2005

1. Episode 1

The forbidding black chair beckons as the evergreen general-knowledge quiz returns. What weird and wonderful subjects will the four contestants choose? John Humphrys asks the questions.

2005-03-08 • 30 min

2. Episode 2

The life and works of Benjamin Britten and Sylvia Plath , aircraft of the First World War and the travels of Michael Palin are tonight's four specialist subjects. John Humphrys asks the questions.

2005-03-15 • 30 min

3. Episode 3

From philosophy to film, pilots to pop stars, tonight's diverse range of subjects are the Pre-Socratics, the life and films of Judy Garland , the Royal Air Force 1939-1945 and the Beatles. With John Humphrys.

2005-03-22 • 30 min

4. Episode 4

Contestants field questions from John Humphrys on the French Revolution 1789-1794, the life and novels of George Eliot , the history of the World Chess championship and the Trumptonshire Trilogy of Camberwick Green, Trumpton and Chigley.

2005-03-29 • 30 min

5. Episode 5

The specialist subjects are the Age of the Welsh Princes 800-1283, the life and career of prison reformer Elizabeth Fry, the Swallows and Amazons novels of Arthur Ransome and orchestral film scores 1933-1980. John Humphrys asks the questions.

2005-04-05 • 30 min

6. Episode 6

Tonight's specialist subjects include the Horatio Hornblower novels of CS Forester, English international rugby union since 1990, the life and works of artist Stanley Spencer and English silver 1478-1837. Presented by John Humphrys.

2005-04-12 • 30 min

7. Episode 7

British political history 1905-2004, the life and career of Muhammad Ali , the musicals of Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes are the specialist subjects. John Humphrys puts the questions to the black chair's occupants.

2005-04-19 • 30 min

8. Episode 8

Plays, poetry, piety and pictures all feature, as the contenders demonstrate their knowledge of the life and works of Dylan Thomas , the Old Testament, the films of Clint Eastwood and the life and works of Guillaume Apollinaire. With John Humphrys.

2005-04-26 • 30 min

9. Episode 9

Contestants answer questions on Henry VIII , Emily Bronte , opera singer Andrea Bocelli and locomotive pioneer Richard Trevithick. With John Humphrys.

2005-05-03 • 30 min

10. Episode 10

The Clash, the libretti of WS Gilbert , the history of spirits and liqueurs and Ancient Egypt 1570-1070 BC are the specialist subjects. With John Humphrys.

2005-05-10 • 30 min

11. Episode 11

The series returns after a six-week break with a varied mix of specialist subjects: the Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871, the plays of Noël Coward, World Snooker championships from 1977 and the life and novels of J.R.R. Tolkien. Host John Humphrys invites the contestants to occupy the forbidding black chair.

2005-06-23 • 30 min

12. Episode 12

Tonight's varied mix of specialist subjects are: the life and career of political economist and reformer Henry Fawcett , TV sitcom Dinnerladies, the life and work of TE Lawrence, and the literary associations of Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Lake District. John Humphrys fires the questions at the occupants of the forbidding black chair.

2005-06-30 • 30 min

13. Episode 13

Tonight's varied mix of specialist subjects are: the Harrier and other vertical take-off and landing aircraft; Chequers, the incumbent prime minister's grand country residence in Buckinghamshire; the Discworld novels of Terry Pratchett ; and rock giants the Who. John Humphrys fires the questions.

2005-07-05 • 30 min

14. Episode 14

Specialist subjects for the contestants are the life and career of American president Lyndon B Johnson , the Mughal Empire from 1526 to 1658, 1, Claudius, and the Just William books by Richmal Crompton. John Humphrys poses the questions.

2005-07-12 • 30 min

15. Episode 15

It's bonnets to ballroom dancing as contestants are quizzed on the novels of Jane Austen, naked eye astronomy in Britain, the American Civil War 1861-1865 and the musical films of Fred Astaire. John Humphrys asks the questions.

2005-07-19 • 30 min

16. Episode 16

Specialist subjects for the quartet of contestants are the Labour government 1974-79, the life and work of comic songwriters Flanders and Swann, the ecclesiastical calendar and the Manchester music scene from 1976 until 1991. With John Humphrys.

2005-07-26 • 30 min

17. Episode 17

Specialist subjects are the life and novels of Raymond Chandler , pop group the Go-Betweens, the ex-leader of the Labour Party Hugh Gaitskell , and the films of Hollywood star Bruce Willis. With John Humphrys.

2005-08-02 • 30 min

18. Episode 18

Specialist subjects for the quartet of contestants are the life and work of Marie Curie , Ireland during the Second World War, the novels of Raymond Zazie dans le Metro Queneau and the history plays of Shakespeare. John Humphrys fires the questions.

2005-08-16 • 30 min

19. Episode 19

Specialist subjects tonight are the life and times of Charles Edward Stuart (1720-1788), the work of Edward Hopper , 20th-century Parliamentary scandals, and the life of Nancy Mitford. With John Humphrys.

2005-08-23 • 30 min

20. Episode 20

Specialist subjects are the life and reign of Louis XI of France, the stage plays of Tom Stoppard , cult 60s series The Prisoner, and the life and work of composer Frederick Delius. With John Humphrys.

2005-08-30 • 30 min

21. Episode 21

Another typically wide-ranging selection of specialist subjects includes the life and work of Sir Peter Scott , national flags, Test cricket since and TV sitcom The Good Life. With John Humphrys.

2005-09-06 • 30 min

22. Episode 22

Tonight's specialist subjects are the life and work of composer Giacomo Puccini , the novels of Sebastian Faulks , European nobility in the 16th century, and the classic sitcom Dad's Army. With John Humphrys.

2005-09-13 • 30 min

23. Episode 23

Igor Stravinsky , ice dance, Lord Randolph Churchill (the father of Winston) and Status Quo are tonight's specialist subjects. Presented by John Humphrys.

2005-09-20 • 30 min

24. Episode 24

The life and career of Bishop John William Colenso, the Anne novels of LM Montgomery, European birds and the work of Galton and Simpson are tonight's specialist subjects. Presented by John Humphrys.

2005-09-27 • 30 min

25. Episode 25

City churches of Sir Christopher Wren , the Sword of Honour trilogy, life and work of George Eastman and the life and films of James Stewart are the subjects as the second round heats begin. With John Humphrys

2005-10-04 • 30 min

26. Episode 26

The partnership of Rogers and Hammerstein, the history and culture of the Maya, rock group Queen, and the literary work of Lewis Carroll are the topics in this second-round heat. With John Humphrys.

2005-10-11 • 30 min

27. Episode 27

Britain's first abstract art movement, Vorticism; pleasure piers of the English seaside: the life and work of novelist Elizabeth Smart: and sitcom One Foot in the Grave, are the topics in this second-round heat.

2005-10-18 • 30 min

28. Episode 28

The life and work of Diego Velazquez , Pink Floyd , the life and work of George Crabbe and wines of the Loire Valley are the topics in this second-round heat.

2005-10-25 • 30 min

29. Episode 29

The role of Garibaldi in the Italian Unification, The Archers since 1970, the science-fiction novels of Arthur C Clarke, and rivers of Britain and Ireland are specialist subjects in the first of the semi-finals.

2005-11-01 • 30 min

30. Episode 30

The life and work of physicist Niels Bohr, the "Culture" novels of lain M Banks, the life and career of Warwick the Kingmaker and the life and films of Barbara Stanwyck are the specialist subjects in the second semi-final.

2005-11-01 • 30 min

31. The Final

It's the climax to this year's contest that, over the past few months, saw 96 contenders whittled down to just six. John Humphrys has the questions.

2005-11-08 • 60 min