2008/09

01 Episode 1 Episode 15th September 2008 New series John Humphrys quizzes on Simon Raven, Newcastle United, Edward IV and Laurence Olivier. 02 Episode 2 Episode 212th September 2008 Specialisms tonight are Billy the Kid, the Short Stories of Saki, the Great Western Railway and the films of John Carpenter. With John Humphrys. 03 Episode 3 Episode 319th September 2008 John Humphrys asks about Noor Inayat-Khan, Ferdinand Magellan, Edith Wharton and Mods 04 Episode 4 Episode 426th September 2008 Questions on the late Stuart age, Steely Dan, boxer Joe Frazier and Robert Parker's Spenser novels. 05 Episode 5 Episode 53rd October 2008 John Humphrys asks questions on subjects including Arthur Conan Doyle's Challenger novels. 06 Episode 6 Episode 610th October 2008 Specialist subjects this week include Rasputin, the Gospels of the New Testament, and West Indies Test cricket. John Humphrys asks the questions. 07 Episode 7 Episode 717th October 2008 John Humphrys poses the questions as four contestants test their specialist knowledge of Stax Records, the Romney Marsh novels of Monica Edwards, German battleship the Bismarck and the Welsh castles of Edward I. 08 Episode 8 Episode 824th October 2008 Specialist subjects include Scottish mathematician James Clerk Maxwell and the Mitford sisters. 09 Episode 9 Episode 931st October 2008 Tonight's specialist topics include the Harry Palmer novels and folk singer Tom Paxton. 10 Episode 10 Episode 107th November 2008 Tonight's specialist topics comprise the Victoria Cross, chess player Bobby Fischer, the Le Mans 24-hour race, and the life of Thomas Cochrane. 11 Episode 11 Episode 1114th November 2008 Tonight's specialist subjects include the Coventry blitz and the Merthyr Rising of 1831. 12 Episode 12 Episode 1221st November 2008 Specialist topics comprise the cricketer Ian Botham, the Munros of Scotland, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming. 13 Episode 13 Episode 1328th November 2008 Topics tonight include rare breeds of British farm animals, Ghenghis Khan and Gothic architecture. 14 Episode 14 Episode 145th December 2008 Topics comprise WC Fields, Jonathan Creek, Tacitus and the life and career of Keith Moon. 15 Episode 15 Episode 1530th January 2009 Tonight's four specialist subjects are the Ashes series of 1902, AE Housman, British punk rock and the Trans-Siberian Railway. With John Humphrys. 16 Episode 16 Episode 166th February 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects are the Peninsular War, pop singer Morrissey, the history of Chichester Cathedral in West Sussex, and the Great Fire of London. John Humphrys asks the questions. 17 Episode 17 Episode 1713th February 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects are actor Sidney Poitier, British Trotskyism, number one hit singles, and the life and career of model and actress Edie Sedgwick. John Humphrys asks the questions. 18 Episode 18 Episode 1820th February 2009 John Humphrys presents the general knowledge quiz, in which the specialist subjects tonight are the history of Chester Zoo, the Father Brown stories, Edward Carson and Tony Hancock. 19 Episode 19 Episode 1927th February 2009 Tonight's four specialist subjects are John Wesley, Seinfeld, Kazimir Malevich and the Wars of the Roses. John Humphrys poses the questions. 20 Episode 20 Episode 206th March 2009 Specialist subjects are the Battle of Coronel and the Falklands War, British birds, sculptor Barbara Hepworth, and Anglo-Saxon kings 871-1016. 21 Episode 21 Episode 2113th March 2009 In the first semi-final John Humphrys asks questions on Scott's last expedition, Blake's 7, the School stories of PG Wodehouse and the Popish Plot. 22 Episode 22 Episode 2220th March 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects are Jackie Stewart, the novels of Wendy Holden, Honore de Balzac and Kraftwerk. John Humphrys poses the questions. 23 Episode 23 Episode 233rd April 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects are the novels of George Orwell, musician Gram Parsons, Italian politics and composer Dmitri Shostakovich. 24 Episode 24 Episode 2410th April 2009 Tonight's subjects are the Battle of Coronel and the Falklands War, British birds, sculptor Barbara Hepworth , and Anglo-Saxon kings from 871 to 1016. 25 Episode 25 Episode 2517th April 2009 In tonight's semi-final the specialised subjects are Scott's last expedition, cult TV series Blake's 7, the School stories of PG Wodehouse and the Popish Plot 26 Episode 26 Episode 268th May 2009 Four contenders compete for a place in the final. Tonight's specialist subjects comprise film director Fritz Lang, tennis legend Billie Jean King, Private Eye magazine and the life and work of Robert Maxwell. 27 Episode 27 Episode 2722nd May 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects for the four semi-finalists comprise the Bonaparte dynasty, former prime minister Herbert Asquith, glam rock band Slade and the life and writings of Gilbert White. With John Humphrys 28 Episode 28 Episode 2829th May 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects for the four semi-finalists comprise the life and works of Mozart, the ghost stories of MR James, planets of the solar system and Norwich City FC. Presented by John Humphrys. 29 Episode 29 Episode 295th June 2009 Specialist subjects in the fifth semi-final are Doctor Who in the 1970s, former US president John F Kennedy, singer/songwriter Billy Bragg and the Montalbano novels of Andrea Camilleri. John Humphrys hosts. 30 Episode 30 Episode 3012th June 2009 Tonight's specialist subjects are poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, the life of Paddy Mayne, Northampton Town FC and the life and work of Alfred Russel Wallace. 31 Grand Final Episode 3119th June 2009 Six contenders battle it out to be crowned champion. Their specialist subjects comprise the Lewis and Clark expedition across America, Britain between the wars, Russian novels from 1831 to 1894, songwriting partnership Rodgers and Hart, the Ryder Cup and American presidents of the 19th century. Presented by John Humphrys.