Presenters Zoe Ball and Jamie Theakston are to be reunited for the first time in nearly 10 years for a new Channel Five quizshow that aims to find Britain's brightest person.
The pair, who previously fronted BBC1 Saturday morning children's show Live and Kicking and Channel 4's entertainment format The Priory, will host the eight-part Britain's Best Brain, which has been co-funded by the videogame firm Nintendo.
Five's new series, which is a Tiger Aspect/GroupM Entertainment production, puts contestants through a series of mental and physical challenges designed to test five areas of the brain and five brain functions – memory, co-ordination, calculations, recognition and risk.
Contestants' performance on the individual tasks generates a brain score, with the top scorers of the series returning for the grand final, where one will be crowned Britain's Best Brain.
The Five controller, Richard Woolfe, said: "I'm delighted that Zoe and Jamie are back together. They are brilliant broadcasters and their chemistry is extraordinary. The fun and challenging format of Britain's Best Brain is the perfect project for these sparky and lovable presenters."
Ball said she was looking forward to working with her friend again. "Jamie is very sharp and a generous co-host and still makes me roar with laughter, so it's not like work at all," she said. "We've slotted straight back in to our working relationship, like putting on a favourite pair of old socks."
Theakston said: "As soon as I heard about the show I thought it sounded like a great concept. I can't believe it's been 10 years since Zoe and I last presented a show together. After our first run through it was like we had never been apart. We both find the same things funny and she can make me laugh like no other presenter I've ever worked with."
The show, which will air later this year, will be executive produced by Deborah Sargeant, Ricky Kelehar, Richard Foster, Tony Moulsdale and Steve Gowans.
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