Sue Perkins to Host Chess Masters for BBC Two and iPlayer: A New Factual Entertainment Competition Format
BBC Factual has just announced an exciting new show that is set to bring the world’s oldest game back to our TV screens. Chess Masters (working title) will be hosted by the talented Sue Perkins and will feature twelve amateur players from across Britain competing in a battle of wits and strategy.
Sue Perkins expressed her enthusiasm for the show, stating, “It’s all about psychology, strategy, smart thinking, and nerves of steel. Chess that is, not my job (which usually involves the opposite). I’m there to help us understand what’s going on in the players’ heads and make sense of what’s happening on the board. We’ve been waiting over 30 years to see chess back on our TV screens. Chess Masters will make that wait worth while.”
Joining Sue as expert commentators will be three-time British chess champion and grandmaster David Howell, as well as expert chess coach and former Traitors contestant Anthony Mathurin. David Howell shared his excitement for the show, stating, “It will be an honour to work alongside Sue, Anthony, Curve Media, and the BBC to bring chess to UK screens for the first time in decades!”
Chess Masters (working title) is set to be an 8-episode series where the contestants will battle it out in a series of heats and knock-out rounds until one player is crowned the winner. With chess being the fastest growing sport in the world and the most downloaded app from the iPhone store in February 2023, the show is sure to attract a wide audience.
Chess has gained popularity globally, with an estimated six million regular players in the UK alone. Celebrity fans such as Will Smith, Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Lily Cole have all expressed their love for the game, further solidifying chess as a global phenomenon.
Chess Masters (working title) is set to air on BBC Two and iPlayer next year, and will be filmed in Cardiff. The show was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events, and the Executive Producers are Camilla Lewis, Charlie Bunce, and Katy Fryer. Don’t miss out on the intense psychological battles and strategic gameplay of Chess Masters!