Ken Bruce to bring iconic PopMaster quiz to TV in exclusive new series for More4

6 April 2023

Everything stops for PopMaster. Music lovers up and down the country have been obsessed with music trivia quiz PopMaster for 25 years, downing tools and pausing their days to play along as two fans are pitted against each other to showcase their knowledge of music and artists from across the years.

Now, legendary DJ Ken Bruce is bringing the beloved radio quiz to TV for the first time in a new six-part series for More4, made by 12 Yard Productions, an ITV Studios owned indie.

PopMaster sees two contestants asked a series of 10 questions based on popular music from the 1950s to the present day. Each question is worth three points other than the third, sixth and ninth bonus questions which are worth six points and come from a cryptic topic chosen by the player at the start of the quiz. There are a total of 39 points up for grabs.

Questions cover a variety of genres of music and range from naming artists based on the titles of or clips of songs, as well as identifying the year certain songs were hits – often seeing players being just ‘one year out’.

After both players have answered 10 questions, the winning contestant goes on to play ‘Three-in-Ten’, in which they have ten seconds to name three UK Singles Chart hits for one particular artist or group.

The new televised PopMaster will honour the much loved music quiz with a few surprises thrown in. Players will compete to impress with their music knowledge, with each episode winner advancing to the grand final, where only one can be crowned overall champion.

Ken Bruce said: "After all these years we are finally bring PopMaster to the telly where we'll be challenging music lovers from around the country to not only recall a range of facts and stats about chart toppers and beyond over the decades, but to do so under the glare of studio lights and with the added pressure of television cameras. I can't wait to get started - and find out whether I might have a face for TV after all!"

Michael Mannes, MD 12 Yard Productions said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Ken Bruce, the inimitable PopMaster, recreating his iconic music quiz into a must-see TV show for More4. Ken will be playing the tunes, testing both the players and audiences alike to engage their musical knowledge across the decades.”

Jo Street, Channel 4's Head of Features & Daytime, said: "I feel like it has been my mission in life to bring PopMaster to the telly so I am beyond thrilled to announce that the wonderful Ken Bruce is bringing his iconic and much-loved  format from radio to television, finding a home on More4. Fans will now be able to go from shouting answers at their speakers to shouting them at the screen. I can’t wait to play along!”

PopMaster is a 6x60’ series for More4 commissioned by Jo Street, Head of Daytime and Features. It will be made by 12 Yard Productions with Zoe Tait, Ken Bruce and Phil Swern as Executive Producers.

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12 Yard Productions, an ITV Studios owned indie, is one of the UK’s most successful entertainment format creators. Its formats include the long-running quiz Eggheads on Channel 5, innovative comedy panel show I’ll Get This for BBC Two, The Cabins for ITV2, reality series Coach Trip, and spin-off Ghost Trip, for E4, the inventive Comedians Giving Lectures for Dave, and ITV’s international hit Big Star's Little Star. 12 Yard also co-produces Catchpoint and Unbeatable for BBC One. 12 Yard Productions has offices in London and Glasgow.