Humble Quest For Universal Genius gets TV trial

Friday 6th November 2015, 2:20pm

Stand Up For The Week. Sara Pascoe. Copyright: Open Mike Productions

Matthew Crosby and Sara Pascoe are to host a TV trial of live comedy format The Humble Quest For Universal Genius.

Created by comedian Mark Allen in 2010, the "cult comedy game show" sees two comics face each other through a series of rounds to see which of them may be considered a true genius.

Taking part in the upcoming run-through for Avalon Television will be Al Murray and Matt Forde.

Producers say: "[Murray and Forde] go head-to-head in an epic battle of ingenuity, wit and skill. The aim is simple: to find a true modern-day Renaissance Man or Woman.

"From Art and Science to Languages and Mathematics we will leave no part of the contestants' brains untested. It's been 500 years since Da Vinci and Galileo. It's time to find a new Universal Genius..."

The live format's official website explains: "At this point you may be asking yourself 'What is a Universal Genius?' Well quite simply, it's someone who excels in every single facet of human understanding. They may have once been called Renaissance Men, but as the Renaissance was ages ago and women are now allowed to be clever as well, Universal Genius seems more appropriate."

In a 2012 article for British Comedy Guide, creator and live show host Mark Allen named Sara Pascoe as the "ultimate genius" in the Mathematics round, having "brought the house down at Latitude Festival as she talked us through the equation for how you know if someone is cheating on you".

The new TV format for the show will be trialled on Tuesday 24th November at The Tabernacle in Notting Hill. To apply to be in the audience see our free tickets page

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