Hit quiz show set for celebrity version – a year after it was saved from the axe by TV bosses
A HIT quiz show is set for celebrity version – a year after it was saved from the axe by TV bosses.
The game show required contestants to use their language skills, lateral thinking, visual intelligence and memory to solve various mind boggling puzzles.
The primetime quiz Puzzling is set to return to 5 for a second series, nearly two years after its first outing.
The problem-saving gameshow, hosted by Lucy Worsley, was shelved for 2024 before being revived by 5 for a second run this year.
Production listings suggest the new run of episodes – yet to be announced by 5 – will include at least one celebrity special reports TV Zone.
At the time some fans were sad to hear the show had been axed, with one person saying: “Noo we liked watching this!”
However, the game show did receive a lot of complaints for having Lucy at the helm, as several viewers complained she didn’t have the charisma for the role.
One critic said: “I adore Lucy Worsley when she’s allowed to be Lucy Worsley. But this quiz thing is painful.”
Another added: “Lucy Worsley is an interesting enough history presenter but utterly lacking charisma as a quiz host.
“C5‘s Puzzling is a bad HoG/OC rip-off with a migraine-inducing set design. Anaemic and unengaging.”
Lucy had previously revealed she was under “huge pressure”.
She told the Sun TV mag: “I’m a wreck, an utter heap of nerves. This is all new to me, and the pressure of it is extraordinary.
“There are so many things that could go wrong, for the contestants but also for me.
“I’m under huge pressure to get the question out quickly but correctly. It’s been a real joy, but also terrifying.
“Normally I’m out with a very small crew stuck on a rainy street corner in Edinburgh. I’m not used to working with such a large, complex team in such a big TV studio.”
Before taking on the new role as game show host, Lucy was known for presenting historical documentaries on the BBC.
Puzzling seeks to challenge Britain’s brightest minds as they do battle to be hailed Britain’s ultimate puzzler.
At the start of each episode, six super smart strangers are split into two teams of three.
The two teams try to accrue the most points through their powers of puzzling deduction.
Every area of our player’s mind will be tested across five puzzling rounds – In Other Words (language), Pressure Points (calculation), Rule Breakers (lateral thinking), Picture This (visual intelligence) and Memory Bank (memory).
Then, in a dramatic plot twist, the winning team turn on each other to be named the ‘Best of the Best’ and earn a place in the series Grand Final where the ultimate puzzler will be crowned.
The last series of Puzzling is available now on 5.