Sue Perkins and Traitors star bring classic game back to TV after 30 years
"It’s all about psychology, strategy, smart thinking, and nerves of steel."
It's been a long time coming for chess fans, but at long last the classic game is coming back to TV in a brand new competition show that will see some of the country's highest skilled players battling it out.
Under the working title Chess Masters, the BBC has announced that the series will arrive on BBC Two and iPlayer next year and will be hosted by some familiar faces.
Presenter and comedian Sue Perkins will be at the helm of the new series, with expert commentary coming from three-time British chess champion and grandmaster David Howell, as well as expert chess coach and former The Traitors star Anthony Mathurin.
Appearing in the second season of The Traitors, Anthony certainly left quite the impression on his fellow Faithfuls and Traitors, with many using his experience in the chess world as a reason to accuse him of deception.
Well, now he'll be putting his know-how to good use in this brand new role and we cannot wait.
On the announcement of the series, Perkins said: “I’m so excited to be hosting Chess Masters, where 12 talented amateurs from across Britain are pitted against one another in the world’s oldest game.
“It’s all about psychology, strategy, smart thinking, and nerves of steel. Chess that is, not my job (which usually involves the opposite). I’m there to help us understand what’s going on in the players’ heads and make sense of what’s happening on the board.
"We’ve been waiting over 30 years to see chess back on our TV screens. Chess Masters will make that wait worth while.”
As Perkins notes, it has been more than three decades since chess was part of our TV schedules, with The Master Game having aired from 1976 to 1983.
Praised for its innovation at the time, the BBC series was presented by Jeremy James and expert analysis provided by Leonard Barden, then later Bill Hartston.
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Similarly, Mathurin said of his role in the show: “I am exhilarated and incredibly excited to showcase and deep dive into the intense inner psychological battle of competitive chess with a twist of the unexpected. Let the games begin!”
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The new show will comprise eight episodes in which 12 players test their chess skills across a series of heats and knockout rounds, with one winner being crowned at the end of it all.
The series was originally commissioned at the start of 2024 but with the hosting line-up now confirmed, excitement continues to build.
Chess Masters will be coming to BBC Two and iPlayer next year.
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
