About this season
Mastermind is a British quiz show, well known for its challenging questions, intimidating setting and air of seriousness. Devised by Bill Wright, the basic format of Mastermind has never changed — four and in later contests five contestants face two rounds, one on a specialised subject of the contestant's choice, the other a general knowledge round. Wright drew inspiration from his experiences of being interrogated by the Gestapo during World War II. The atmosphere is helped by Mastermind's famously ominous theme music, "Approaching Menace" by the British composer Neil Richardson. The quiz programme originated and was recorded in Manchester at studios such as New Broadcasting House and Granada Studios, before permanently moving to MediaCityUK in 2011.
Episodes (31)
1. Episode 1
Aired 5 October 2018 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents the first heat of the series as the hunt for the nation's Mastermind gets back underway. This episode's specialist subjects are The West Wing, Bob Marley, Neil Gaiman's Sandman series and John Hawkwood.
2. Episode 2
Aired 12 October 2018 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on Alan Turing, the Golden Gate Bridge, the films of Frank Capra and Emperor Vespasian.
3. Episode 3
Aired 19 October 2018 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on the Alien films, Peter Gabriel, the history of Prague and King Henry VII.
4. Episode 4
Aired 26 October 2018 • 28 min
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys grills four more contenders on their specialist subjects and general knowledge. The chosen subjects in this episode are the history of Zimbabwe, Prince Henry the Navigator, Sunderland AFC and the novelist Elizabeth Taylor.
5. Episode 5
Aired 2 November 2018 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on the films of John Hughes, Billie Holiday, the poet Keith Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.
6. Episode 6
Aired 9 November 2018 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on Mark E Smith and The Fall, letters of the New Testament, the history of the Wrens and Sir Isaac Newton.
7. Episode 7
Aired 16 November 2018 • 28 min
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subject and general knowledge. The subjects are Rudyard Kipling, Clement Attlee, Glamorgan CCC and Florence Nightingale.
8. Episode 8
Aired 23 November 2018 • 28 min
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subject and general knowledge. The subjects are Cher, the Cambridge Spy Ring, Tove Jansson and the Derby.
9. Episode 9
Aired 14 December 2018 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on Sir Bobby Robson, James Kier Hardie, links golf courses and British submarines.
10. Episode 10
Aired 21 December 2018 • 28 min
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subject and general knowledge. The subjects are Gerhard Richter, the 44 Scotland Street novels, Alexander Hamilton and Emma, Lady Hamilton.
11. Episode 11
Aired 28 December 2018 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on REM, Edward Lear, Gustav Klimt and the FA Cup.
12. Episode 12
Aired 11 January 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on the Wright Brothers, Jeeves and Wooster, the Rumpole stories and Olympic track and field.
13. Episode 13
Aired 18 January 2019 • 28 min
The hunt for the nation's Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subject and general knowledge. Tonight's subjects are Albert Einstein, MC Beaton's Hamish Macbeth novels, Sir Joseph Paxton and the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten.
14. Episode 14
Aired 25 January 2019 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on the World Cup, the Battle of Stalingrad, the novels of Sarah Waters and John Knox.
15. Episode 15
Aired 1 February 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Hockney, Tony Benn and John Buchan.
16. Episode 16
Aired 8 February 2019 • 29 min
The hunt for the nation’s Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their Specialist Subject and General Knowledge. Tonight’s subjects are the films of Wes Anderson, Richard III, the England rugby team and the novels of Nancy Mitford.
17. Episode 17
Aired 15 February 2019 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on the Best Picture Oscar, Greek mythology, Joseph Bazalgette and the history of Manchester and Salford.
18. Episode 18
Aired 22 February 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on the children of Queen Victoria, the novels of Penelope Fitzgerald, the Doors and Carl Gustaf Mannerheim.
19. Episode 19
Aired 8 March 2019 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on Vivien Leigh, The Cazalet Chronicles, 1990s hip-hop and the Flight of the Earls.
20. Episode 20
Aired 15 March 2019 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on Prince, Thomas Telford, the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the novels of Charles Dickens.
21. Episode 21
Aired 22 March 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on the Goons, the Trojan War, Egon Schiele and the novels of Mary Wesley.
22. Episode 22
Aired 29 March 2019 • 28 min
The hunt for the nation’s Mastermind continues as John Humphrys tests four more contenders on their specialist subject and general knowledge. Tonight’s subjects are 1970s pop, Neville Chamberlain, Sparta and CS Lewis.
23. Episode 23
Aired 5 April 2019 • 28 min
Four more contenders brave the black chair in another heat of the classic quiz and answer questions on the films of Heath Ledger, Tycho Brahe, Sarah Kane and Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury.
24. Episode 24
Aired 19 April 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys presents another heat of the classic quiz with four contenders answering questions on Henry VIII, Britpop, Christopher Isherwood and the Royal Navy in the First World War.
25. Episode 25
Aired 26 April 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys asks the questions as the classic quiz reaches the semi-final stage. Tonight’s subjects include the Festival of Britain, 2 Tone Records and the life and times of Samuel Johnson.
26. Episode 26
Aired 10 May 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys asks the questions in a semi-final of the classic quiz. Tonight’s subjects include the life of Aneurin Bevan, Top 40 pop music of the 1960s and the fiction of John Steinbeck.
27. Episode 27
Aired 17 May 2019 • 29 min
John Humphrys asks the questions in a semi-final of the classic quiz. Tonight’s subjects include the Ottoman Empire, the Peter Wimsey novels of Dorothy L Sayers and the Grand National.
28. Episode 28
Aired 24 May 2019 • 29 min
John Humphrys asks the questions in a semi-final of the classic quiz. Subjects include Queen Victoria, the plays of Ibsen and test cricket between England and India.
29. Episode 29
Aired 31 May 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys asks the questions in a semi-final of the classic quiz. Tonight’s subjects include the human body, Leicester City Football Club and the life and works of Frida Kahlo.
30. Episode 30
Aired 7 June 2019 • 28 min
John Humphrys asks the questions in a semi-final of the classic quiz. Tonight’s subjects include the life of Charles II, the Plant Hunters and Delta blues music.
31. The Final
Aired 14 June 2019 • 59 min
John Humphrys asks the questions in the grand final of the classic quiz to decide who will be crowned as the nation’s Mastermind.tThe specialist subjects of the finalists are the films of The Marx Brothers, the national parks of the USA, Owain Glyndwr and his revolt, The Fortunes of War series by Olivia Manning, Frank Matcham’s theatres and the life and times of Mary Cassatt.