Mastermind (Australian game show)
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Parent | Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) |
Mastermind is a quiz program broadcast in Australia on the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), produced by BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand. Adapted from the original British concept developed by Bill Wright, the show challenges participants with difficult questions on their chosen specialised topics, followed by a round of general knowledge queries.
History
The series was announced in March 2019, with Jennifer Byrne serving as the host for the initial two seasons.[1] Due to an injury, Byrne was briefly substituted by Marc Fennell for approximately two weeks.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The finals of the second season experienced an almost year-long postponement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, eventually resuming in February 2021.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name From that same month, Fennell assumed hosting duties starting with the third season.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In addition, two editions of Celebrity Mastermind have been produced, broadening the franchise's audience.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The sixth season debuted on 25 March 2024, featuring previous champions and other quiz victors vying for a trophy dedicated to the late Jacqui Markham, who won season 2.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name At the SBS Upfronts event in October 2024, a seventh season was announced, planned for broadcast in 2025.[2]
Format
Regular episodes consist of two segments: a specialist subject round lasting two minutes where contestants answer as many questions as they can, followed by a 90-second general knowledge segment. Four participants compete from Monday through Thursday, with each day's winner advancing to a weekly final on Friday and subsequently to the semi-finals.
Weekly finals commence with the general knowledge round and then proceed to the Slow Burn round—an Australian-exclusive feature introduced in Season 2. Contestants choose one of four categories and receive up to ten clues, responding once per category. Starting at ten points for an immediate correct response, points diminish by one for each additional clue revealed; no points are awarded for incorrect answers.
The grand final extends over a 60-minute duration and comprises three rounds: a fresh specialist subject segment, the Slow Burn round, and a general knowledge round. The champion receives a custom-etched glass bowl crafted by indigenous artist Dennis Golding.
Champions
| Year | Winner | Specialist subjects | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | Semi-final | Final | ||
| 2019 | Troy Eggleston | Don Bradman | World Chess Championships | Melbourne Cup winners |
| 2020–21 | Jacqui Markham | Australia in the 2019 Netball World Cup | The West Wing, seasons 1-3 | The Princess Bride |
| 2021 | William Laing | The Flashman Papers | The novels of John Wyndham | C.S. Lewis' The Space Trilogy |
| 2022 | Stirling Coates | For Your Eyes Only | White Lies | The Incredibles and Incredibles 2 |
| 2023 | Miles Glaspole | Tears for Fears | Dark | AFL Grand Finals from 2000 to 2022 |
| 2024 | Mickey Logue[3][4] | Canberra Raiders: 1989–1999 | Socceroos at the World Cup: 2006–2022 | Men Behaving Badly |
| Year | Finalists (winner in bold) | Specialist subject(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Troy Eggleston William Laing Stirling Coates Miles Glaspole |
NRL State of Origin 1985–2005 The life and career of Doc Evatt Johannes Vermeer Sparks |
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbyrne1 - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedupfronts2025 - ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Pages with reference errors
- Articles with short description
- Australian English-language TV programs
- 2019 Australian TV series premieres
- Television programs located in Sydney
- Special Broadcasting Service original content
- 2010s Australian quiz shows
- 2020s Australian quiz shows
- Special Broadcasting Service original programming
- Pages with script errors