Quest moves into comedy by commissioning its first comedy entertainment programme, Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz (21×60). Produced by Avalon and hosted by the multi-award-winning comedian behind the Pub Landlord, Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz pits the UK’s most passionate pub quiz teams against each other.

In each episode, Al Murray is joined by two existing pub quiz teams, each joined by a special celebrity guest, to battle it out to win the “golden tankard” and a cash prize. The series will be filmed with a live audience in a studio designed with all the characteristics of a working pub, including a resident barman (and know-it-all) keeping score – actor Shaun Williamson (Celebrity Mastermind winner, three-time Celebrity Pointless winner, Celebrity Eggheads winner and The Chase winner) – not to mention a very lively pub pianist. The quiz includes classic pub quiz style questions on a range of topics, with picture rounds, mystery objects and brain teasers.

“Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz marks Quest’s first move into comedy entertainment formats as we seek to broaden the channel’s appeal. With Al’s legendary comedic talent, this is a fresh take on a game show that apes traditional pub quizzes and has great potential to excite Quest fans and engage new audiences,” said Simon Downing, SVP, Head of Quest and Eurosport UK. “It comes on the back of an exciting year for Quest where ratings have reached record highs and we’ve diversified our schedule with the EFL Highlights.”

Jamie Isaacs, Executive Producer for Avalon, said: “Quest is really hitting its stride. It’s great to be working with Al Murray and the team at Quest on this entertaining new show at such an exciting time in the channel’s evolution.”

Al Murray added: “It’s very exciting to be putting the Quest into Question with the Great British Pub Quiz. You’re going to see some of the finest quizzing minds in the country duking it out as well as the most knowledgeable barman on the planet, Shaun Williamson, do his quizzing thing.”

Simon Downing ordered the show and Victoria Noble is the Commissioning Editor. Jeremy Phillips is the Executive Producer for Discovery and Jamie Isaacs is Executive Producer for Avalon.

Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz joins other entertaining and informative programming for Quest in 2019, including the commission of new episodes of Salvage Hunters and its spin-off series’ Salvage Hunters: The Restorers and Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars, produced by Curve Media. Meanwhile new series ofScrap Kings, Outback Opal Hunters and Aussie Gold Hunters return to Quest in 2019, and the EFL Highlights continue.

Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz will launch on Quest in Q1 2019.

Quest is a free to air factual entertainment channel, part of the Discovery UK portfolio.

Categories: Press Releases