Brits love a good quiz show, whether at the local pub or at home shouting answers at the television. From The Chase to University Challenge, these shows separate the real quizmasters from the amateurs. Britain has increasingly become a nation of compulsive 'quizaholics', with around 7 in 10 adults in the UK regularly tuning into their favourite shows. Popular primetime shows draw average audiences between 5 million and 6.3 million viewers per episode, the TV Licence reports.
Top primetime shows including The 1% Club and Michael McIntyre's The Wheel pull in average viewing figures of 5.1 million to 5.4 million. Revived classics and major entertainment game formats like Bullseye have attracted audiences averaging around 6.3 million. Millions more watch weekday daytime staples like The Chase, Tipping Point, and Pointless while playing along at home.
Express.co.uk counts down the best quiz shows on TV, ranked on IMDb, and an ITV favourite doesn't top the list.
7. Tipping Point
Hosted by This Morning presenter Ben Shepherd, Tipping Point has delighted viewers for the past 14 years, having made its ITV debut in 2012. Contestants aim to win up to £10,000 by inserting counters into an arcade machine after answering a series of multiple choice quiz questions.
One viewer described the show as facing 'stiff competition' from other quiz programmes, adding 'you can learn some trivia knowledge.' They added, 'However, the show compared to its competition is a little repetitive. Ben Shephard is fine as a host but does not have the same flare to him as Bradley Walsh on the Chase.'
Ranking: IMDb viewers rated the ITV show 5.6/10.
6. Mastermind
Clive Myrie hosts the classic quiz where contenders take the famous black chair under the glare of the spotlight, hoping to become the Mastermind champion. The BBC favourite first hit airwaves in 1972 and is known for its intimidating setting to put the contestants under pressure.
Ranking: Considered a British staple, the quiz show received 6.3/10 from IMDb reviewers.
5. University Challenge
Originally hosted by Bamber Gascoigne (1962-1987), then Jeremy Paxman (1994-2023), one of Britain's toughest quiz shows is now fronted by Amol Rajan, who asks the questions as students from across the UK's top universities have their knowledge put to the test. This quiz show is not for the faint-hearted and is notoriously difficult because the questions target high-level academic knowledge, obscure historical trivia and advanced specialist disciplines designed for Britain's sharpest.
Ranking: The long-standing quiz received a score of 6.7/10.
4. The Chase
The popular ITV quiz show is hosted by Bradley Walsh as four contestants go up against quizzers Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett, Darragh Ennis, Paul Sinha and Jenny Ryan. The team must answer questions against the clock to build up their prize pot, then compete against the Chasers — quiz champions from across the country, who get closer to them with every wrong answer, to keep the money they earned.
Ranking: The beloved show missed out on the top spot, having received a score of 7.1/10 on IMDb.
