Why is Mastermind making a comeback

A. The revival of Mastermind is seen as further evidence of the primacy of the quiz show, although it is a long way from the quick-fire style of Anne Robinson's The Weakest Link and Who Wants to be a Millionaire shows, that have captured huge ratings in this country and abroad.

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Q.� Will the show be the same without Magnus Magnusson

A.� Clive Anderson is to take over the inquisitor's chair from the Icelandic Magnusson, who fronted the show during its 25-year run on the BBC, which came to an end in 1995. The BBC will make the show but it will be screened on the Discovery Channel, traditionally the home of documentaries about wildlie and war.

The show will retain its original format, in which four contestants each take their turn in the chair to answer a round of questions, on subjects as diverse as the history of the Ottoman Empire, and English chamber music, 1750-1900, followed by a round of traditonally very difficult general knowledge questions.

The show will also have an interactive element for viewers who watch through Sky DigitaL They can answer each general knowledge question and will be given a final score at the end of the rounds. Viewers with high scores will be invited to submit them to the station and compete in a viewers' final.

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Q.� When will the show go out

A.� Discovery Network Europe plan to air the show three times a day with an omnibus edition at the weekends. They hope to reach aggregated audience figures of 1 million.

Clive Anderson, the former barrister-turned-television comedian, is expected to revive the legendary catchphrase, "I've started, so I'll finish".

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By Katharine MacColl