ITV plans football quiz show with Tim Vine
- ITV is developing a new football-themed comedy quiz
- Tim Vine will host a pilot episode for the new show, Football Genius
- The makers of Have I Got News For You are producing the show
Tim Vine has been signed up to host a new football-themed comedy.
The gagsmith comic will present Football Genius for ITV when a pilot episode is filmed in June.
Produced by Hat Trick, makers of established quizzes including Have I Got News For You, the pilot comes as the broadcaster looks again to find a sports-based comedy format, following the early retirement of panel show Play To The Whistle last year after just three series.
Football Genius promises: "Two teams of football loving fans compete against each other across a virtual pitch, proving what they do and do not know about the beautiful game in the hope of taking home the 'Football Genius' trophy."
The programme will be recorded in front of a live audience in mid-June at Sky Studios in west London. Tickets are now available.
Vine is a known football fan and dedicated supporter of Sutton United, and was last seen on ITV as a regular panellist on Celebrity Squares. He appears on sports networks from time to time talking about football, including on BT Sports comedy series The Football's On.
It is not yet clear whether the new pilot programme is intended for broadcast, but ITV is not known for showing its comedy pilots.
Tim Vine is currently touring his live show Sunset Milk Idiot, until early June (Tickets) and will be in the next series of Taskmaster.