The BBC's New Year's Celebrity Mastermind special has sparked a fierce backlash from viewers, with many branding the programme a 'waste of the TV licence fee' and criticising its perceived simplistic questions.
Social Media Fury Over 'Dumbed Down' Quiz
Fans of the long-running, notoriously difficult quiz took to social media platforms to express their disappointment with the celebrity edition, which aired on December 32. A common complaint centred on the calibre of the questions, which were described as embarrassingly easy compared to the standard series.
One viewer fumed: 'Celebrity #mastermind is a complete waste of licence money. Most come across as completely ignorant, even in their specialist subject, despite the incredibly dumbed-down questions.' Another cited an example where a contestant incorrectly answered 'Cornwall' to a question asking which island Allum Bay is located off.
Who Are These Celebrities?
Further criticism was aimed at the lineup of famous faces in the famous black chair. The four contestants were comedian Josh Jones, 33, RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner Tia Kofi, 35, Waterloo Road actress Lauren Patel, 25, and Bargain Hunt auctioneer Izzie Balmer, 35.
However, several viewers admitted they did not recognise the participants. 'You’d need to be a mastermind to work out how they are celebrities,' one person wrote online. Others echoed the sentiment, with comments like 'Maybe it's just my age, but... I have no idea who any of them are!'
A Winner Emerges Amidst the Controversy
Despite the furore, the show crowned a champion. Tia Kofi triumphed with a specialist subject on Christopher Eccleston's season of Doctor Who. Following the win, Kofi announced they would be donating the prize money to charity.
On Twitter/X, Kofi stated: 'Ending 2025 with another win! As Celebrity Mastermind champion, I'm grateful to have donated the money to the incredible @NotAPhaseOrg, a wonderful trans-led charity.'
The Celebrity Mastermind spin-off first launched in 2002, featuring well-known figures such as Stephen Fry and Paul O'Grady over the years. The latest special remains available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.
