Latest news with #VictoriaCorenMitchell
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Only Connect viewers fume 'standards are slipping!' as they call out question blunder just minutes into BBC quiz - but can YOU spot it?
Only Connect viewers fumed 'standards are slipping!' after calling out a question blunder just minutes into the BBC quiz. The game show, presented by Victoria Coren-Mitchell, 52, sees two teams of quizzing enthusiasts face off to answer tricksy brain teasers and logical puzzles. Asking contestants to find connections between seemingly obscurely related clues, the BBC Two programme has a particularly cerebral reputation. But even the cleverest of quiz shows does not always get things right - as fans saw when the first episode of the new series aired on Monday evening. Eagle-eyed viewers spotted the answer Victoria said was the correct response to one of the first questions of the episode actually appeared to be wrong. The host asked one of the teams: 'What is the connection between these apparently random picture clues?' The game show, presented by Victoria Coren-Mitchell (pictured), 52, sees two teams of quizzing enthusiasts face off to answer tricksy brain teasers and logical puzzles But even the cleverest of quiz shows does not always get things right - as fans saw when the first episode of the new series (pictured) aired on Monday evening A picture of British snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, also known as The Rocket, appeared on screen. This was swiftly followed by an image of Marvel comic book character Rocket Raccoon. The players were quick to spot the connection between the two was 'rocket', with Victoria soon confirming they were correct. She revealed the last two images they would have been shown to help them to get to the answer. These were a sketch of the early steam train Stephenson's Rocket, built nearly 200 years ago, and a photo of some rocket salad leaves. But viewers at home were adamant the sketch did not show Stephenson's Rocket - but rather another steam locomotive. One suggested it could be Puffing Billy - the oldest train of its kind, constructed by a colliery in 1814 near Newcastle-upon-Tyne for hauling coal. Meanwhile, another was determined it was Locomotion No 1, a different early steam train built by the same engineers as Stephenson's Rocket. While Robert Stephenson and Company - also Newcastle-based - built the Rocket in 1829, Locomotion No 1 was built four years prior, in 1825. One fan raged on X: 'First mistake on the new series of BBC Only Connect. 'This is Locomotion not Stephenson's Rocket.' Another replied to their comment on the social media platform, 'And on the very first question too!', while someone else weighed in: 'Standards are slipping.' One user was determined the correct image would have thrown them off had they been playing on the show themselves. 'Came here to the Only Connect trending comments to see this! I got the answer in two but if I'd needed a third, this would have thrown me.' Someone else said: 'Probably says more about me than anything else but the picture of Stephenson's Rocket in round one tonight wasn't Stephenson's Rocket. 'It was Puffing Billy. I shall now go back to looking for my life down the back of the sofa.' Meanwhile, another was determined it was Locomotion No 1, a different early steam train built by the same engineers as Stephenson's Rocket But fans were even disagreeing among themselves, in the comments section of this user's post. One corrected them saying, 'Locomotion No 1', while another threw their weight behind this too: 'It wasn't Puffing Billy either, it was Locomotion.' Only Connect, led by the dry, sarcastic Victoria, has become a firm fan favourite since it began airing in 2008. It is part of a mega brainy quiz schedule on BBC Two on Monday evenings, sandwiched between Mastermind and University Challenge. But Only Connect seems to be a cut above the rest as it is consistently BBC Two's most watched title of the week. Elsewhere on the channel's Monday night schedule, during Mastermind, viewers were also left shocked by a sense of deja vu around one of the contestants. The latest episode of the programme saw presenter Clive Myrie, 60, return to our screens to grill four new players. One contestant, Dennis Wang, took to the famous hot seat to answer his specialist subject questions about the Men's Euros between 2000 to 2004. One contestant, Dennis Wang (pictured), took to the famous hot seat to answer his specialist subject questions about the Men's Euros between 2000 to 2004 He managed to bag himself an impressive 12 correct questions. But his Mastermind debut did not mark the first time he has appeared on our screens. Dennis took part in Jeopardy UK! last year and managed to win his episode. He was also once the team captain for the so-called Crunchers team on Only Connect. Not only that, he was part of the University of Oxford's Worcester College team while appearing on University Challenge in 2016. Many recognised the player and flocked to X to share their frustrations. 'Don't think it's fair to have the same guy just competing on all the big quiz shows really? Seems a bit unfair #Mastermind.'; 'Mr Wang from #OnlyConnect ? #quizzymonday #Mastermind.'; 'Do they have a pool of people who are on every quiz show? You get the same people on this, Only Connect, University Challenge etc. #Mastermind.'
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC Only Connect fans moan 'standards are slipping' as they spot error minutes into show
Only Connect has returned to BBC Two with a new series, but viewers were left puzzled just moments into the first episode The beloved BBC quiz show Only Connect, hosted by the sharp-witted Victoria Coren Mitchell, has made its triumphant return to our screens with a brand-new series. The quiz programme challenges teams to unravel the connections between seemingly unrelated clues in a battle of wits and knowledge. In the latest series premiere, which graces our screens on Monday nights on BBC Two, eagle-eyed fans were left scratching their heads as they believed they spotted an error early in the episode. Victoria posed a question to one of the teams: "What is the connection between these, apparently random, picture clues?" as an image of snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan popped up, followed by a depiction of Rocket Raccoon from the Marvel universe. The contestants quickly deduced that 'rocket' was the common link, a guess that Victoria confirmed as correct before revealing the remaining two images: a drawing of Stephenson's Rocket and a picture of rocket salad leaves, reports Wales Online. But some viewers were adamant that the locomotive illustrated was not Stephenson's Rocket, prompting them to air their grievances on social media. One disgruntled fan tweeted: "First mistake on the new series of @ BBC #OnlyConnect. This is LOCOMOTION not Stephensons ROCKET @VictoriaCoren," attaching a photo of the contentious sketch. Another viewer chimed in with disappointment: "Standards are slipping Robert," while yet another expressed surprise: "And on the very first question too!". "Came here to the #OnlyConnect trending comments to see this! I got the answer in two, but if I'd needed a third this would have thrown me," chimed in another fan. Another viewer also concurred, posting on X: "#onlyconnect Probably says more about me than anything else, but the picture of Stephenson's Rocket in round one tonight wasn't Stephenson's Rocket. It was Puffing Billy. I shall now go back to looking for my life down the back of the sofa." Since its debut in 2008, Only Connect has won over quiz show enthusiasts and secured its place as a staple in British television. The show consistently ranks as BBC Two's most viewed programme of the week, often sandwiched between Mastermind and University Challenge, contributing to the channel's popular quiz night line-up. The Mirror has reached out to the BBC for a response
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: Untamed, Gone Baby Gone and Fake or Fortune?
Planning a night on the couch? Here are today's top TV and streaming picks: Only Connect BBC Two, 8pm Victoria Coren Mitchell hosts the 21st series of TV's most baffling quiz, in which connections must be made between seemingly random items. Fake or Fortune? Fake or Fortune? BBC One, 9pm Fiona Bruce joins forces with art expert Philip Mould for the 13th run of the show in which they try to figure out if various items could be long-lost treasures. They begin with a 1916 painting of a summer garden believed to be the work of future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Last Irish Missionaries RTÉ One, 9.35pm The final episode follows Dearbhail McDonald and Bryan Dobson to Kenya and the Philippines, where they talk to priests now in their eighties who remain dedicated to their work. The presenters also investigate the impact the missionaries have had, as well as who — if anybody — will replace them. Gone Baby Gone TG4, 9.30pm Directed by Ben Affleck and starring his brother Casey, this crime drama, based on a Dennis Lehane novel, follows the efforts of two Boston private eyes to find a missing girl. Amy Bradley is Missing Amy Bradley is Missing Netflix, streaming now In 1998, Amy Bradley vanished from a cruise ship without a trace. Decades later, sightings and speculation still swirl. This three-parter explores this haunting cold case and her family's fight to bring her home. Krays: London Gangsters Krays: London Gangsters Prime Video, streaming now Twins Reggie and Ronnie ruled London's underworld for two decades — and had their story portrayed by the Kemps to boot. Through prison recordings, this documentary reveals the powerful bond behind their dubious legacy. Untamed Untamed Netflix, streaming now If you've already mainlined all three series of Sneaky Pete, it's OK — Netflix has teed up this new Eric Bana and Sam Neill (both looking suitably at home in rangers uniforms) vehicle for you. Set in Yosemite, the National Parks agents are caught between a brutal crime, the wilderness, and themselves. Ironically, in Trump's America, they'd have probably been laid off. Surf Girls: International Prime Video, streaming now From breakout star Ewe Wong to Olympian Sol Aguirre, follow four female surfing athletes as they face personal hurdles, cultural expectations, and fierce competition. Wall to Wall Wall to Wall Netflix, streaming now Imagine saving enough to buy an apartment only to face financial ruin while sandwiched between mysteriously noisy floors. It's South Korean, so Woo-seong's neighbourinos could be anyone (or anything).
Times
23-06-2025
- Business
- Times
Sorry, Belsize Park, it's just those awful bike lanes…
O n Saturday, in an otherwise glowing review of a new restaurant called Von Crumb, I wrote that it was 'squished between a charity shop and some sort of mouldy printing outfit opposite a big Budgens on a wide-pavemented dog of a main drag in Belsize Park, which is the saggy arse of Hampstead', and copped a fair amount of flak from local readers. Some below the line, such as Philip Bergman, diagnosed 'envy from someone who lives in Kentish Town', while another, Victoria Coren Mitchell, who had somehow gained access to my personal email, wrote: 'Lovely review of Belsize Park… we must have you round more often'. Replying (immediately) to Mrs Mitchell and (with a smidge less urgency) to all the others, I was at pains to point out that I love Belsize Park in principle, but was merely talking about what had happened of late to that particular section of high street, due to chainification of the shops and the madness of Commie Camden Council's people-hating (not car-hating; people-hating) traffic scheme — specifically, the hideously ugly double cycle lane that nobody ever uses because the hill is too steep, which means there is no parking at all, so nobody can access the shops and local commerce is being strangled to death. Mrs Mitchell accepted my clarification but added, 'Bit harsh on Harry at the print shop though, he's one of the last independent shops left from the old days — he's lovely! He printed the orders of service for Daddy's memorial at a 15 per cent discount!!!' And that was a bit of a shocker for me because Mrs Mitchell's daddy was also my daddy. I read at that very service. And there I was describing the printer who had printed the programme for it as 'mouldy', without ever having been inside. 'If you ever return to the subject,' wrote Mrs Mitchell, 'do throw in a nice mention for that print shop. But he'll probably be gone. Nobody can survive that parking thing. What about the framers? That's the other one that's still surviving from the old days, but how can it? Because how can you collect a big, framed item on a bicycle?' Research from the City University of Hong Kong suggests that asking someone for help can lead to romance. 'The reason why asking for help can be very useful to initiate romantic interests,' explained the study's co-author Professor Xijing Wang, is that 'when we ask someone for help by having them solve a problem for us, we signal that we trust and want to rely on them.' So, ladies, now do you understand why your husband doesn't want to go over and ask that big hairy farmer for directions to the lake, and would rather just carry on fussing over the map? Paired with the above story in yesterday's Times was one about research from the University of Queensland, which shows that engaging in benign masochism with others can bring people closer together. Examples of activities that can help people to love each other more include 'wild swimming in a chilly river', 'running into a freezing sea' and 'skinny dipping in the cold waters of a lake'. The research does not, however, go into the flipside of all the love these activities generate between participants, which is how their whanging on about it all the time makes everybody else hate them. A redesign for the government website which, after a long consultation with M&C Saatchi, has done little more than move the dot in ' very slightly upwards, is reported by critics to have cost ministers £532,000. So now all they need to do is hire someone to move the comma. Food-shaped candles are 'the latest middle-class homeware trend', with candles in the shape of fried chicken, sausages and even layer cakes costing anything from £17 to £95. Seems a bit extravagant, but I suppose it was inevitable, what with the Ozempic boom meaning that nobody wants food you can actually eat any more.
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
BBC Only Connect viewers fume at 'awful' format change and say they'll switch off
Only Connect fans were left outraged on Monday after an 'audio-based special' was aired on the BBC quiz show, with viewers saying they 'switched channels'. BBC Two's Only Connect has sparked some displeased reactions from fans following an "audio-based special" that was broadcast on Monday. The intelligence-testing quiz show, lauded for its tough lexical conundrums and the formidable Missing Vowels round under Victoria Coren Mitchell's adept hosting, encountered online dissent. Discontent arose amidst the Connections segment when, deviating from standard practice, audio and musical clips were utilised as hints – a method occasionally adopted by the programme but still met with considerable disapproval by some viewers. Though not unprecedented in its history, every instance of such an audio twist tends to polarise the fandom, with a faction insistent that these musical interludes undermine the show's cerebral atmosphere. Even the most devoted aficionados have expressed clear disdain for the concept, maintaining that Only Connect should remain true to its intellectual spirit and eschew the audio inquiries entirely, reports the Mirror. One irritated fan posted on social media: "This awful music format should never happen again. Switching channels," while another confessed: "I love Only Connect, but as soon as the music round starts I'm out." Another audience member echoed this sentiment, saying: "It's a quiz for thinkers, not karaoke night." Meanwhile, host Victoria Coren Mitchell is gearing up for a new endeavour, stepping aside from her usual role as quiz master on Only Connect to delight fans with a fresh project. At the age of 52, Coren Mitchell, who has become synonymous with BBC Two's cerebral quiz show Only Connect since 2008, will soon be seen in the guest host chair on Have I Got News For You. Her much-awaited stint on the panel show is slated to air on Friday, May 23. She'll be joined by the sharp-witted comedian Chris McCausland and the esteemed broadcaster Janet Street-Porter. The veteran panellist Street-Porter, well-acquainted with the setup, will be marking her 18th appearance on the show. Viewers can certainly expect an electrifying episode as this trio combine wit, informed opinions, and frank commentary to light up the sought-after Friday night slot. Known for her razor-sharp mind and distinctive poker-faced humour, Victoria has hosted over 500 episodes throughout 20 series of Only Connect, challenging contestants with her tough trivia questions. Behind the scenes, however, life is all about family for Victoria, who cherishes time with her two daughters and her husband, the distinguished actor from Peep Show, David Mitchell. In an open-hearted discussion with the Evening Standard back in 2012, Victoria Coren Mitchell shared her personal views on becoming a mother, stating: "I hadn't experienced the yearning that some women feel to start a family. "I never had that point that a lot of my friends went through in their early to mid-twenties when they decided that they absolutely wanted children. But I am slightly obsessed with children [so] I absolutely still might."
