Mastermind (Australian game show)

Mastermind is an Australian television quiz show aired on the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). Produced by BBC Studios, the series is based on the original British game show of the same name created by Bill Wright. The show features an intimidating setting with challenging questions on specialised subjects of the contestant's choice, followed by a general knowledge round.

Mastermind
GenreGame show
Created byBill Wright
Presented byJennifer Byrne
Marc Fennell
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes425
Production
Running time30 minutes (Regular episodes)
60 minutes (Series finals)
Release
Original networkSBS
Original release15 April 2019 (2019-04-15) –
present

History

The program was first announced in March 2019, with Jennifer Byrne hosting the first two seasons of the show.[1][2] The show was temporarily hosted by Marc Fennell for a period of about two weeks after Byrne had a fall that left her with injuries to her wrist and face.[3]

The finals of the second season were delayed by nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returning in February 2021.[4][5]

Fennell took over as host of the show from the third season, which began that same month.[6][7]

Two seasons of Celebrity Mastermind have also been produced.[8][9][10]

Format

Standard episodes consist of two rounds. In the first round, each contender will have two minutes to answer as many questions as possible about their chosen specialist subject. In the second round, contestants face 90 seconds of general knowledge questions.[11] There are four contestants in each episode from Monday to Thursday, and the winner of each episode competes in the weekly final on Friday, in order to advance to the semi-final.[11]

Weekly finals episodes place the general knowledge round first, followed by a Slow Burn round (from Season 2 onwards), unique to the Australian version. In Slow Burn, each contestant must pick a category from the four available. They are then presented ten clues, one at a time. The contestant can only make one guess. The earlier they answer, the more points they earn; ten points if they answer after the first clue, minus one for each clue they hear afterwards before answering. Zero points are earned if the answer is wrong.[12]

The grand final episode of each season is 60 minutes long, instead of the usual 30 minutes, and consists of three rounds: A new specialist subject for each contestant, a Slow Burn round, and finally a general knowledge round. The winner of the grand final, and the season, is awarded a handcrafted, etched glass bowl, made by indigenous artist Dennis Golding.[13]

Episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
18515 April 2019[1]27 September 2019[12][lower-alpha 1]
28524 February 2020[15]19 February 2021[5][lower-alpha 2]
38522 February 2021[5]18 June 2021[16]
48521 February 2022[17]17 June 2022
58513 February 2023[18]9 June 2023
Mastermind champions since 2019
YearWinnerSpecialist subjects
HeatSemi-finalFinal
2019Troy EgglestonDon BradmanWorld Chess ChampionshipsMelbourne Cup winners
2020-21Jacqui MarkhamAustralia in the 2019 Netball World CupThe West Wing, seasons 1-3The Princess Bride
2021William LaingThe Flashman PapersThe novels of John WyndhamC.S. Lewis' The Space Trilogy
2022Stirling CoatesFor Your Eyes OnlyWhite LiesThe Incredibles and The Incredibles 2
2023Miles GlaspoleTears for FearsDarkAFL Grand Finals from 2000 to 2022

Footnotes
  1. Episodes were temporarily paused for most of June and July due to SBS airing the FIFA Women's World Cup and Tour de France.[14]
  2. The finals were delayed significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References
  1. Knox, David (20 March 2019). "Jennifer Byrne to host Mastermind". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. O'Brien, Kerrie (11 April 2019). "Self-confessed egghead Jennifer Byrne to host Australian Mastermind". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  3. Knox, David (30 May 2019). "Jennifer Byrne returning to Mastermind chair". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  4. "The wait is over! 'Mastermind' returns 15 February". SBS Guide. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  5. "Busy Marc Fennell finds time to join Mastermind as Season Three Quizmaster". Mediaweek. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  6. "New Mastermind season with Marc Fennell as quizmaster to premiere February 22". Mediaweek. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  7. Perry, Kevin (28 January 2021). "Marc Fennell to take on the hosting role when Mastermind Australia returns this February". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. Knox, David (3 August 2021). "Returning: Celebrity Mastermind". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  9. "SBS renews Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind for new seasons in 2021". TV Blackbox. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  10. McManus, Bridget (15 February 2020). "Mastermind is back, with added celebrities". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. Cubis, Shane (22 February 2021). "'Mastermind' for smarties". SBS Guide. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  12. Knox, David (20 September 2019). "Mastermind finals week". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  13. Knox, David (28 September 2019). "Troy Eggleston wins Mastermind Australia". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  14. Knox, David (19 June 2019). "Mastermind returning in July". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  15. Knox, David (18 February 2020). "Returning: Mastermind". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  16. Knox, David (18 June 2021). "Mastermind: grand final". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  17. Knox, David (9 February 2022). "Returning: Mastermind Australia". TV Tonight. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  18. "Are you listening this year?". TikTok. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
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