Quiz shows - my starter for ten...

Talk about a televisual blast from the TV past - Channel 4 has brought back Fifteen to One.

I loved that show, the original incarnation had the firm but fair William G. Stewart in charge.

He would bark 'question or nominate' at the contestants, and appeared slightly annoyed with them when they got a question wrong - he must have provided the inspiration for Jeremy Paxman's persona on University Challenge.

I always think that it's all very well for the host to appear smug - they've got the answers in front of them.

Now Sandi Toksvig is the host of the revamped version, and she's a little kinder to the contestants, although, tablet computer in hand, she tends to give additional information after each answer in a teacher-like fashion.

I 'm a fan of quiz shows - my favourite is probably Only Connect on BBC4.  Victoria Coren-Mitchell hosts it, and it's really difficult.

In fact, some would argue that it makes University Challenge look like Family Fortunes (no offence intended, I'm actually quite fond of the quiz reliant on the phrase 'our survey said uh-uh').

Only Connect requires a lot of lateral thinking, and I feel I've done quite well if I get even a few questions right.

I also like Mastermind, particularly the celeb version where the general knowledge round (dare I say it) appears to be easier than the normal version.

Either that, or I'm getting smarter - which, given the fact I'm now struggling to help my ten-year old daughter with her homework (as reported the other week) - seems extremely unlikely.

I'm not sure what I'd pick as my specialist subject though if I went on - perhaps Neighbours the early years, the hits of a-ha or something similar.  I wonder what John Humphrys would make of that?