Celebrity Mastermind 2023: every contestant and specialist subject, from Shaparak Khorsandi to James O’Brien

Each week, four new celebrities will answer challenging questions about their specialist subject in the hope of winning prize money for charity

By Alex Moreland

3rd Feb 2023, 12:32pm

Celebrity Mastermind is returning for another series on Saturday 4 February. Each week, four celebrities – from actors and musicians to broadcasters and presenters – will compete against one another to demonstrate their knowledge of their specialist subject.

Some of the notable contestants this year include comedian Shaparak Khorsandi, author & playwright Bonnie Greer, and film critic Ali Plumb amongst others.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new series of Celebrity Mastermind before it begins on BBC One this weekend.

How does Mastermind work?

There are two rounds of trivia in every episode of Mastermind. In the first, contestants answer questions on their chosen specialist subject, before going on to answer general knowledge questions in the second round.

Who appears on Celebrity Mastermind 2023?

The iconic Mastermind leather chair, lit from above (Credit: BBC/Hindsight/Hat Trick Productions/William Cherry/Press Eye)

The iconic Mastermind leather chair, lit from above (Credit: BBC/Hindsight/Hat Trick Productions/William Cherry/Press Eye)

Each week, four new celebrities will be competing against one another in two rounds of trivia. They’re each playing to win prize money on behalf of their chosen charity.

Here’s each Celebrity Mastermind contestant, and their specialist subject.

4th February

Actor and comedian Bobby Davro on Gilbert O’Sullivan
TV cook Suzie Lee on Bridget Jones
Former Olympic skier Graham Bell on Stevie Ray Vaughn
BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Remi Burgz on salmon

18th February

Actress Debra Stephenson on John Lennon
Journalist and Broadcaster James O’Brien on The Books of J.D. Salinger
Comedian Shaparak Khorsandi on The Adventures of Asterix
Hairstylist Sam McKnight on 1970s Disco Music

4th March

TV Presenter Yvette Fielding on Morecambe & Wise
Author and Wine Expert Helen McGinn on The ‘Hollywood’ Novels of Jackie Collins
Comedian Matt Richardson on Concorde
Meteorologist and Presenter Sarah Keith-Lucas on The Film ‘Labyrinth’

11th March

Presenter Jayne Middlemiss on Duran Duran
Comic Neil Delamere on The Vikings
2022 Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur on The Wolf Of Wall Street
Entrepreneur and presenter Amar Latif on Sam Cooke

25th March

Actor Ricky Groves on James Bond Themes
Comedian Harriet Kemsley on Sloths
Made In Chelsea star Verity Bowditch on Sir David Attenborough
Author & Playwright Bonnie Greer on Hattie McDaniel

1st April

Journalist & Broadcaster John Pienaar on Clement Attlee
Musician Rick Witter on The Smiths
Comedian Suzi Ruffell on The Films of Sandra Bullock
Actress Dakota Blue Richards on The Music of Lana Del Ray

8th April

TV Doctor Dr Hilary Jones on The Discovery of Penicillin
TV Presenter Danni Menzies on The Rally Driver Rosemary Smith
Drag Performer Kitty Scott-Claus on Girls Aloud
Actress Niamh McGrady on Bluey

15th April

Impressionist Alistair McGowan on Claude Debussy
Social Media Star Chris Dixon on British Birds of Prey
Comedian Laura Lexx on The History of Alternative Comedy
BBC Sports Journalist Holly Hamilton on Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’

29th April

Former Olympic Swimmer Mark Foster on Madness
Comedian Dane Baptiste on Scarface
Film Critic Ali Plumb on The Radio Series ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’
Actress and Comedian Arabella Weir on Sophie Tucker

When is Celebrity Mastermind on TV?

Celebrity Mastermind begins on Saturday 4 February at 5:35pm, with new episodes airing in the same slot weekly through to the end of April.

You’ll also be able to watch the series online via BBC iPlayer, which you can find here.