...but who's answering questions on alternative comedy?

Suzi Ruffell, Dane Baptiste and Shaparak Khorsandi are among the comedians taking part in the new series of Celebrity Mastermind.

The show, hosted by  Clive Myrie, is currently running on BBC One on Saturday nights, and will this week feature  Bobby Davro alongside TV cook Suzie Lee, former Olympic skier Graham Bell and Radio 1Xtra DJ Remi Burgz.

Now the BBC has released the line-ups for the second half of the series, featuring comics Alistair McGowan , Arabella Weir, Harriet Kemsley, Matt Richardson, Neil Delamere and Laura Lexx – whose specialist subject is very close to home: the history of alternative comedy.

The full list of celebrities taking part and their specialist subject are:

February 18

• 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

March 4

• 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

March 11

• 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

March 25

• Actor Ricky Groves on James Bond themes
• Comedian Harriet Kemsley on sloths
• Made In Chelsea star Verity Bowditch on Sir David Attenborough
• Author and playwright Bonnie Greer on Hattie McDaniel

April 1

• Journalist and 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

April 8

• 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

April 15

• 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

April 29

• 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

Myrie said: 'Our fantastic celebrity line-ups are always a brave bunch. All in the name of charity, they willingly step out of their comfort zones in order to face the icy embrace of the famous black chair. Will they crack under the pressure? Viewers will have to tune in to find out.'

Jimmy Mulville, managing director of programme-makers Hat Trick Productions, added: ‘Given how popular Celebrity Mastermind is proving with audiences, it’s clear that watching them squirm answering difficult questions in a leather chair is providing a real public service in these difficult times.'

• Celebrity Mastermind airs on BBC One on Saturdays from 5.35pm. Episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer after broadcast.

Published: 1 Feb 2023