Legendary BBC quiz show makes surprising early comeback announcement as presenter reveals schedule

The iconic BBC quiz show Only Connect has made an unexpected early comeback as host confirmed the schedule shake-up.

TV favourite Victoria Mitchell – who has been presenting the show since its beginning – took to her Twitter page to announce the news.

The presenter, 50, wrote: ‘*drumroll* Only Connect will be coming back to BBC Two on Monday July 17th! Earlier than usual this year.

‘It’s a very jolly new series; hope you enjoy it.’

The legendary quiz show began streaming back in 2008, and went on with 18 successful series.

Exciting: TV favourite Victoria Mitchell – who has been presenting the show since its beginning – took to her Twitter page to announce the thrilling news

It will come back earlier than expected this time, and fans were quick to react on the social media platform sharing their excitement.

The quiz show will cover any sort of topic, requiring a wide knowledge from contestants on both arcane subject areas as well as popular ones. 

As soon as they are presented with clues, contestants are not told the type of connection – as a crucial part of the gameplay involves understanding whether the connection is thematic, linguistic, factual or mathematical.

Earlier last month, Victoria slammed the New York Times after they created a game that looks suspiciously like a segment from the hit quiz show.

The new app ‘Connections’ shows a four-by-four grid of apparently random words that you have to bring together into four linked groups.

But it has been compared to the BBC show’s Connecting Walls – where competitors are faced with a four-by-four grid of apparently random words that they have to bring together into four linked groups.

The online game – edited by the newspaper’s Associate Puzzle Editor Wyna Liu – was launched in June and joins their fleet of successful apps, including Wordle.

But taking to social media Victoria mocked the creation, saying: ‘Do you know this has been a TV show in the UK since 2008?! 

Similar: Earlier last month Victoria has slammed the New York Times after they created a game that looks suspiciously like a segment from her hit quiz show Only Connect 

‘It’s so similar I guess you must do?’

Others rallied to support the presenter, with former contestant Kat Brown commenting: ‘Er, I was on the TV show of this game just this year. THE EIGHTEENTH SEASON of this show.’

Senior writer for Only Connect Mike Turner added: ‘If you need a hand at all, I’ve written over 750 of these for Only Connect.’

And Rob Hunt joked: ‘What are you going to invent next – the crossword?’

The famously challenging quiz show – which first aired in September 2008 – has run for 436 episodes on BBC Four and BBC Two.

Row: Victoria Coren Mitchell replied to the creator’s post, slamming the new app