Celebrities put their problem-solving skills to the test in 5's new game show Celebrity Puzzling, which is hosted by Jeremy Vine with Sally Lindsay and Carol Vorderman as team captains.
In each episode, Sally and Carol will be paired up with star guests and will have to crack some taxing word and letter puzzles. The teasers vary from episode to episode, except for the final round, which is always the brainbusting Memory Bank, a challenge that calls to mind the old memorise-the-items-on-a-teatray parlour game!
Here, we look at when Celebrity Puzzling airs, the puzzles that feature in the series, the celebs who will be teaming up with Carol and Sally, and find out a bit more about the show from Jeremy and the team captains.
Celebrity Puzzling – release date
Celebrity Puzzling is an eight-part series. The first five episodes are being shown daily at 7pm on 5 from Monday, June 23 to Friday, June 27.
The remaining three episodes are expected to air the following week.
Celebrity Puzzling – hosts and team captains
Jeremy Vine
The journalist and TV and radio presenter is known for his daytime current affairs show on 5, simply called Jeremy Vine, and his lunchtime talk show on BBC Radio 2. He’s also known for hosting the quiz show Eggheads on BBC2 and 5.
Carol Vorderman
Carol found fame on C4’s words and numbers quiz Countdown. She appeared on the show from its first episode in 1982 until 2008, and her role involved handing the letter and number tiles that set the challenges for each round, but she’s best remembered for demonstrating her genius mathematical skills to solve the arithmetic-based puzzles.
Over the years, she has presented myriad shows including CITV’s How 2, ITV1’s Better Homes and BBC1’s Points of View. She was a presenter on the ITV1 talk show Loose Women from 2011 until 2014, and has hosted The Pride of Britain Awards on ITV1 every year since its launch in 1999.
She has also appeared as a contestant on reality shows, including Strictly Come Dancing (2004), I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! (2016) and The Great Celebrity Bake-Off (2020).
Sally Lindsay
Sally is probably best known for playing Shelley Unwin in ITV1’s Coronation Street. She played the barmaid and later landlady of the Rovers from 2001 to 2006. Some of her biggest storylines included Shelley’s bigamous marriage to Peter Barlow and an abusive and controlling relationship with Charlie Stubbs.
Her other roles have included Lisa Johnson in Sky One comedy-drama Mount Pleasant (2011–2017), Alison Bailey in ITV1’s police procedural Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), and Kath Agnew in the BBC1 sitcom Still Open All Hours (2013–2019). Since 2021, she has starred as Jean White in The Madame Blanc Mysteries on 5 (2021–present), which she also co-created and produces.
She’s also appeared as a panellist on Loose Women and was the quizmaster on Sally Lindsay's 70s Quiz Night, which aired on 5 earlier this year.
Her first TV appearance was on BBC1’s Top of the Pops as a singer in St Winifred's School Choir, after it released There's No One Quite Like Grandma in 1980 and hit the No.1 spot in the charts..
Celebrity Puzzling – star guests
In the first episode, TV presenter and 2016's Strictly champion Ore Oduba joins Carol's team while choirmaster Gareth Malone pairs up with Sally.
Getting the old grey matter working in other episodes are:
TV presenter and former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt.
Standy-up comedian and TV presenter Stephen Bailey.
Radio DJ and TV presenter Melvin Odoom.
Comedian and actor Miles Jupp.
Comedian and former star Dom Joly.
Former England field hockey player and Olympian Sam Quek.
Cold Feet actor and former Corrie star John Thomson.
Doctor, TV presenter and This Morning regular Dr Ranj Singh.
TV presenter Rav Wilding
Comedian Russell Kane
Ex England goalkeeper David James
Comedian and former Corrie star Les Dennis.
The Chase star Paul Sinha, aka The Sinnerman.
Former EastEnders star Shaun Williamson.
Celebrity Puzzling – games
Each episode features a different selection of the puzzles below, but they always end with Memory Bank as the final round.
In Other Words
Teams see the initials of two-word answers alongside synonyms for each word. They must deduce the full answer.
Thirdle
Stacks of words are shown with their third letter missing. Teams fill in the blanks to spell a vertical word.
Heat Map
A QWERTY keyboard is used to reveal letter frequencies in the answer (Yellow: 1x, Orange: 2x, Red: 3+). Teams use this info to guess the word.
Funundrum
Teams must unscramble three anagrams of increasing length. The fastest team earns bonus points.
Intervenntion
Based on Venn diagrams. Teams must give answers that fit into the overlap of two categories, shown as images or labeled sets.
Word Block
Teams fill in missing letters in a block to create two vertical and two horizontal words — all under time pressure.
Shapeshifters
Teams pick answers from a grid that fit into a specific shape (no rotation allowed). The answers relate to a given category.
Song Cypher
Similar to Cinema Cypher, but with song titles. A code hides the answer, and teams can ask for clues at a points penalty.
Cinema Cypher
Classic movie titles are hidden behind coded symbols. Teams can attempt to solve for full points or request clues (cyphers) for reduced points.
Join The Dots
Connecting lines between dots gradually animate to form a clue or image. Teams buzz in with the answer — first correct buzz wins the point.
Pathwords
Teams are shown stacks of five-letter words and must switch letters in columns to spell new words.
Memory Bank – FINAL ROUND
Teams memorise the position of 12 words hidden behind numbered tiles. They must answer trivia questions by selecting the correct numbers.
Celebrity Puzzling Q&As with Jeremy, Carol and Sally
JEREMY VINE
What made you want to host Celebrity Puzzling? Is it because you love puzzles or was it to do with seeing celebrities under pressure?
“I'm a massive puzzle fan. I also think it's a delightful format. It has a beautiful simplicity, challenging people based on their instincts instead of their quiz abilities. Rather than asking them when Henry VIII was born or the date of the Battle of Trafalgar, it's something anyone can play. It’s great to play along at home! I love the vibe of it. And yes, I like to see whether we can break a few celebrities along the way!”
You’re known for talking about and debating about politics and current affairs. How does being quizmaster compare to your other job?
“I suppose everyone at the moment is exhausted by politics. Wall-to-wall Donald Trump coverage! I don’t think he was mentioned once in Celebrity Puzzling. Not as an anagram either! It was a completely non-news environment. I think for people who despair at the way the world is going, we can offer the perfect escape: a fast car out of the real world. Join us!”
Did you know Carol and Sally before filming Celebrity Puzzling?
“I’d interviewed them before, so I knew them in that showbiz way. I’d met them, spent a bit of time with them, but didn’t really know them. This was the first time we really had some proper social time together. I’ve been talking today about my admiration for Carol,, but I also equally admire Sally Lindsay. She’s such a creative force! An actor who decided to write her own drama, and she’s made a huge hit of it. She writes in a shed in her garden! She was probably nervous about the quiz element, but then just got really into it and played so well. Carol and Sally are a formidable duo!”
Was there a sense of rivalry between Carol and Sally as they played in their teams?
“Definitely! They were constantly watching each other’s questions like hawks, detecting any signs of weakness, and generally trying to ginger up their teammates. It was a full-on medieval joust between the two of them!”
What was the atmosphere like on the set of Celebrity Puzzling?
“It was a joy to film. We were all thinking afterwards: if it’s as much fun to watch as it was to film, then we’re onto a great show! It was mainly about the joy of hanging out together. It made me think of family holidays when you’re looking for something to do with the kids for an hour or two on the beach – a pack of playing cards or portable Monopoly – you’re partly doing it to play the game, but also as an excuse to hang out. That’s what makes it such a smile all the way through. I think that puzzling, quizzing thing is just so innate to all of us. At our core is this primal desire to answer a question correctly. That’s why it was so much fun.”
CAROL VORDERMAN
How does it feel to be a team captain on Celebrity Puzzling?
“I can’t remember being a team captain before… maybe I have been, but I don’t remember! It was lovely, because when you’re just a celebrity on another show, you do one episode and that’s it. But this was great, because I love working with teams and I’ve really missed that.”
Do you do puzzles in your spare time?
“I do Sudokus every day with my brother and sister! We have a WhatsApp group and we time ourselves with three a day. They do beat me a lot at times. Sometimes I’ll try other bits and pieces, but I never do crosswords. I don’t know why. They just don’t interest me. Sudoku is really my thing.”
What’s more enjoyable, answering questions or being the quizmaster?
“I’ve hosted so many quiz shows over the years but I’d rather be a contestant, I think. I really enjoyed it because I like having that full focus. You have to concentrate, and I loved that.”
Did you know Sally and Jeremy before filming the show?
“Sally and I have known each other for years. We’re both Northerners. We started working together on Loose Women about 14 or 15 years ago, and that’s when we became friends. We have the same attitude to life, and we’ve shared a lot of fun times with mutual friends like Alan Carr and Paul O’Grady. Jeremy - I’d worked with him before but hadn’t really socialised with him much so it was really great getting to spend more time with him on this and get to know him more. I’m a big fan and he’s a good laugh.”
Was there any teammate that you particularly enjoyed working with on Celebrity Puzzling?
“Honestly, I loved working with everyone. But it was especially lovely to see Scarlett Moffatt and Sam Quek again, because we were together in the jungle [in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2016]. It was like the girls getting back together and we were just missing a campfire in the middle of the studio! Everyone was good, really. A lot of them we knew beforehand, and some have become friends since. But I just thought it was a really good pairing. Melvin Odoom was so funny. It was actually the first time I’d met Melvin - since his I’m A Celebrity stint when he had a pillowcase with my face on it during the series. He really is a special human being.”
SALLY LINDSAY
What’s it like being a team captain on Celebrity Puzzling?
“I was a little bit nervous about being a team captain on Celebrity Puzzling because I knew I’d find the puzzling itself a challenge. My strengths are really more in general knowledge, history, pop culture – so I actually surprised myself with this job. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be! The easiest rounds for me were the logic and lateral thinking ones. The pattern and memory-based puzzles were quite complicated – it really depends on how your brain works as an individual.”
We saw you not so long ago as the quizmaster on Sally Lindsay’s 70s Quiz Night. What was it like being the host instead of a team captain?
“I absolutely loved being the host. It’s such fun – and a major advantage when you know the answers!”
We’ve seen you on quizzes like Tenable and Pointless. Are you a fan of quizzes?
“It’s no secret that I love a quiz. I’ve been on them all and now I have my own! A good quiz is the full package: it’s light entertainment, drama, glitzy and ultimately, lots of fun.”
As an actor, how does it feel to be on screen as yourself rather than a character?
“I know some actors find it impossible to be themselves on camera, but since I did my first live interview back in the early 2000s, I’ve always really enjoyed that side of the business. I find it quite easy to be myself.”
What do you think viewers will make of Celebrity Puzzling?
“I think viewers will love it. It’s warm and funny, but actually quite difficult, so it’s definitely a game you can play along with at home.”
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
