UK Edition
Channel 5 poaches Eggheads quiz show from the BBC
The show had disappeared from the BBC schedules as bosses did not believe it appealed to a younger audience
Eggheads is moving to Channel 5 after the BBC decided it no longer wanted a quiz show that attracts an older audience.
Jeremy Vine, the show’s presenter, announced the news this morning.
As host of a daily magazine show on Channel 5, Vine was instrumental in arranging the move.
"The programme which I presented for more than 10 years, Eggheads, one of the greatest quizzes in the history of British TV, is moving to Channel 5 later this year," he said.
“I’m sure fans of Eggheads will share in my delight that it has found a new home."
Judith Keppel, one of the Eggheads, said: "I'm thrilled to bits, I can't tell you how lovely it will be to have something to do at last!"
The show has been part of the BBC’s roster for 18 years, initially hosted by Dermot Murnaghan before Vine took over in 2008.
However, last year the corporation said it was “resting” Eggheads. And in an interview last summer, Vine said the age of the audience was the deciding factor.
“I did more than 1,000 episodes and it’s one of the most successful TV shows in the history of British television, but I think what’s happened is it’s fallen victim to the BBC’s understandable desire to pull in 16-24-year-olds,” he said.
Channel 5 has ordered 40 episodes and is understood to be retaining the current team of Eggheads quizzers.
The broadcaster has been encroaching on BBC territory for some time with shows that appeal to older viewers.
It emerged last year that the BBC had turned down the remake of All Creatures Great and Small because they did not believe it would attract a sufficiently young audience. The show went on to become one of Channel 5’s biggest hits.
A BBC spokesperson says: “We sometimes have to make difficult decisions in order to grow new shows and we would like to thank the Eggheads and host Jeremy Vine for their time on the BBC and wish them well with their next chapter.”