{{short description|British TV quiz show (2009–present)}} {{about|the British quiz show}} {{Use British English|date=February 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox television | alt_name = Pointless Celebrities {{no italics|(celebrity version)}} | image = Pointless titles.png | genre = Quiz show | director = {{ubl|Nick Harris|Julian Smith|Jonathan Glazier|Richard Valentine|Richard van't Riet|Stuart McDonald (Celebrity)}} | presenter = {{ubl|Alexander Armstrong|Richard Osman{{efn|Osman retired from co-presenting the main series in 2022, but continued to co-present ''Pointless Celebrities''.}}|Guest co-presenters{{efn|Regular series only, the role of co-presenter has currently been filled by Sally Lindsay, Stephen Mangan, Lauren Laverne, Konnie Huq, Alex Brooker, Ed Gamble, Rose Matafeo, Ria Lina, Lucy Porter, Gyles Brandreth, Nish Kumar, Andi Oliver, Sally Phillips, Vick Hope, Hugh Dennis, Anita Rani, Gabby Logan, Josh Widdicombe, Desiree Burch, Chris Ramsey, Gok Wan, Rob Rinder, Ellie Taylor, Liza Tarbuck, Phil Wang, Mel Giedroyc, Angela Rippon, Trevor Nelson, Judi Love, Gethin Jones, Tom Allen, Angela Scanlon, and Susan Wokoma.<ref name="DoG_2025" /><ref name="dvd-fever_2025" />}}}} | open_theme = | theme_music_composer = Marc Sylvan | country = United Kingdom | language = English | num_series = {{ubl|34 (Regular)|17 (Celebrity)}} | num_episodes = 2236{{efn|As of 25 May 2026.<br>The number of episodes comprises: * 1879 regular episodes (35 series) * 357 celebrity episodes (17 series) }} | executive_producer = Pam Cavannagh<br>Tom Blakeson<br>David Flynn<br>Richard Hague<br>Tamara Gilder | producer = {{ubl|Michelle Woods|Ed de Burgh|John Ryan|Laura Turner}} | editor = {{ubl|Hannah Barnes|Peter Elphick|David Horwell|Neil Hunter|Nick Parker}} | location = {{nowrap|{{ubl|Television Centre (2009–2012, 2017)|Elstree Studios (2013–present)<br>Riverside Studios (2023, 2025)}}}} | camera = Multi-camera | runtime = {{ubl|45 minutes (Regular)|50 minutes (Celebrity)}} | company = {{nowrap|{{ubl|Brighter Pictures (2009)|Remarkable Entertainment (2010–present){{efn|Known from 2010 to 2016 as '''Remarkable Television'''}}}}}} | channel = BBC Two | first_aired = {{start date|2009|08|24|df=y}} | last_aired = {{end date|2011|04|15|df=y}} | channel2 = BBC One | first_aired2 = {{start date|2011|07|11|df=y}} | last_aired2 = present }}
'''''Pointless''''' is a British television quiz show produced by Banijay UK Productions subsidiary Remarkable Entertainment for the BBC and hosted by Alexander Armstrong. In each episode, four teams of two contestants attempt to find correct but obscure answers to four rounds of general knowledge questions, with the winning team eligible to compete for the show's cash jackpot.
''Pointless'' debuted on BBC Two on 24 August 2009. The success of the first three series led the BBC to move it to BBC One from 2011. {{As of|2026|06}}, the programme is airing Series 35<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rhg2r/episodes/guide |title=BBC One – Pointless – Episode guide |publisher=BBC |access-date=29 March 2025}}</ref> and has had peak audience figures of over 7 million viewers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/pointless-celebrities-attracts-more-viewers-than-englands-euro-qualifier-match-against-slovenia-9864757.html |title=Pointless Celebrities attracts more viewers than England's Euro qualifier against Slovenia |author=Daisy Wyatt |date=17 November 2014 |work=The Independent |access-date=8 September 2017 |archive-date=16 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916010732/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/pointless-celebrities-attracts-more-viewers-than-englands-euro-qualifier-match-against-slovenia-9864757.html |url-status=live }}</ref> An offshoot of the show entitled ''Pointless Celebrities'' aired between 2011 and 2025 and aired for 17 series.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d09p5/episodes/guide |title=BBC One – Pointless Celebrities – Episode guide |publisher=BBC |access-date=8 April 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408114142/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d09p5/episodes/guide |url-status=live }}</ref> The format has been exported internationally.
The first 27 series were co-presented by Richard Osman, who announced on 8 April 2022 that he would step down from the role to focus more on his writing career. Beginning with Series 28, a group of guests took his place. Osman continued to co-present with Armstrong on ''Pointless Celebrities''.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1512402144980529157|author=Richard Osman|author-link=Richard Osman|user=richardosman|title=SOME NEWS! After 13 wonderful years I'm leaving daytime Pointless, to concentrate on writing. Will still be doing the celebrity shows and 'HouseOfGames'. It has been the GREATEST pleasure and I can't wait to start watching as a viewer. Thank you to everyone! ❤️|date=8 April 2022}}</ref>
==Development== {{multiple images |total_width=250 |align=left |image1=Alexander Armstrong (cropped) (4by3).jpg |image2=Richard Osman 2022.png |footer=The regular series was presented by the duo of Alexander Armstrong (left) and Richard Osman (right), from its inception until Osman left the show in 2022 }} The show was originally to be called ''Obviously'' and was conceived by Tom Blakeson, Simon Craig, David Flynn, Nick Mather, Richard Osman and Shaun Parry, producers at Endemol UK, in 2009. They envisaged it as a "reverse ''Family Fortunes'' ... rewarding obscure knowledge, while allowing people to also give obvious answers ... a quiz which could be sort of highbrow and populist simultaneously".<ref name="guardian500">{{cite web |author=Tom Meltzer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/jun/04/pointless-alexander-armstrong-richard-osman |title=Pointless: Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman on TV's favourite quiz |work=The Guardian |date=4 June 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=18 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818082327/http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/jun/04/pointless-alexander-armstrong-richard-osman |url-status=live }}</ref> Osman was not intended to be co-presenter; originally, he filled the role only as part of a demonstration laid on for the BBC. BBC executives asked him to continue when they commissioned the first series.<ref name="guardian500" /> Osman then approached comedian Alexander Armstrong to be the main presenter; the two men had been peers during their university days.<ref name="guardian500" /> Armstrong, who the previous year had been lined up to present Channel 4's ''Countdown'' only to back out for fear of being pigeonholed as a presenter,<ref>{{cite web |last=Sweney |first=Mark |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/oct/30/armstrong-countdown |title=Alexander Armstrong backs out of Countdown job |work=The Guardian |date=30 October 2008 |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=30 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030091603/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/oct/30/armstrong-countdown |url-status=live}}</ref> agreed to present what was perceived as a lower-profile show, with the presence of Osman helping to convince him.<ref name="guardian500" />
In 2016, Osman told the ''Belfast Telegraph'' that "It's never been a show that's had posters, or trailers, and it's presented by these two slightly inept guys. Everyone who's ever watched it feels like it's their programme. We've never changed it, but have always done it in the same way, which is slightly shoddy, enjoying ourselves." On the programme's future, he said, "Every programme has a shelf-life, but as long as people are enjoying it, we will stick with it. If Channel 4 wanted to offer three times as much money, we wouldn't take it. We would stay with the BBC. We love the BBC. ''Pointless'' is not for sale. We owe the BBC an enormous debt, because they've looked after us."<ref>{{cite web |title='We started Pointless thinking it would be a bit of fun... 1,200 shows later, we're still here' |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/we-started-pointless-thinking-it-would-be-a-bit-of-fun-1200-shows-later-were-still-here-35282304.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=10 December 2016 |access-date=9 March 2021 |archive-date= 26 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626170703/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/we-started-pointless-thinking-it-would-be-a-bit-of-fun-1200-shows-later-were-still-here-35282304.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
After Series 27, Osman retired from the regular series (remaining as co-presenter on ''Pointless Celebrities'') and for series 28 was replaced by presenters: Sally Lindsay, Stephen Mangan, Lauren Laverne, Konnie Huq and Alex Brooker.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tellymix.co.uk/tv/617817-richard-osman-replaced-on-pointless-by-six-guest-stars.html | title=Richard Osman replaced on Pointless by SIX guest stars for new episodes | date=2 September 2022 | access-date=2 September 2022 | archive-date=2 September 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902195821/https://tellymix.co.uk/tv/617817-richard-osman-replaced-on-pointless-by-six-guest-stars.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Series 29 added Ed Gamble, Rose Matafeo, Ria Lina, Lucy Porter and Gyles Brandreth. Series 30 added Nish Kumar, Andi Oliver, Sally Phillips and Vick Hope. Series 31 added Hugh Dennis, Anita Rani, Gabby Logan, Josh Widdicombe and Desiree Burch.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/pointless-new-hosts-replacing-richard-osman/ | title=Pointless: Meet 2023's New Hosts Replacing Richard Osman | newspaper=Den of Geek | date=23 February 2023 | last=Mellor | first=Louisa | access-date=10 March 2023 | archive-date=10 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310233011/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/pointless-new-hosts-replacing-richard-osman/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Series 32 added Chris Ramsey, Gok Wan, Rob Rinder, and Ellie Taylor. Series 33 added Liza Tarbuck, Phil Wang and Mel Giedroyc.<ref name="DoG_2025">{{cite web |title=Pointless: Who Are the New Guest Hosts for 2025? |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/pointless-new-guest-hosts-2025/ |website=Den of Geek |first=Louisa |last=Mellor |date=28 January 2025 |access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref> Series 34 added Angela Rippon, Trevor Nelson, Judi Love, Gethin Jones, and Tom Allen.<ref name="dvd-fever_2025">{{cite web |title=Pointless Series 34: New celebrity hosts join Alexander Armstrong |url=https://dvd-fever.co.uk/pointless-series-34-new-celebrity-hosts-join-alexander-armstrong/ |website=dvd-fever.co.uk |first=Dom |last=Robinson |date=8 September 2025 |access-date=4 October 2025}}</ref> So far, Series 35 has added Angela Scanlon and Susan Wokoma.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pointless series 35 episode 25 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002w9zw |publisher=BBC |access-date=29 April 2026}}</ref>
==Gameplay== Teams of two contestants attempt to provide answers that are not only correct, but also as obscure as possible. The programme initially featured five teams per episode, but the field was later reduced to four. On each episode, contestants answer a series of questions that were put to 100 members of the general public in a previously conducted online survey, which had a time limit of 100 seconds. Once a question is asked at the start of a round, the contestants are given details as to what constitutes a valid answer. If a team's answer is correct, they score one point for each participant who gave it during the survey; an answer given by none of the participants is termed "pointless" and adds nothing to the team's score. Incorrect answers score the maximum of 100 points. Once a question or pass is complete, depending on the specific format of the round, the lowest- and highest-scoring answers given in the survey are stated, usually the top three.
The game begins with two Elimination Rounds, in which teams must achieve as low a score as possible. The rounds are scored independently of one another, and the team with the highest score in each round is eliminated from the game. The two surviving teams compete against each other in the "Head-to-Head" to find low-scoring answers; the first team to win two questions moves on to the Final to play for the jackpot.
Teams may return to the programme until they have either reached the Final once or been eliminated in three (two prior to series 25) consecutive episodes, whichever occurs first.
The jackpot increases by £250 for every pointless answer given in any round other than the Final. If a team reaches the Final but fails to win the jackpot, it is rolled over to the next episode and increased by £1,000. {{As of|2022|5}} the highest recorded jackpot won on the show was £24,750 on 8 March 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Russell |first1=Sam |title=Less than zero: how Pointless's tweaked finale made fools of us all |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/may/25/jump-the-shark-pointless |access-date=12 October 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=25 May 2020 |archive-date=22 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922221906/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/may/25/jump-the-shark-pointless |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Richard Osman reveals the secrets of Pointless |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-16/richard-osman-reveals-the-secrets-of-pointless/ |access-date=12 October 2020 |work=Radio Times |date=16 January 2017 |archive-date=21 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021105337/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-16/richard-osman-reveals-the-secrets-of-pointless/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Once the jackpot is won, the amount is reset to £1,000.
Contestants who are deaf or hard of hearing are allowed the use of an interpreter, who may translate between spoken words and sign language as needed. The interpreter may not suggest answers or take any other active role in the game.
===Elimination Rounds=== During an Elimination Round, teams aim to score as few points as possible. Each round consists of a question derived from a subject with each member of a team required to give an answer during a pass; each round consists of two passes and teams must decide who will play which pass before the question is asked. Teammates may not confer on answers during the round. Order of play for the first pass is determined by random draw in Round 1 and by ascending order of first-round scores in Round 2. For the second pass in each round, the order of play is reversed.
After both passes are complete, the team with the highest score for the round is eliminated from the game. In the event of a tie for high score, the affected teams are allowed to confer and offer one more answer to the question as a tiebreaker; the order of answers given is identical to the first pass. If the scores remain tied after this pass, the question is thrown out and a new one is played.
Six different formats for the questions have been used during the programme's run for the elimination rounds in each game:
* ''Open-Ended'' – Contestants are given the question and have free choice of what answer to give. A modified version of this format is sometimes used in which the contestants must name items that belong to any of several sub-categories (e.g. given a list of acronyms, choose one and state the word represented by any one of its letters). * ''Possible Answers'' – Introduced in Series 2, contestants are given a board of potential answers to a question and must each pick one, attempting to find the obscure ones on the board and avoid picking out a wrong answer. Each pass consists of two boards, each possessing at least one pointless answer and one incorrect answer, the latter usually having some indirect link (often humorous) with the question. This format allowed categories to be used in which no commonly agreed definitive list of correct answers might exist. It was discontinued following the end of Series 5. * ''Clues and Answers'' – Introduced in Series 3, contestants are given a list of clues related to the topic of the question, whereupon they must select a clue and provide the correct answer connected to it. An example of this format is that a list could contain the names of different battles and the question requires a contestant to name the country in which it occurred (e.g., "the Battle of Hastings" – "England"). Although the round follows a similar style to that of the "Possible Answers" format, there is no guarantee that contestants may find a pointless answer from within the list. If a team answers incorrectly, that clue remains in play and can be chosen again. The number of clue/answer pairs is always three more than the number of teams playing a round, and a new board is used on each pass. * ''Linked Categories'' – Introduced in Series 5, each pass consists of two closely related categories; one team member provides an answer related to the first category while the other provides an answer to the second category. The format follows the same principles as that of the "Open-ended" format, but was rarely used and was later discontinued after the series. * ''Picture Board'' – Introduced in Series 7, contestants are shown a grid of pictures or items and must identify one at a time. In some cases, the pictures have some of the letters in their correct answers filled in and/or serve as clues to items that must be named. Depending on the rules of the particular board, contestants might have to state which picture they are identifying. * ''Part Identification'' – Introduced in Series 24, contestants are shown seven items and four groups into which they must be sorted (e.g. given a list of seven parts of the human head, decide whether each is found in the brain, ear, eye, or mouth). Each contestant selects one item and must identify the group to which it belongs. As in "Clues and Answers," a new board is played on each pass, and an incorrect guess leaves that item available to opponents.
As of Series 25, the most common format for the elimination rounds involves "Clues and Answers" for one and either "Open-Ended" or "Picture Board" for the other. For all formats except "Open-Ended" and "Picture Board", the last contestant or team to play on a particular board is invited to answer as many remaining items as they wish before selecting one to use on that turn.
===Head-to-Head=== The two remaining teams compete against each other, answering questions with the intention of finding the lowest scores possible. Both teams can now confer and the winning team of this round moves on to the Final. The format of this round has differed, as listed below: * Series 1 – The teams take turns providing one answer to a question at a time and attempting to score as few points as possible. The lower-scoring team from the elimination rounds chooses one of two categories to be played. Each team is given an equal number of turns; if at least one team has exceeded 100 at the end of a pass, the round ends and the lower-scoring team wins. * Series 2 to 5 – Both teams compete in a multi-question best-of contest; best-of-five in Series 2 and best-of-three from Series 3. Each team must give an answer to a question and once both have done so, the lower score of the two wins the question and earns that team a point. Each question will usually have a minimum of four answers to choose from and the order of play is that the team who acquired the fewest points in the elimination rounds gets to answer first on the first question. * As of Series 6 – Both teams compete in a multi-question best-of-three contest; while the format is the same since Series 3, all questions have five answers with each team choosing one. Questions follow one of three formats: Picture Board (occasionally using sound cues or with some letters of the correct answer filled in); Clues and Answers; or answers that have been scrambled/anagrammed or had some of their letters removed. Both teams may choose the same item if the second team to play believes that the first has answered incorrectly. The second team is invited to fill in as many missing answers as they can before choosing one.
Midway through Series 23, a new round was added to give the contestants more opportunities to increase the jackpot. It is played between the second elimination round and the head-to-head and is similar to the previously retired "Possible Answers" format. The contestants are shown a question and six possible answers - two of which are pointless while two are incorrect, often with a tangential or humorous link to the question. Each pair may offer one answer with no risk of elimination and all four contestants may confer with one another if desired. Any chosen pointless answers add £250 to the jackpot.
===Final=== The last remaining team receives a pair of trophies to keep regardless of what happens in the Final and now attempts to win the game's jackpot. The team chooses one category from a list, whereupon the host reads a series of questions associated with it that have multiple correct answers (e.g. characters in the play ''King Lear'' or films starring Emily Watson). The contestants may take up to 60 seconds to discuss the questions, after which they must jointly give three answers. If any individual answer is pointless, the team wins the jackpot; otherwise it rolls over to the next episode.
Originally, contestants could choose from one of three categories, with unused ones remaining in the list for five days or until they were selected, and had to provide answers to a single question within the chosen category. This format was used between Series 1 and Series 5. The number of available categories was increased to five at the start of Series 6, then reduced to four in Series 9. By the start of the second half of Series 9, the round was modified to require the contestants to provide answers to any or all of three questions connected to their chosen category. They must specify which question they are attempting with each of their three answers and can only win the jackpot if any answer is pointless for its nominated question. As of Series 29, the contestants are presented with two questions in their chosen category and can win an additional £500 by giving three pointless answers.
==''Pointless Celebrities''== Following the success of ''Pointless'' and its transfer to BBC One, the BBC commissioned a celebrity edition of the programme, entitled ''Pointless Celebrities''. Much like the main show, ''Pointless Celebrities'' has teams of two celebrities competing against each other to win the jackpot for their chosen charities and has the same gameplay as the regular show.
Unlike the regular version, the jackpot does not roll over and always starts at £2,500 with every pointless answer adding £250 to the jackpot, but this may be doubled on some occasions. £500 is donated to every team who do not win the jackpot and any money won by a team is split equally between the two charities represented by its members.
''Pointless Celebrities'' was broadcast within a prime-time slot on Saturday nights and featured some differences in how the game worked. Celebrities were allowed to return in more than one episode with the same partner or a different partner and episodes tended to have a theme in regards to the celebrity contestants that took part – for example, a celebrity edition aired in December 2015 consisted of celebrities who were made famous on reality television shows like ''Big Brother'' and ''Made in Chelsea''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06tgyd1 |title=Pointless Celebrities, Series 8, Reality TV |publisher=BBC |access-date=28 January 2016 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410185506/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06tgyd1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some editions of the show end with a guest performance.
''Pointless Celebrities'' was axed in 2022, at the same time as Osman had announced he was ceasing his involvement in the show.<ref>https://x.com/richardosman/status/2060333259431551048</ref> However, the news confirming the show would not be renewed was only revealed after a four-year backlog of episodes had been exhausted, this news being revealed on 28 May 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/pointlesscelebrities-bbcaxedrep1|title=BBC CALLS TIME ON POINTLESS CELEBRITIES, DAYTIME SERIES TO CONTINUE|first=T. V.|last=Zone|date=28 May 2026|website=TV Zone UK}}</ref>
===Kelvin MacKenzie controversy=== Following a news-themed edition of ''Pointless Celebrities'' which aired on 27 October 2014, several fans criticised the presence of former ''The Sun'' editor Kelvin MacKenzie, who was responsible for the newspaper's infamous front-page report concerning the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Osman responded to this criticism with at least twenty comments on Twitter, stating that he had not known MacKenzie would appear until "about an hour before" recording, and that he had "strongly argued against it".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/pointless-host-richard-osman-apologises-8006447 |title=Pointless host Richard Osman apologises to viewers for Kelvin Mackenzie's appearance on the show |work=Liverpool Echo |date=27 October 2014 |access-date=24 January 2015 |author=Morgan, Georgia |archive-date=28 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128134020/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/pointless-host-richard-osman-apologises-8006447 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10-27/richard-osman-was-not-happy-about-kelvin-mackenzies-appearance-on-pointless-celebrities |title=Richard Osman was not happy about Kelvin Mackenzie's appearance on Pointless Celebrities... |work=Radio Times |publisher=Immediate Media Company |date=27 October 2014 |access-date=24 January 2015 |author=Lazarus, Susanna |archive-date=7 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107145754/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10-27/richard-osman-was-not-happy-about-kelvin-mackenzies-appearance-on-pointless-celebrities |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/screenwriter/2014/10/26/pointlessgate-isnt-really-a-scandal/ |title=PointlessGate isn't really a scandal |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=26 October 2014 |access-date=24 January 2015 |author=Clarke, Donald |archive-date=28 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128112033/http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/screenwriter/2014/10/26/pointlessgate-isnt-really-a-scandal/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Transmissions== ===Regular=== {{sticky header}} {{Table alignment}} {| class="wikitable sticky-header col1center col2right col3right col4center col5left defaultleft" |- ! Series !! Start date !! End date !! Episodes !! Notes |- | '''1''' || 24 August 2009 || 6 October 2009 || rowspan="2" | 30 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 1 took breaks on: 31{{nbsp}}August and 10{{nbsp}}September. |- | '''2''' || 8 March 2010 || 16 April 2010 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 2 did not take any breaks. |- | '''3''' || 30 August 2010 || 22 December 2010 || 50 || style="text-align:left;"| Episode 50 was a celebrity special.<br/>Series 3 took breaks on: 4 to 14{{nbsp}}October and 22{{nbsp}}November to 21{{nbsp}}December. |- | '''4''' || 14 March 2011 || 26 August 2011 || rowspan="2" | 60 || style="text-align:left;"| This was the first series to be broadcast on BBC One.<br/>Series 4 took a breaks from 18{{nbsp}}April to 8{{nbsp}}July. |- | '''5''' || 29 August 2011 || 6 February 2012 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 5 took a break from 17{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2011 to 2{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2012. |- | '''6''' || 13 February 2012 || 24 August 2012 || rowspan="2" | 70 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 6 took breaks on: 23{{nbsp}}March (pre{{nbh}}empted for Sport Relief), 2 to 27{{nbsp}}April, 3{{nbsp}}May (an election day in the UK), and 4{{nbsp}}June to 10{{nbsp}}August. |- | '''7''' || 29 August 2012 || 5 December 2012 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 7 aired without breaks, but on 16{{nbsp}}November a Children in Need special with celebrities was aired.<br/>In episode 60 a couple's answer was considered as incorrect even though their answer could be classified as a synonym of the correct answer. As a result, the BBC did not repeat this episode in 2014 and jumped from episode 59 to 61 without any announcement. However, as a massive jackpot of £20,250 was won in episode 60, viewers noticed the missing episode immediately and the BBC received more than 1,000 complaints.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson|first=Dom |date=20 August 2014 |title=Pointless – the missing £20250 jackpot episode! |url=https://dvd-fever.co.uk/pointless-the-missing-20250-jackpot/ |work=DVD Fever}}</ref> |- | '''8''' || 2 January 2013 || 2 April 2013 || 65 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 8 did not take any breaks. This series featured the episode where the highest jackpot was won (£24,750). At the time, there was only one category for the final round. This was changed to three categories the contestants could pick from shortly after this series aired.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Russell|first=Sam |date=25 May 2020 |title=Less than zero: how Pointless's tweaked finale made fools of us all |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/may/25/jump-the-shark-pointless |work=The Guardian}}</ref> |- | '''9''' || 3 April 2013 || 25{{nbsp}}September{{nbsp}}2013 || 55 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 9 took breaks on: 29{{nbsp}}April to 24{{nbsp}}May and 24{{nbsp}}June to 30{{nbsp}}August. |- | '''10''' || 26{{nbsp}}September{{nbsp}}2013 || 19 March 2014 || 70 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 10 took breaks on: 7 to 25{{nbsp}}October, 2{{nbsp}}December{{nbsp}}2013 to 3{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2014 and 3 to 21{{nbsp}}February{{nbsp}}2014. |- | '''11''' || 20 March 2014 || 29 September 2014 || rowspan="2" | 55 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 11 took breaks on: 21{{nbsp}}April to 23{{nbsp}}May and 19{{nbsp}}June to 5{{nbsp}}September. |- | '''12''' || 28 October 2014 || 25 February 2015 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 12 took a break from 20{{nbsp}}November{{nbsp}}2014 to 2{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2015. |- | '''13''' || 23 March 2015 || 28 July 2015 || 51 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 13 took breaks on: 13{{nbsp}}April to 3{{nbsp}}May, 25{{nbsp}}May to 11{{nbsp}}June, and 25{{nbsp}}June to 10{{nbsp}}July. |- | '''14''' || 29 July 2015 || 29 February 2016 || rowspan="15" | 55 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 14 took breaks on: 3{{nbsp}}August to 4{{nbsp}}September{{nbsp}}2015, 30{{nbsp}}September to 23{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2015, 17{{nbsp}}November{{nbsp}}2015 to 1{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2016, and 27{{nbsp}}January to 26{{nbsp}}February{{nbsp}}2016. |- | '''15''' || 1 March 2016 || 20 September 2016 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 15 took breaks on: 21{{nbsp}}March to 19{{nbsp}}April and 24{{nbsp}}May to 26{{nbsp}}August. Due to that second break, one episode with a terminally ill contestant was postponed until September. Upon hearing the contestant would not live long enough to see the episode, the show sent her a DVD with the episode.<ref>{{cite news |title=Contestant on TV gameshow Pointless watches episode before she dies |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/14747701.contestant-on-tv-gameshow-pointless-watches-episode-before-she-dies/ |work=Glasgow Times |date=16 September 2016 |access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref> |- | '''16''' || 24 October 2016 || 15 March 2017 || style="text-align:left;"| Episode 36 marked the 1000th episode of Pointless. For this occasion, Armstrong and Osman swapped roles.<br/>Series 16 took breaks on: 21{{nbsp}}November to 9{{nbsp}}December, 15 to 28{{nbsp}}December 2016, and 24{{nbsp}}January to 23{{nbsp}}February{{nbsp}}2017. |- | '''17''' || 19 April 2017 || 29 September 2017 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 17 took a break from 7{{nbsp}}June to 1{{nbsp}}September. |- | '''18''' || 2 October 2017 || 12 February 2018 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 18 took a break from 6{{nbsp}}November{{nbsp}}2017 to 1{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2018. |- | '''19''' || 2 April 2018 || 15 June 2018 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 19 did not take any breaks. |- | '''20''' || 19 June 2018 || 25 January 2019 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 20 took breaks on: 20{{nbsp}}June to 31{{nbsp}}August, 19{{nbsp}}October to 27{{nbsp}}December{{nbsp}}2018 and on 1{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2019. |- | '''21''' || 28 January 2019 || 29 May 2019 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 21 took a break from 13{{nbsp}}February to 29{{nbsp}}March. |- | '''22''' || 2 September 2019 || 6 April 2020 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 22 took breaks on: 16{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2019 to 1{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2020 and 27{{nbsp}}January to 27{{nbsp}}March. |- | '''23''' || 7 April 2020 || 6 October 2020 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 23 took breaks on: 20{{nbsp}}April to 25{{nbsp}}June and 30{{nbsp}}July to 4{{nbsp}}September. |- | '''24''' || 7 October 2020 || 22 February 2021 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 24 took a break from 3{{nbsp}}November{{nbsp}}2020 to 1{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2021. |- | '''25''' || 6 April 2021 || 20 July 2021 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 25 took a break from 14{{nbsp}}June to 9{{nbsp}}July. |- | '''26''' || 21 July 2021 || 14 March 2022 || style="text-align:left;"| Series 26 took breaks on: 26{{nbsp}}July to 3{{nbsp}}September{{nbsp}}2021, 28{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2021 to 3{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2022, and 20{{nbsp}}January to 11{{nbsp}}March. |- | '''27''' || 15 March 2022 || 20 July 2022 || style="text-align:left;"| This was the final series with Richard Osman as co{{nbh}}host.<br/>Series 27 took breaks on: 18{{nbsp}}April to 20{{nbsp}}May and 27{{nbsp}}June to 11{{nbsp}}July. |- | '''28''' || 20 September 2022 || 21 February 2023 || style="text-align:left;"| This series started later than originally planned due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. This was the first series without Richard Osman and instead featured guest co{{nbh}}hosts, starting with Sally Lindsay (episodes 1{{nbnd}}11) Other co{{nbh}}hosts: Stephen Mangan (12{{nbnd}}22), Lauren Laverne (23{{nbnd}}33), Konnie Huq (34{{nbnd}}44), Alex Brooker (45{{nbnd}}55).<br/>Series 28 took a break from 4{{nbsp}}November{{nbsp}}2022 to 23{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2023. |- | '''29''' || 3 April 2023 || 30 August 2023 || 54 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Ed Gamble (1{{nbnd}}10), Rose Matafeo (11{{nbnd}}21), Ria Lina (22{{nbnd}}32), Lucy Porter (33{{nbnd}}43), Gyles Brandreth (44{{nbnd}}54).<br/>Series 29 took breaks on: 8 to 26{{nbsp}}May and 7{{nbsp}}June to 31{{nbsp}}July. |- | '''30''' || 31 August 2023 || 2 April 2024 || 55 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Stephen Mangan (1{{nbnd}}4), Konnie Huq (5{{nbnd}}8), Ria Lina (9{{nbnd}}12), Nish Kumar (13{{nbnd}}23), Andi Oliver (24{{nbnd}}34), Sally Phillips (35{{nbnd}}45), Vick Hope (46{{nbnd}}55).<br/>Series 30 took breaks on: 15{{nbsp}}September to 27{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2023, 27{{nbsp}}November{{nbsp}}2023 to 5{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2024, and 7{{nbsp}}February to 29{{nbsp}}March. |- | '''31''' || 3 April 2024 || 28 August 2024 || 48 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Hugh Dennis (1{{nbnd}}11), Anita Rani (12{{nbnd}}22), Gabby Logan (23{{nbnd}}33), Josh Widdicombe (34{{nbnd}}44), and Desiree Burch (45{{nbnd}}48).<br/>Series 31 took a break from 29{{nbsp}}May to 19{{nbsp}}August. |- | '''32''' || 29 August 2024 || 4 February 2025 || 49 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Desiree Burch (1{{nbnd}}7), Chris Ramsey (8{{nbnd}}18), Gok Wan (19{{nbnd}}29), Rob Rinder (30{{nbnd}}40), and Ellie Taylor (41{{nbnd}}49).<br/>Series 32 took a break from 7{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2024 to 6{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2025. |- | '''33''' || 5 February 2025 || 19 September 2025 || 48 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Ellie Taylor (1{{nbnd}}2), Liza Tarbuck (3{{nbnd}}13), Phil Wang (14{{nbnd}}24), Mel Giedroyc (25{{nbnd}}35), Anita Rani (36{{nbnd}}39), Ria Lina (40{{nbnd}}43), and Stephen Mangan (44{{nbnd}}48).<br/>Series 33 took breaks on: 22{{nbsp}}February to 24{{nbsp}}March and from 29{{nbsp}}April to 5{{nbsp}}September.<br/>Series 33 had 48 episodes (not 55 as originally scheduled) and series 34 episode 1 followed directly after series 33 episode 48.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pointless: series 33 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0027ntj#:~:text=Episode%2048,All%20available%20episodes%20(48%20total) |website=BBC |access-date=25 September 2025 |archive-date=20 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250920121124/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0027ntj |url-status=live}}</ref> |- | '''34''' || 22 September 2025 || 7 April 2026 || 46 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Angela Rippon (1{{nbnd}}11), Trevor Nelson (12{{nbnd}}22), Judi Love (23{{nbnd}}33), Gethin Jones (34{{nbnd}}44), and Tom Allen (45{{nbnd}}46).<br/>Series 34 took breaks on: 27{{nbsp}}October{{nbsp}}2025 to 5{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2026, from 19{{nbsp}}January to 5{{nbsp}}February, and from 18{{nbsp}}February to 2{{nbsp}}April. |- | '''35''' || 8 April 2026 || style="text-align:center;"| TBA || 47 || style="text-align:left;"| Co{{nbh}}hosts: Tom Allen (1{{nbnd}}9), Angela Scanlon (10{{nbnd}}24), and Susan Wokoma (from episode 25).<br/>Series 35 is taking a break from 25{{nbsp}}May. |- |}
====Co-hosts==== :Up to series 35 episode 33 on 22 May 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title=Last published episode |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002wm6q |work=BBC |date=5 May 2026 |access-date=5 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="DoG_2025" /><ref name="dvd-fever_2025" /> {{sticky header}} :{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style="text-align:center" ! | Co-Host ! | Episodes ! | {{tooltip|S 28|Series 28}} ! | {{tooltip|S 29|Series 29}} ! | {{tooltip|S 30|Series 30}} ! | {{tooltip|S 31|Series 31}} ! | {{tooltip|S 32|Series 32}} ! | {{tooltip|S 33|Series 33}} ! | {{tooltip|S 34|Series 34}} ! | {{tooltip|S 35|Series 35}} |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Lindsay, Sally"| Sally Lindsay | 11 || 11 || || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Mangan, Stephen"| Stephen Mangan | 20 || 11 || || 4 || || || 5 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Laverne, Lauren"| Lauren Laverne | 11 || 11 || || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Huq, Konnie"| Konnie Huq | 15 || 11 || || 4 || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Brooker, Alex"| Alex Brooker | 11 || 11 || || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Gamble, Ed"| Ed Gamble | 10 || || 10 || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Matafeo, Rose"| Rose Matafeo | 11 || || 11 || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Lina, Ria"| Ria Lina | 19 || || 11 || 4 || || || 4 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Porter, Lucy"| Lucy Porter | 11 || || 11 || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Brandreth, Gyles"| Gyles Brandreth | 11 || || 11 || || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Kumar, Nish"| Nish Kumar | 11 || || || 11 || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Oliver, Andi"| Andi Oliver | 11 || || || 11 || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Phillips, Sally"| Sally Phillips | 11 || || || 11 || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Hope, Vick"| Vick Hope | 10 || || || 10 || || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Dennis, Hugh"| Hugh Dennis | 11 || || || || 11 || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Rani, Anita"| Anita Rani | 15 || || || || 11 || || 4 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Logan, Gabby"| Gabby Logan | 11 || || || || 11 || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Widdicombe, Josh"| Josh Widdicombe | 11 || || || || 11 || || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Burch, Desiree"| Desiree Burch | 11 || || || || 4 || 7 || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Ramsey, Chris"| Chris Ramsey | 11 || || || || || 11 || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Wan, Gok"| Gok Wan | 11 || || || || || 11 || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Rinder, Rob"| Rob Rinder | 11 || || || || || 11 || || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Taylor, Ellie"| Ellie Taylor | 11 || || || || || 9 || 2 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Tarbuck, Liza"| Liza Tarbuck | 11 || || || || || || 11 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Wang, Phil"| Phil Wang | 11 || || || || || || 11 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Giedroyc, Mel"| Mel Giedroyc | 11 || || || || || || 11 || || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Rippon, Angela"| Angela Rippon | 11 || || || || || || || 11 || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Nelson, Trevor"| Trevor Nelson | 11 || || || || || || || 11 || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Love, Judi"| Judi Love | 11 || || || || || || || 11 || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Jones, Gethin"| Gethin Jones | 11 || || || || || || || 11 || |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Allen, Tom"| Tom Allen | 11 || || || || || || || 2 || 9 |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Scanlon, Angela"| Angela Scanlon | 15 || || || || || || || || 15 |- | style="text-align:left;" data-sort-value="Wokoma, Susan"| Susan Wokoma | 9 || || || || || || || || 9 |- |- class=sortbottom | style="background:#e6e6f2; text-align:right;"| '''Total''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''388''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''55''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''54''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''55''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''48''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''49''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''48''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''46''' | style="background:#e6e6f2;"| '''33''' |- |}
===Celebrity=== {{sticky header}} {{Table alignment}} {| class="wikitable sticky-header col1center col2right col3right col4center col5left defaultleft" |- ! Series !! Start date !! End date !! Episodes !! Notes |- | '''1''' || 4 July 2011 || 8 July 2011 || 5 || style="text-align:left;"| Daily at 5:15 pm. Series 1 did not take any breaks. |- | '''2''' || 25 February 2012 || 16 June 2012 || 8 || style="text-align:left;"| On selected dates across four months. |- | '''3''' || 20 October 2012 || 27 December 2012 || 10 || style="text-align:left;"| Weekly on Saturday evenings at 5:40. Episode 9 was first broadcast on a Thursday due to Christmas schedules. |- | '''4''' || 16 February 2013 || 7 September 2013 || 6 || style="text-align:left;"| On selected dates. Episodes 1 to 5 were specials with contestants from a specific field: sports, Doctor Who, sitcoms, radio and top chefs. |- | '''5''' || 26 October 2013 || 30 November 2013 || 10 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times.<br>In the first episode of this series, Richard Osman set a new Guinness World Record by naming at least 30 countries, identified by their capital cities in 60 seconds. |- | '''6''' || 21{{nbsp}}December{{nbsp}}2013 || 3 January 2015 || 32 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. The series took a break midway through. |- | '''7''' || 11 April 2015 || 26{{nbsp}}September{{nbsp}}2015 || 7 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''8''' || 29 August 2015 || 30 January 2016 || 18 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''9''' || 9 January 2016 || 3 September 2016 || 8 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''10''' || 14 May 2016 || 31 March 2018 || 45 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''11''' || 23 December 2017 || 1 June 2019 || 39 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''12''' || 31 August 2019 || 14 March 2020 || 23 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''13''' || 25 April 2020 || 5 June 2021 || 31 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''14''' || 23 December 2020 || 22 December 2021 || 32 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. |- | '''15''' || 2 April 2022 || 5 August 2023 || 31 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. The first episode was brought forward in tribute to the recently deceased Tom Parker from The Wanted, with the blessing of Parker's family.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tom-parker-pointless-episode_uk_62495bbde4b098174501f5a7 |title=Tom Parker's Emotional Pointless Episode Moves Viewers To Tears |work=Huffington Post |date=3 April 2022 |access-date=3 March 2025 |first=Matt |last=Bagwell}}</ref> |- | '''16''' || 26 November 2022 || 20 April 2024 || 20 || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. First series recorded without the dividers between celebrities after COVID restrictions. Apart from the 26 November episode (BBC Centenary Special) and the 2022 Christmas special, all other episodes aired in 2023 and 2024. |- | '''17''' || 11 March 2023 || | 16 August 2025<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ddvm</ref> || 22<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d09p5/episodes/guide</ref> || style="text-align:left;"| On Saturdays at selected times. The only episodes to have aired in 2023 were 'Comedy' (11{{nbsp}}March) and "Eurovision 2023" (13{{nbsp}}May, before the Eurovision final). Only two new episodes aired in 2024 (27{{nbsp}}April and 4{{nbsp}}May{{nbsp}}2024). The 17th series continued on 4{{nbsp}}January{{nbsp}}2025 (episode 5: Sports Special). This series also featured the 2000th episode of Pointless, which included "the special contestant line up; they are all the greatest players of all time."<ref>{{cite web |title=Pointless Celebrities |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0lsq7lh |website=BBC |date=28 July 2025 |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref> |- |}
===''Pointless Celebrities'': Daytime=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Series !! Start date !! End date !! Episodes !! Notes |- | '''1''' || 10{{nbsp}}December{{nbsp}}2012 || 21{{nbsp}}December{{nbsp}}2012 || 10 || style="text-align:left;"| Ten episodes with celebrities shown at the time of regular ''Pointless'' (weekdays at 5:15 pm). Made for the Christmas season of 2012. |}
===Specials=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Title !! First Broadcast |- | 500th Episode || 6 June 2013 |- | 1,000th Episode || 16 January 2017 |- | "The Good, the Bad and the Bloopers" || 23 March 2019 |- | 2,000th Episode || 2 August 2025 |}
==Broadcast and ratings== Series 1 aired on BBC Two between August and October 2009 with the corporation announcing on the day of the final episode's broadcast that it had commissioned Series 2. The series' audience had peaked at 1.69 million viewers; 17.2% of audience share for the timeslot,<ref name="recomm"><!-- cite press release -->[https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/10_october/06/pointless.shtml BBC Daytime re-commissions Pointless] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204001449/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/10_october/06/pointless.shtml |date=4 December 2017 }} BBC Press Office.</ref> while averaging around 1 million viewers per episode.<ref name="guardian500"/> Series 2 saw audiences grow modestly; the format was tweaked prior to the start of Series 3, reducing the number of rounds and giving more time for banter between the hosts which had previously been edited out.<ref name="guardian500"/> The change saw strong viewer growth and the show was moved to the BBC's main channel BBC One in 2011.<ref name="guardian500" /><ref name="tele500">{{cite web |author=TV and Radio |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10101870/Pointless-it-may-be-but-Alexander-Armstrongs-gameshow-is-certainly-addictive.html |title=Pointless it may be, but Alexander Armstrong's gameshow is certainly addictive |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=6 June 2013 |access-date=6 June 2013 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=6 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606172722/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10101870/Pointless-it-may-be-but-Alexander-Armstrongs-gameshow-is-certainly-addictive.html |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2013, the programme was recording four episodes in one day<ref>{{cite web |last=Graham |first=Alison |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-06-10/pointless-star-richard-osman-on-the-show-that-made-him-a-tv-heart-throb |title=Pointless star Richard Osman on the show that made him a TV heart-throb |work=Radio Times |date=10 June 2013 |access-date=24 January 2014 |archive-date=19 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919125829/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-06-10/pointless-star-richard-osman-on-the-show-that-made-him-a-tv-heart-throb/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and averaged 3.6 million viewers daily, gaining more viewers than ITV game show ''The Chase'', which airs in roughly the same time slot.<ref name="tele500"/>
In February 2014, ''Pointless'' was extended for another 204 episodes, giving three more series, taking the total commissioned to 13 in February 2014. A further 24 Celebrity Specials were also ordered.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a550644/pointless-gets-204-more-episodes-24-celeb-specials-on-bbc-one.html |title=Pointless gets 204 more episodes, 24 celeb specials on BBC One |first=Morgan |last=Jeffery |date=12 February 2014 |work=Digital Spy |access-date=13 March 2015 |archive-date=4 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704012715/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a550644/pointless-gets-204-more-episodes-24-celeb-specials-on-bbc-one.html |url-status=live }}</ref> For the 1,000th episode, Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman traded host and assistant duties and four previous couples who had distinguished themselves in various ways were invited to compete again. The jackpot for this episode began at £2,500 (the usual starting value for ''Pointless Celebrities'') and every pointless answer during the main game added £1,000 to it. On 23 February 2016, it was announced that the show had been recommissioned by the BBC to make 165 more Regular daytime editions along with 45 prime-time Celebrity Specials taking ''Pointless'' to the end of 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/23/pointless-to-hit-the-1000-episode-mark-as-bbc-signs-deal-for-over-200-more-shows-5713442/ |title=Pointless to hit 1,000 episodes as BBC signs deal for over 200 more shows – Metro News |author=Caroline Westbrook |date=23 February 2016 |work=Metro |access-date=24 February 2016 |archive-date=26 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226213744/http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/23/pointless-to-hit-the-1000-episode-mark-as-bbc-signs-deal-for-over-200-more-shows-5713442/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="jessdenham">{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/pointless-to-cross-1000-episode-milestone-as-bbc-orders-hundreds-more-a6891131.html |title=Pointless to break 1000 episode milestone as BBC orders hundreds more |author=Jess Denham |date=23 February 2016 |work=The Independent |access-date=8 September 2017 |archive-date=15 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915204451/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/pointless-to-cross-1000-episode-milestone-as-bbc-orders-hundreds-more-a6891131.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 4 September 2017, it was announced that the BBC had commissioned a further 204 episodes including 165 Regular and 39 Celebrity Specials.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/pointless-fans-rejoice-bbc-quiz-recommissioned-for-204-more-episodes/ |title=Pointless fans, rejoice! BBC quiz recommissioned for 204 more episodes |last=Ling |first=Thomas |date=4 September 2017 |website=Radio Times |access-date=25 September 2017 |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423003447/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/pointless-fans-rejoice-bbc-quiz-recommissioned-for-204-more-episodes/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
With the start of Series 11 of ''Pointless Celebrities'', the show's set design was changed with some new graphics and an updated intro replaced the one used since the show's debut; this extended to Series 19 of Regular ''Pointless''.
==International broadcast== In Australia, ''Pointless'' has aired on both BBC UKTV (series 10 and 11) and ABC (series 9–11).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/pointless/ |title=Pointless |website=ABC Television |access-date=6 May 2017 |archive-date=16 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516113651/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/pointless/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Knox |first=David |date=14 November 2015 |title=ABC: Summer highlights |url=http://tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/abc-summer-highlights-3.html |newspaper=TV Tonight |access-date=16 February 2016 |archive-date=23 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223053012/http://tvtonight.com.au/2015/11/abc-summer-highlights-3.html |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 28 May 2025, it is aired on the Nine Network at 2pm Weekdays
In South Africa, Pointless airs on BBC BRIT on the African satellite television provider, DStv.
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Award !! Category !! Result |- | rowspan="2"| 2012 || National Television Awards || Comedy Panel Show || {{Longlisted}} |- | TV Choice Awards || Best Daytime Show || {{nom}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a405010/tvchoice-awards-2012-the-winners-in-full.html#~p2jovmMzCHp9qH |title=TVChoice Awards 2012: The winners – In full |work=Digital Spy |date=10 September 2012 |access-date=24 January 2015 |author=Daniels, Colin |archive-date=12 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912002310/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a405010/tvchoice-awards-2012-the-winners-in-full.html#~p2jovmMzCHp9qH |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | 2013 || rowspan="3" | National Television Awards || rowspan="3" | Most Popular Daytime Programme{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} || {{Longlisted}} |- | 2014 || {{nom}} |- | rowspan="2"| 2015 || {{nom}} |- | The Television and Radio Industries Club Awards || Daytime Programme || {{won}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tric.org.uk/2015awardswinners.php |title=TRIC – The Television and Radio Industries Club – 2015 TRIC Awards Winners |publisher=Television and Radio Industries Club |access-date=26 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811214312/http://www.tric.org.uk/2015awardswinners.php |archive-date=11 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 2016 || National Television Awards || Most Popular Daytime Programme || {{nom}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/01/21/the-chase-stars-mark-labbett-and-anne-hegerty-discuss-their-ntas-win-twitter-reactions-and-pointless-rivalry-5636444/ |title=The Chase's Mark Labbett and Anne Hegerty talk NTA wins and Pointless rivalry |last=Lindsay |first=Duncan |date=21 January 2016 |work=Metro |access-date=26 February 2016 |archive-date=23 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223122557/http://metro.co.uk/2016/01/21/the-chase-stars-mark-labbett-and-anne-hegerty-discuss-their-ntas-win-twitter-reactions-and-pointless-rivalry-5636444/ |url-status=live}}</ref> |}
==International versions== '''Legend:''' {{color box|lightgreen|border=darkgray}} Currently airing<ref>{{cite news |title=Vildbjerg-lærere var tæt på tv-gevinst |url=https://www.herningfolkeblad.dk/artikel/a763c819-af23-4a27-a670-e087e6b5a194/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |work=Herning Folkeblad |date=16 February 2021 |language=Danish |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411132859/https://www.herningfolkeblad.dk/artikel/a763c819-af23-4a27-a670-e087e6b5a194/ |url-status=live}}</ref> {{color box|#FFC0CB|border=darkgray}} No longer airing {| class="wikitable sortable" "background:#F8F8FF;" |- ! scope="col"|Country ! scope="col"|Local title ! scope="col"|Channel ! scope="col"|Presenter ! scope="col"|Assistant ! scope="col"|Premiere date ! scope="col"|End date |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Australia}} | ''Pointless''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/british-game-show-pointless-set-to-replace-family-feud-20180508-p4ze13.html |title=British game show Pointless set to replace Family Feud |last=Carmody |first=Broede |date=8 May 2018 |website=Canberra Times |access-date=8 May 2018 |archive-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508185714/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/british-game-show-pointless-set-to-replace-family-feud-20180508-p4ze13.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | Network Ten | Mark Humphries | Andrew Rochford | 23 July 2018 | 10 May 2019 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Czech Republic}} | ''Míň je víc!''<br />(''Less Is More!'') | ČT1 | Jan Smetana | {{n/a}} | 5 January 2015 | 17 December 2015 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Croatia}} | ''Tog se nitko nije sjetio''<br />(''No one thought of that'') | RTL | Antonija Blaće | Krešimir Sučević-Međeral | 29 April 2013 | 20 July 2015<ref>{{cite web |title=TV program |website=tvprofil.com |url=https://tvprofil.com/tvprogram/#!datum=2015-7-20&kanal=rtl |access-date=14 February 2025 |archive-date=7 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207003659/https://tvprofil.com/tvprogram/#!datum=2015-7-20&kanal=rtl |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | style="background-color:lightgreen" | {{flag|Denmark}} | ''Jo færre, jo bedre''<br />(''The fewer, the better'') | TV2 | Steen Langeberg | Marie Tangaa (2019–2025)<br>Freja Lind (2025–present) | 6 January 2019 | present |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{flag|France}} | ''Personne n'y avait pensé !''<br />(''No one had thought of it!'') | France 3 | Cyril Féraud | {{n/a}} | 16 July 2011 | 22 January 2021 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Germany}} | ''Null gewinnt''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dwdl.de/nachrichten/34437/nuhr_vertritt_gottschalk_whrend_der_sommerpause/ |title=Nuhr vertritt Gottschalk während der Sommerpause |publisher=DWDL.de |date=17 January 2012 |access-date=31 May 2013 |archive-date=5 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305180718/http://www.dwdl.de/nachrichten/34437/nuhr_vertritt_gottschalk_whrend_der_sommerpause/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br />(''Zero wins'') | Das Erste | Dieter Nuhr | Ralph Caspers | 20 July 2012 | 1 March 2013 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Italy}} | ''Zero e lode!''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raiplay.it/programmi/zeroelode/ |title=Zero e Lode! |publisher=raiplay.it |date=11 September 2017 |access-date=1 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513223907/https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/zeroelode/ |archive-date=13 May 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />(''Zero cum laude!'') | Rai 1 | Alessandro Greco | Francesco Lancia | 11 September 2017 | 1 June 2018 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|North Macedonia}} | ''Без Поени!''<br />''Bez Poeni!''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sitel.com.mk/kviz/bez-poeni |title=Bez Poeni! |date=6 March 2014 |access-date=6 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607010209/http://sitel.com.mk/kviz/bez-poeni |archive-date=7 June 2014 }}</ref><br />(''No Points!'') | Sitel | Snezana Velkov | {{n/a}} | 1 November 2014 | 7 March 2015 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Netherlands}} | ''Pointless''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avrotros.nl/pointless/home/ |title=Pointless |publisher=AVROTROS |access-date=23 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723184945/http://www.avrotros.nl/pointless/home/ |archive-date=23 July 2015 }}</ref> | NPO 1 | Lucille Werner | Owen Schumacher | 27 July 2015 | 28 August 2015 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Poland}} | ''Tylko Ty!''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvp.pl/lublin/aktualnosci/rozmaitosci/nikt-tylko-ty-nowy-teleturniej-telewizji-polskiej/13658855 |title="Nikt tylko Ty". Nowy teleturniej Telewizji Polskiej |publisher=tvp.pl |date=15 January 2014 |access-date=17 January 2014 |archive-date=19 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119121617/http://www.tvp.pl/lublin/aktualnosci/rozmaitosci/nikt-tylko-ty-nowy-teleturniej-telewizji-polskiej/13658855 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/tomasz-kammel-i-radoslaw-kotarski-poprowadza-teleturniej-tylko-ty-w-tvp2 |title=Tomasz Kammel i Radosław Kotarski poprowadza teleturniej "Tylko ty" w TVP2 |publisher=wirtualnemedia.pl |date=21 January 2014 |access-date=31 January 2014 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202112707/http://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/tomasz-kammel-i-radoslaw-kotarski-poprowadza-teleturniej-tylko-ty-w-tvp2 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />(''Only you'') | TVP2 | Tomasz Kammel | Radosław Kotarski | 27 February 2014 | 30 May 2014 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{flag|Serbia}} | ''Toga se niko nije setio''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://togasenikonijesetio.rs/ |title=Toga se niko nije setio |language=sr |publisher=togasenikonijesetio.rs |access-date=19 February 2014 |archive-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225165945/http://togasenikonijesetio.rs/ |url-status=live}}</ref><br />(''No one thought of that'') | Prva | Tamara Grujić | Dragan Ilić | 5 April 2014 | 11 May 2014 |- | style="background-color: #FFC0CB" | {{Flag|Switzerland}} | ''Weniger ist mehr''<ref>{{cite web |title=Patrick Hässig moderiert "Weniger ist mehr" – Schweiz: Promi-News, Videos und Bilder – glanz & gloria – Schweizer Fernsehen |url=http://www.glanzundgloria.sf.tv/Nachrichten/Archiv/2012/04/18/Schweiz/Patrick-Haessig-moderiert-Weniger-ist-mehr |publisher=Glanzundgloria.sf.tv |access-date=31 May 2013 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029203957/http://www.glanzundgloria.sf.tv/Nachrichten/Archiv/2012/04/18/Schweiz/Patrick-Haessig-moderiert-Weniger-ist-mehr |url-status=live |language=de}}</ref><br />(''Less is more'') | SRF1 | Patrick Hässig | {{n/a}} | 20 August 2012 | 12 September 2014 |}
An American version was set to be developed by GSN in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.c21media.net/gsn-orders-emojis-remakes-pointless/ |title=GSN Orders Emojis, Remakes Pointless |date=15 March 2017 |access-date=31 March 2019 |archive-date=31 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331214751/https://www.c21media.net/gsn-orders-emojis-remakes-pointless/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A pilot episode presented by Alison Sweeney with Doug Mirabello as her assistant was produced by Endemol Shine America but never aired.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anotado |first1=Cory |title=We Watched GSN's Pointless And Lived To Tell The Tale |url=http://buzzerblog.com/2021/04/14/we-watched-gsns-pointless-and-lived-to-tell-the-tale/ |access-date=17 April 2021 |publisher=Buzzer Blog |date=14 April 2021 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416172822/http://buzzerblog.com/2021/04/14/we-watched-gsns-pointless-and-lived-to-tell-the-tale/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Merchandise== ===App games=== On 26 February 2014, Endemol's in-house app-publishing division released the official ''Pointless'' app, ''Pointless'' Quiz, was released for iOS,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.endemoluk.com/news/brand-new-pointless-app-launches |title=Endemol UK – Brand new Pointless app launches |work=Endemol UK |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412063953/http://www.endemoluk.com/news/brand-new-pointless-app-launches |archive-date=12 April 2015 }}</ref> with an iPad, Android and an Amazon version released a few months later. The Pointless app features animated versions of Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman, and allows the player to tackle questions in a similar format to the TV show.
In October 2018, Vocala released an Amazon Alexa Skill based on the show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vocala.co/works/alexa-skills/pointless?id=334eff8f-639d-4bac-b83c-62c759f2b5be|title=Pointless|website=www.vocala.co}}</ref>
===Books=== Five books have been released of the show: ''The 100 Most Pointless Things in the World'', ''The 100 Most Pointless Arguments in the World'', ''The Very Pointless Quiz Book'' (not to be mistaken for ''The Pointless Book''), ''The A-Z of Pointless: A brain-teasing bumper book of questions and trivia'' and ''A Pointless History of the World''. All five were released by Coronet. In the books, Armstrong and Osman give their insight into pointless matters.
===Board games=== Three editions of the official board game have been published by University Games, as well as two mini-sized versions, each of which contains updated questions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pointless – 2023 |url=https://university-games.co.uk/products/u08612 |access-date=4 October 2023 |website=University Games |archive-date=10 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010195858/https://university-games.co.uk/products/u08612 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==In popular culture== ''Pointless'' appeared in the BBC sitcom ''Not Going Out'' (Series 7, Episode 5); Armstrong and Osman both played themselves.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/not-going-out-guest-richard-osman-if-my-kids-dont-laugh-its-lee-macks-fault-64944/ |title=Not Going Out guest Richard Osman: 'If my kids don't laugh, it's Lee Mack's fault' |last=Briant |first=Michelle |date=14 November 2014 |work=What's on TV |access-date=28 November 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201040419/http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/not-going-out-guest-richard-osman-if-my-kids-dont-laugh-its-lee-macks-fault-64944/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Pointless'' was also parodied in several sketches of the satirical show ''Newzoids'', in which a caricature of Osman interrupts people in regular situations with phrases used in the game show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiNhMcJAhT4|title=Newzoids Series 2 Ep5 – Stoptober – Richard Osman|date=30 September 2020 |via=www.youtube.com|access-date=21 April 2023|archive-date=21 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421185920/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiNhMcJAhT4|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Notes and references== ===Notes=== {{notelist}}
===References=== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|BBC|Television}} * {{BBC programme|b00rhg2r}} * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d09p5 ''Pointless Celebrities''] * {{UKGameshow|Pointless}} * {{IMDb title|1509677}}
Category:Pointless Category:2009 British television series debuts Category:2000s British game shows Category:2010s British game shows Category:2020s British game shows Category:BBC television game shows Category:English-language British television shows Category:Television series by Banijay Category:Television shows shot at Elstree Film Studios