THE HISTORY OF THE IRISH TV QUIZ SHOW - PART THREE

What constitutes a quiz show? – Deal or No Deal is a game show as is The National Lottery Games like Winning Streak where luck plays a major role. Quiz shows are where questions and their answers whether general knowledge or specialized decides the winner.

In 2013 the British channels BBC, ITV and Channel 4 broadcast numerous quiz formats especially on their afternoon schedules. RTE do not broadcast any except for quizzes aimed at the youth audience. TV3 broadcast Junior Mastermind, while TG4 broadcasts Ceist GAA. None of these shows offer major cash prizes for successful contestants.

OFF THE BEAT

1980

Brendan Balfe

RTE

A music based quiz show with team captains Frank Hall and writer Hugh Leonard

TOP CLUB

1983

Barry Lang / Teresa Mannion

RTE

RTÉ Television young people's quiz show 'Top Club' was presented by Lang who was a also a DJ on RTÉ 2fm for eighteen years before leaving in 1998 to pursue a career as a professional pilot. 'Top Club' involved teams of young people from all thirty-two counties competing against one another.

MASTERMIND

1983

Magnus Magnusson

RTE

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See Also 17th June 2012 - Present Nora Owen TV3)

In 1983 RTE hosted a season of BBC’s Mastermind series with the UK host Magnus Magnusson with Irish timekeeping Mary Hogan. The aim was to find an Irish champion for the International Mastermind series.

In 2011 Mastermind was made by TV 3 and recorded at The Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. The series began with a Celebrity version followed by Junior Mastermind.

MURPHYS MICRO QUIZ-M

1983 - 1985

Mike Murphy

RTE

Murphy's Micro Quiz-M' featured three competing families and incorporated computers from the Lendac Computer Graphic Company into its format. Bil Keating was the producer. The show ran from 1983 to 1985.

JACKPOT

1986

Dermot Morgan

RTE

RAPID ROULETTE

30 September 1986 – 6 March 1990

Maurie Taylor (1986-1987)

Maxi (1987-1990)

RTE

Rapid Roulette based on the casino game ran for 104 episodes on RTE.

WHERE IN THE WORLD

1987 - 1996

Marty Whelan 1987 – 1989

Theresa Lowe 1989 - 1996

RTE

Four members from two families competed answering mostly geographical questions to win a family holiday. Lendac Computer Graphics Company provided the computer for the show.

KNOW YOUR SPORT

8 October 1987 - 1 April 1998

George Hamilton & Jimmy Magee

RTE

Know you Sport was a quiz programme that sought out the most knowledgeable person about sport. It was hosted by sports commentator George Hamilton and assisted by ‘Mr Memory Man’ fellow sports commentator and encyclopedic sports historian Jimmy Magee