Tom Allen to host Quizness on Channel 4
- Tom Allen is to host Channel 4 game show Quizness
- The format is described as "funny, fast-paced and brilliantly play-alongable"
- He says: "I love a show that tests the players abilities and their ability to answer a complicated question"
Tom Allen is to host a new Channel 4 quiz show.
The comedian will front six hour-long episodes of Quizness.
The producers explain: "In Quizness, contestants' general knowledge is put to the test as they play for the chance to win £25,000. But the more answers our quizzers know, the dafter they must look to prove it.
"The show is an entertaining twist on TV quiz shows with rounds including 'Subbly Jubbly', in which contestants must substitute nonsense words into the correct answers. There's also a unique and surprisingly difficult quickfire round in which nearly every question has the same answer, and a multiple choice round which tests the quizzers' speed of thought when they must answer a different question to the one they've actually been asked - with unintentionally (for them) silly and cheeky consequences."
Tom Allen has a growing relationship with Channel 4. He has co-presented episodes of The Great British Bake Off, appeared in festive special One Night In... Hamleys, and piloted Tom Allen Goes To Town with the channel.
He says: "I'm so excited to be doing this quiz show. I grew up loving Larry Grayson and Bruce Forsyth and I love a show that tests the players abilities and their ability to answer a complicated question. I think audiences will love how this one challenges people's knowledge to be bright and then translate their answers in a bizarre way for the sake of the game. I mean it's hilarious and so much fun. The whole family will love it!"
The format was created by comedy writer Dan Maier, who has previously worked on shows such as Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule and Horrible Histories.
Phil Harris, who commissioned the show for Channel 4, comments: "Quizness really stood out when we were piloting ideas. It's such a strong new format that's funny, fast-paced and brilliantly play-alongable, I think families will have a lot of fun joining in and seeing who comes up with the silliest correct answers."
The show is being made by CPL Productions, the company behind Sky shows A League Of Their Own, Rob And Romesh Vs and There's Something About Movies, the latter of which Allen is a regular panellist on.
Executive producer Murray Boland says: "It is so hard to find a genuine quiz with real stakes and a proper cash prize that is also really funny. That is what we love about Quizness. We've never made a show quite like it and are really grateful to Phil and the team for backing it."
The show is expected to air on Friday nights from later in the year.