RTE has announced that top broadcaster Claire Byrne will be the host of a new quiz show next week amid speculation she may take over as host of The Late Late Show.
Veteran Claire has plenty of experience in putting politicians and others through their paces in her radio show Today with Claire Byrne. And the new ten-part series - which is called Ireland's Smartest - starts Sunday, April 2 at 7:30pm on RTÉ One and RTE Player.
The RTE Radio One host will be putting contestants through their paces to find Ireland's Smartest. The bookies have her as favourite to take over from Ryan Tubridy after he announced he would be stepping down as host at the end of this season of the chat show.
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Claire said: "Ireland's Smartest has found the cleverest people in this country to compete in a quiz that tests their knowledge and their nerve to the limit.
"This is a completely new type of show for me, and I was left in awe of these contestants from all over Ireland who can produce correct answers to some really tricky questions under the glare of the lights, in the intensity of the studio, in front of an audience and with the clock ticking all the while. It's great fun, with lots of tension and you'll get to test yourself against the best too from the comfort of your own sofa to see who will be awarded the title of Ireland's Smartest!"
In front of an enthusiastic studio audience, three contestants compete in each show and as they progress in the tournament structure - from the Heats to the Semi-Finals to the Final - only one of them can be crowned the series champion.
Ireland’s Smartest starts with a general knowledge round followed by a category round, with a chance of a bonus point each time a contestant buzzes in early with an answer. Answering quickly or waiting to see the options makes for a game that balances speed against strategy.
The lowest-scoring contestant is eliminated before the final quickfire round, which sees the last two contestants face off in a head-to-head. This round uses a distinctive time-trial that sees the first contestant set a time that the other contestant must beat.
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