Legendary BBC quiz show makes surprise early comeback announcement as presenter reveals schedule

Iconic BBC quiz show Only Connect has made an unexpected early comeback as its host confirmed the schedule shakeup.

TV favorite Victoria Mitchell – who has been hosting the show since its inception – took to her Twitter page to announce the news.

The presenter, 50, wrote: ‘*drumroll* Only Connect is coming back to BBC Two on Monday 17th July! Earlier than usual this year.

‘It’s a very nice new series; hope you like it.’

The legendary quiz show started streaming in 2008 and went on to run 18 successful series.

It’s coming back sooner than expected this time around, and fans were quick to respond to the social media platform, sharing their excitement.

One user commented under the post, “Why so early?” and Victoria promptly replied, “Like taking medicine, it’s best just to get it done.”

Another commented, “Yey! It’s great to start the weekend with good news.’

‘Yes!! I have a reminder on my phone for Monday at 8 that I haven’t been able to pause because I didn’t know when to start it up again. It’s been making me a little melancholy every week since the final! wrote a third.

‘That is not good. I’m on vacation. Please reconsider this decision immediately,” said another user.

Another person commented excitedly, “This will be the first one I watch while on speaker for my mom and brother now that I’ve moved.”

Another user joked, “Hooray! I can’t wait for the annual ritual humiliation of getting no connections.”

‘Well, that news brightened up the day!!’ said another cheerfully.

‘Brilliant – easily my favourite’ too hard for me to answer anything’ quiz. Really love this show,” wrote another.

“I can’t believe fall starts in July, we are truly blessed,” said another.

‘Hurrah! Will watch and try to find the connections as we drink a glass or two to celebrate our anniversary. Good luck,” another user shared.

The quiz show covers every kind of topic and requires participants to have a broad knowledge of both arcane and popular topics.

Once given clues, the contestants are not told what type of connection they have – as a critical part of the gameplay is understanding if the connection is thematic, linguistic, factual or mathematical.

Earlier last month, Victoria took down the New York Times after they created a game that looks suspiciously like an excerpt from the popular quiz show.

The new Connections app shows a four-by-four grid of seemingly random words that you must group together into four linked groups.

But it has been compared to the BBC show’s Connecting Walls – where competitors are faced with a four-by-four grid of seemingly random words that they must group together into four linked groups.

The online game – edited by the paper’s Associate Puzzle Editor Wyna Liu – launched in June and joins their fleet of successful apps, including Wordle.

But taking to social media, Victoria mocked the creation, saying, “Do you know this has been a TV show in the UK since 2008?!

“It’s so similar you have to do it?”

Others rallied to support the host, with former contestant Kat Brown saying, “Um, I was on this game’s TV show this year.” THE EIGHTEENTH SEASON of this show.”

Senior Writer for Only Connect Mike Turner added, “If you need help, I’ve written over 750 for Only Connect.”

And Rob Hunt quipped, “What are you going to invent next – the crossword?”

The famously challenging quiz show – which first aired in September 2008 – has run for 436 episodes on BBC Four and BBC Two.