teacher

David Wilson, Solicitor

Nicholas Price, University Teacher

John McDonnell, Postal Worker

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Russell Davies is chairman of a nationwide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete to become this year's Brain of Britain.

The programme includes 'Beat the Brains' in which listeners put their own questions to the contestants.

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rpt of Mon 1.30pm]

News follows.

Russell Davies chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm]

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. Then News.

Then News.

Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. The first round edition comes from London. [Rptd Sat 11.30pm] Then News

The first round edition comes from London.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. The first round edition comes from London. [Rptd Sat 11.30pm] Then News

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest in a first round Home Counties heat. [Rptd Sat 11.30pm] Then News

ROBERT ROBINSON chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest in a first round Home Counties heat. [Rptd Sat 11.30pm] Then News

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest in a first round South of England heat. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest in a first round South of England heat. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Then News

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Followed by News.

Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Followed by News.

Then News.

Robert Robinson chairs the first semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm]

Robert Robinson chairs the first semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm] Followed by News.

Robert Robinson chairs the second semi-final of the nationwide general knowledge contest. [Rptd Sat 11.00pm]

Followed by News.

Peter Snow chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Peter Snow chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Peter Snow chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Peter Snow chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Peter Snow chairs the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Peter Snow hosts the last of this year's heats in the nationwide general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Peter Snow hosts the first quarter-final in the national general knowledge quiz.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

Followed by News.

The first heat features contestants from Scotland and the North of England.

Robert Robinson introduces the new series of the perennial general knowledge quiz. The first heat features contestants from Scotland and the North of England.

The second heat features four contestants from the London area.

Robert Robinson introduces the perennial general knowledge quiz. The second heat features four contestants from the London area.

Robert Robinson introduces the general knowledge quiz from the BBC Radio Theatre in London

Robert Robinson introduces the fourth heat of the general knowledge quiz.

This eighth heat features contestants from the south east of England.

Robert Robinson introduces the perennial general knowledge quiz. This eighth heat features contestants from the south east of England.

Robert Robinson introduces the eighth heat of the perennial general knowledge quiz.

The penultimate heat of the perennial general knowledge contest, chaired by Robert Robinson at the BBC's Maida Vale studio.

Robert Robinson chairs the final heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies welcomes four more guests to take part in the general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the sixth heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the eighth heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the ninth heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the tenth, heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the eleventh heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the twelfth heat of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the first semi-final of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the second semi-final of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs another semi-final of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Russell Davies chairs the last semi-final of the perennial general knowledge contest.

Contestants Ian Bayley from Oxford, David Clark from Port Talbot, Anne Hegerty from Manchester and Rob Hannah from Torquay compete to be this year's winner.

Russell Davies chairs the 2010 final of the perennial general knowledge contest. Contestants Ian Bayley from Oxford, David Clark from Port Talbot, Anne Hegerty from Manchester and Rob Hannah from Torquay compete to be this year's winner.