MUMBAI: BBC Studios today announced a licensing deal with Duronto TV, a premier television channel for children in Bangladesh, for its iconic British TV game show, Mastermind. The local version of the international quiz show will be titled Mastermind Family Bangladesh and will be produced by Duronto TV. The show will premiere on 13 October 2019 and will play from Sunday to Thursday at 8.00 pm on Duronto TV.

Mastermind Family Bangladesh will have 64 families from across the country competing for the title. The show will be directed by Sundija Siddique and hosted by former BBC journalist Nobonita Chowdhury.

Mastermind was broadcast for the first time in 1972 in the UK. The long-running quiz show has as its distinct prop an imposing black chair in which contestants sit and attempt to answer a series of challenging questions. The show is immensely popular not only in the UK but across the world; it is broadcast in various forms in Australia, New Zealand, India, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, and many others.

Ron Crasto, Vice-President and Business Development, BBC Studios India, said: “We are excited to partner with Duronto TV to create the local version of Mastermind. We hope that the Bangladesh audience will support and love the series in the manner it has been in the UK, India and many countries.”

Abhijit Chowdhury, Director, Duronto TV said: “We are elated to bring the first-ever knowledge-based quiz show to our audiences. It is a pleasure to work with BBC Studios on this very exciting project.”