Clare Balding leads a fresh wave of BBC Radio 4 pilots this summer with Bookmarks, a literary quiz from the QI team. The Sunday line-up also features new shows from Max Fosh and Simon Reeve.
Broadcaster and author Clare Balding is preparing to present a fresh BBC Radio 4 books quiz programme.
The show, called Bookmarks, will feature two teams competing against each other in a challenge testing their general knowledge of both fiction and non-fiction works.
Balding, 55, said: “I’m thrilled to be hosting Bookmarks on Radio 4 – reading is one of life’s great pleasures and I can’t wait to play along and celebrate the joy of books with listeners all across the country.”
Produced by the team responsible for the game show QI, Bookmarks will broadcast on May 31 and June 7 at 4.30pm.
The programme forms part of a collection of quiz pilots scheduled to broadcast on Sunday afternoons on BBC Radio 4 throughout the summer.
Historical quiz Deja News, presented by actress and comedian Lucy Porter, will feature two teams tackling questions sourced from a century’s worth of BBC archive news material.
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Porter said the show, broadcasting on June 14 and June 21, brings together two of her passions – “quizzing and treasures of the BBC archive”.
“I’m really excited to meet the brilliant contestants, who are going to answer questions about the history of the last 100 years,” she said.
“I’ve lived through over half of those years, so I should be able to give them some hints.”
Your Number’s Up, which comedian Max Fosh is set to present and will broadcast on June 28 and July 5, will see participants tackle a range of general knowledge questions, brain-teasers and calculation conundrums. Fosh said: “I have no maths skills whatsoever and I suspect that I’ve only been asked to host Your Number’s Up because I wear glasses and people think I’m much smarter than I am.
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“Regardless, I am delighted to take part and give listeners a brilliant half-hour of quizzing.”
Broadcasting on July 12 and July 19, Around The World In 80 Ways is a globe-trotting quiz that will see two competing teams face off in a virtual race around the planet.
Participants on the programme, presented by Simon Reeve, must progress from one nation to another by correctly answering questions covering topics ranging from national anthems and local cakes to nature and global sport and politics.
Julia McKenzie, commissioner for comedy and entertainment at BBC Radio 4, said: “Quizzes are one of the things Radio 4 does best and I know how much our listeners value them.
“I hope this new season of pilots will bring listeners even more of what they love by bringing fresh ideas, distinctive new formats and a brilliant line-up of presenters.
“By piloting a range of formats, we’ll be adding to Radio 4’s stellar slate of quizzes and seeing where this much-loved genre could go next.”
Balding has penned the award-winning memoir My Animals And Other Family alongside a popular collection of children’s books.
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