This tense, dramatic and highly-rated quiz competition embarks on its fifth series to discover the ' Mastermind ' for 1976.
The contenders for the title are faced with a formidable challenge to their intellect, requiring them to be complete masters of their chosen subject and have a wide general knowledge.
Contenders:
ROBERT ORR, student, Russo-German War, 1941-1945;
ALWYN JAMES, freelance editor, Life and Works of Dylan Thomas;
MARY KEAN , housewife, Switzerland
MICHAEL DYCHE, RAF navigator, Captain Cook
Contenders from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen strive for a place in the Mastermind semi-finals.
To succeed they require the knowledge of the specialist, a wide range of general knowledge and the ability to think and act quickly under the pressure of time.
Edinburgh University again provides the venue for tonight's contest.
Contenders:
ROBIN WALDEN, export manager Life and works of Michelangelo
GAY SINCLAIR-GIEBEN, schoolmistress Scottish Wars of Independence 1306-1320
ALAN BRUFORD, archivist The Hebrides to 1914
MARTIN NICHOLS, retired neurosurgeon,
Naval history 1793-1815
Tonight, contenders for the Mastermind title are from Brighton, Bury St Edmunds, London and Cambridge.
The venue for this mind marathon is the University of Hull.
Contenders:
David Morris, government scientist - Books of the Apocrypha
Susan Grant, doctor's secretary - Brighton and its inhabitants from 1750
Lance Howard, solicitor - Venice
Henry Button, research student - Cambridge Colleges
Two teachers, a warehouseman and a housewife make up tonight's group of aspirant ' Master-minds'. Whoever is to succeed requires supreme concentration, thorough subject specialisation and a wide general knowledge. A formidable task, but an exciting challenge. Contenders:
JOHN TAYLOR, warehouseman - Northumbrian Kings of the sixth and seventh centuries
MARGARET GARRATT, housewife, Dietetics JOHN BYERS , schoolmaster, Life and work of Evelyn Waugh NICHOLAS SPRUYTENBURG , teacher, Life and times of Edward II
Tonight's heat comes from Bangor University in Wales. Contestants are:
SIMON ST QUINTIN, bus conductor/driver - History and geography of Ethiopia JANET SAVAGE, medical social worker - Life and works of John Keats LEO TWYMAN, translator, the Anglo-Saxon period to circa 655 HENRY PANTIN, geologist, Gliding and its history
The half-way stage has now been reached in this preliminary round. Contestants in the sixth heat are: JOHN MAYNARD, Security adviser, Life and times of Richard III JUNE MAGGS, Librarian, The County of Gwent
THOMAS GODFREY, Lecturer, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
GEORGE SHELDRICK, Local Government Officer, Life and works of Rembrandt
Tonight's heat comes from the University of Leicester, where we welcome four contestants from Northern Ireland. Depth of knowledge, concentration, and nerves of steel will help one of them to find a place in the Semi-final round.
Contestants are:
Robert Dunbar, Teacher - Life and work of Samuel Becket
Lisa Duffin, Librarian - 17th-century Mathematicians
Oliver Ferguson, Teacher - Geography of South East Asia
Rodney Smith, Teacher - 20th-century British Politics
One of tonight's contestants m the eighth heat will win a place in the semi-final round. -
From Leicester University
TEDDY VON KOENTGSTAEDTE, teacher - Life and works of Hans Christian Andersen
SANDYA NARAYANSWAMI, student - Genetics DAVID WILSON, lorry driver -The life and works of James Joyce JOHN SYKES, lexicographer - Mathematics
London University provides the venue for this ninth heat.
The contestants are:
DENIS VANDERVELDE, freelance management consultant - World Postal History
ANN-MARY HILLS, housewife - Life of Horatio Nelson
JOHN PALMER-BARNES, baker - Life and works of Sir Barnes Wallis
ALAN ILIFFE, psychologist - Novels of Anthony Trollope
Tonight's heat takes place at the University of London and the contestants are
VERNON LEEM-BRlGGEN, commissionaire -
The war in Burma (1943-45)
ANNE' GOLDSTEIN, freelance writer - English Civil War (1642-1648)
DAVID DELVIN, medical journalist - Operas
ASHLEY BRAMALL, barrister - British Politics since 1918
A wide area of interests are Covered in the specialist subjects by tonight's contestants, whose professions are as varied as the subjects. Tonight's heat comes from the University of Exeter. Contestants: DAVID FLOWER, applied mathematician - The USA
AMANDA HILL, postal officer - The descendants of Queen Victoria ROBERT SMITH, London taxi-driver - Viking Atlantic voyages
JOHN LANGFORD, careers officer - Oliver Cromwell
Tonight's contest comes from Exeter University and completes the first round heats. Contestants: STEWART THOMPSON, Naval Officer - The Rebellion of 1745 DIANA PUGH, housewife - Life and works of Percy Bysshe Shelley TIMOTHY WALLACE-MURPHY, salesman - Medical History 1700-1850
ROGER PRITCHARD, civil servant - Life of the Duke of Wellington
Durham University is the venue for the beginning of this semi-final round with four of the 12-heat winners trying for a place in the Final.
They are
ALAN ILIFFE, psychologist - English theatre 1950-75
SUSAN GRANT, doctor's secretary -The wines of France
NICHOLAS SPRUYTFNBURG, teacher - The life of Cardinal Wolsey HENRY PANTIN, geologist - Life and works of Berlioz
with Magnus Magnusson at the University of Durham. Contestants:
ALAN BRUFORD, archivist - Life and works of Handel MARY KEAN, housewife - Life and works of Tolstoy
JOHN SYKES, lexicographer - Physics
AMANDA HILL, postal officer - British Saints
Tonight's contestants meet at the University of Bristol. They are: GEORGE SHELDRICK, local government officer - French medieval history 987-1328 LISA DUFFIN, librarian - Life cycle/habits of the honeybee ROGER PRITCHARD, civil servant - British warships from 1914 to the present day
DAVID DELVIN, medical journalist - Field and track athletics (amateur) 1855-1960
The University of Bristol is the scene for the last of the Semi-finals. A chance for the four best heat-losers to gain the fourth and final place in this year's Mastermind Final. They are GAY SINCLAIR-GIEBEN, schoolmistress - The fictional novels of C. P. Snow
DAVID FLOWER, applied mathematician - Physics
JANET SAVAGE, medical social worker - The Gunpowder Plot DAVID WILSON, lorry driver - Life and works of Ibsen
The Final
NICHOLAS SPRUYTENBURG, teacher - Life and times of Edward II
ROGER PRITCHARD, civil servant - Life of the Duke of Wellington AMANDA HILL, postal officer - Descendants of Queen Victoria Best runner-up