UNBEATABLE: PRESS INTERVIEW WITH JASON MANFORD

In this quiz hosted by comedian Jason Manford , the four contestants can always give an answer - but can they give the ‘Unbeatable’ answer and streak ahead of the competition to win a cash prize?

BBC Press interview with Jason Manford

Tell us about Unbeatable. What makes it new or different to other quizzes?

What’s great about Unbeatable is that you can’t ever really look stupid on this show, because the answers are already on the screen - you just have to pick the best answer. You can kind of blag it a little bit, but if a subject you know lots about comes up it feels like a real win. There will be a lot of ‘shoutability’ at home, where you’ll be shouting at the screen "Pick that one!", and that’s always the best thing about TV quizzes.

What attracted you to the role?

Well having done a lot of game shows and big Saturday night shows you only get to do about 6-8 per series, and that’s it. What’s nice about this is being able to do 50 of them, and really get your teeth into it, Monday to Friday, and really be a part of people’s lives for a few weeks at a time. And people love their daytime shows. My nan literally lives for shows like Pointless – it will be great to be able to join the big boys.

If you could go on any quiz show (apart from Unbeatable) as a contestant, what would it be and why?

Well if I’m honest, I’ve done most of them! I think the most fun is one like Catchphrase, which is just a bit silly. Mastermind, there’s too much pressure, and too much of a chance of looking stupid - although I’ve done that too.

If there was going to be a celebrity version of Unbeatable, who would you want to invite on?

It lends itself to a celebrity version at some point definitely! But what I think it really lends itself to is a celebrity couples version. Especially couples who disagree with each other generally. Ozzie and Sharon Osbourne would be my ideal guests - you can just see how that would play out with them disagreeing with each other!

What would be your best or worst topic for quiz questions?

Oooh, well after watching 50 shows and speaking to all the contestants, you naturally think your best topic would be what you know most about, but I actually think what’s hard is the pressure of your strongest subject coming up and feeling like you have to know the answers. So I think I would say football would actually be my worst topic - it should be my best because I know most about it - but it would be my worst because of the pressure to get it right would be very very high.

Unbeatable is set to begin on Monday 10 May on BBC One weekdays at 2.15pm.