The Big Fat Quiz of the Year

''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'' is an approximately annual British television programme broadcast in the last or first week of the year on Channel 4. The show is a comedy panel game in the style of a pub quiz. Three teams of two celebrities, mostly comedians, are asked questions about the year gone by in various categories, writing answers on an electronic board in front of them. At the end of each round the answers are displayed and points awarded.

The first edition was broadcast in December 2004. There has been another at around the end of each year, as well as a special edition in November 2007 for Channel 4's 25th anniversary celebrations and three themed special editions in September 2012, to celebrate Channel 4's first three decades. A second set of 'decades' editions screened in September 2013 as well as a 10th-anniversary special in January 2015; and a ''Big Fat Quiz of Everything'' in January 2016, followed by a series of three episodes in August 2016. Repeats can usually be found days later on Channel 4's sister channel E4 and/or 4seven. Stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr has been the host and quizmaster of each edition to date. Channel 4 has made full episodes of ''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'' available to view on All 4.

Editions

''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year''

2004

The first ''Big Fat Quiz'' was broadcast on 27 December 2004. Louis Walsh, Nadia Almada and Dame Kelly Holmes all made live appearances to read out the answers for the months of March, June and August respectively. Recorded questions from Bono, Derren Brown and The Bear from '' Bo' Selecta!'' were shown too along with films of Richard and Judy discussing events. The children of Mitchell Brook Primary School in Neasden acted out news stories that happened throughout the year, such as Ricky Gervais winning two Golden Globe Awards for '' The Office'' and the Momart fire.

2005

Guest questioners in the studio included Jordan & Peter Andre and David Tennant. There were also recorded questions by several celebrities including Richard and Judy, Charlotte Church, Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Derren Brown and Kevin Pietersen. The mystery guests were Walter Wolfgang and a woman genuinely named Sue Doku. This year's quiz saw the debut of Jon Snow giving fake news stories based on song lyrics, with "I Predict A Riot" and " Crazy Chick". The children of Mitchell Brook Primary School acted out the birth of David and Victoria Beckham's third child and Jacques Chirac insulting British food on the eve of the G8 Summit.

2006

In 2006, the show was broadcast on 27 December. Guest questioners in the studio included Boy George, Myleene Klass and Matt Willis. The mystery guest was Guy Goma, famous for mistakenly appearing as a guest on BBC News 24. Pre-recorded questions were asked by Lily Allen, Carol Vorderman, Courtney Love, Girls Aloud, and Sacha Baron Cohen (in character as Borat). Channel 4 News reporter Jon Snow returned to give fake news reports about songs of the year, reporting on "Patience" and "America". The children of Mitchell Brook Primary School acted out The Da Vinci Code plagiarism claim and parents rebelling against Jamie Oliver's school dinners campaign. Ian McKellen gave dramatized readings from the autobiographies of Jade Goody and Kerry Katona.

Russell Brand and Noel Fielding spent much of the show giving deliberately wrong – and surreal – answers, leaving them trailing far behind the other two teams. This was until towards the end when Jimmy Carr bowed to the pressure of the studio audience and gave them 22 points for answering one question correctly, which was the amount needed to bring them back into contention at the time and ensuring that they subsequently won the quiz. This led Walliams and Brydon, who came last as a result, to exaggerate their chagrin at the turn of events that had seen Brand and Fielding emerge on top.

During a discussion about the Bob Skeleton event at that year's Winter Olympics, the suggestion arose that a character with that name could be the star of Brand and Fielding's next show together. The pair subsequently became known as the ''Goth Detectives'' (opposed to their original name, which arose from a joke Jimmy Carr made about their supposed parentage), which was suggested for the show's title. Though it began as a joke, the pair eventually performed a ''Goth Detectives'' sketch for the Teenage Cancer Trust event at the Royal Albert Hall on 28 March 2007.

2007

The 2007 show aired on 30 December 2007. Guest questioners in the studio were Christopher Biggins, Cerys Matthews and John Smeaton, a baggage handler at Glasgow Airport who helped foil a terrorist attack. Pre-recorded questions were asked by Take That, Gordon Ramsay and Thom Yorke. Jon Snow returned with a faux news report on "Umbrella". John Hurt read out extracts from the autobiographies of Peter Andre and 50 Cent. The children of Mitchell Brook Primary School returned to act out David Beckham's move to LA Galaxy and when a judge criticised ''The Jeremy Kyle Show''. Paul Croft, the man who had a tattoo of Dumbledore done on his back before J.K. Rowling announced that Dumbledore was gay, was the mystery guest.

This was the first time that Rob Brydon had been on the winning team, despite having appeared on the panel every year since the first show in 2004. Also, it was the first time (and, as of the 2018 edition, the only time) that the previous year's winning team – the Goth Detectives – had both returned to try to defend their title.

2008

''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2008'' aired on 28 December on Channel 4 at 9:00 pm.

Due to the furore caused by his and Russell Brand's infamous phone call to actor Andrew Sachs, which resulted in his three-month suspension from the BBC at the end of the year, this was the first occasion that Jonathan Ross did not appear. He also declined his customary executive producer credit. Despite ''Big Fat Quiz'' not being a BBC programme, Ross himself had thought it inappropriate to do any broadcasting work during the corporation's censure (the same reason that was given for his decision to temporarily concede hosting duties of the British Comedy Awards – broadcast on ITV – around the same time).

This was also the first year that Rob Brydon was absent, leaving host Jimmy Carr as the only regular fixture throughout the ''Big Fat Quiz of the Year''s entire run to date (although neither Brydon nor Ross had been panellists for the special Channel 4 anniversary edition).

In-studio guest questions came from ''Strictly Come Dancing'' contestants Jodie Kidd and Mark Foster, and 2008 Olympics Team GB gold medalists Christine Ohuruogu and James DeGale. Pre-recorded guest questions came from Katy Perry, the Fonejacker, Alan Carr, Sarah Silverman and Sir Alan Sugar. Jon Snow gave news reports on " That's Not My Name" and "I Kissed A Girl". John Hurt read from the autobiographies of Les Dennis and Christopher Biggins. The children from Mitchell Brook Primary School also returned acting out the divorce of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills and Jay-Z headlining that year's Glastonbury Festival.

2009

The 2009 show was recorded on 7 December and aired on 1 January 2010.

Peter Andre appeared in-studio as a guest questioner. Newsreader Jon Snow again appeared with news reports on " Poker Face" and "Bonkers" and the children of Mitchell Brook Primary School also reprised their regular slot, acting out the Parliament expenses scandal and Kanye West invading the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards. Pre-recorded guest questions came from Tim Minchin (asking a question in song about Google Street View), Sir David Attenborough, Stuart Broad, David Tennant and 50 Cent. Swansea cagefighters Daniel Lerwell and James Lilley, who successfully fended off a homophobic attack in a nightclub when they were dressed in drag for a stag night, were the mystery guests.

Ross and Brand made a number of references to the Sachsgate scandal of 2008 which occurred last time they appeared together. There was also a discussion about changing Brooker and Mitchell's team name to ''The Curmudgeons'' after they refused to dance to the Lady Gaga song " Poker Face".

Mitchell and Brooker were the eventual winners and were asked by Jimmy Carr after their victory if they wanted to do a dance. Despite pressure from the audience, they kept up their premise of not dancing.

2010

The 2010 show was recorded on 13 December and aired on 3 January 2011.

Guest questions were provided by Nicole Scherzinger, Jack Black, Simon Pegg, Russell Brand, Seth Rogen, the cast of '' Misfits'' and Will Ferrell. The children of Mitchell Brook Primary School made their annual appearance acting out news stories, which included The Stig scandal and the Icelandic volcano eruption, as did Jon Snow with his fake news report of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's "Telephone". Lola, the cat put in a wheelie bin in August by Mary Bale appeared as a mystery guest. Louie Spence posed a question in the form of a dance routine representing the story of the trapped Chilean miners.

2011

The 2011 show was recorded on 14 December and aired on 27 December 2011.

Guest questions were provided by Cee Lo Green, Michael Sheen, Tulisa, Lee Evans, Muppet drummer Animal, Rastamouse, ''Downton Abbey'' star Jim Carter, Lenny Kravitz, and Professor Brian Cox. The children of Mitchell Brook Primary School acted out the arrival of Larry the Cat at 10 Downing Street and Cheryl Cole's firing from ''The X Factor'', and Jon Snow gave his news reports on Rebecca Black's "Friday" and Jessie J's " Price Tag". "Supergran" Ann Timson, who was seen in a February 2011 viral video fending off four burglars with just her handbag, appeared as a mystery guest. ''The Only Way Is Essex'' cast members Lydia Rose Bright, Lauren Goodger, and Kirk Norcross appeared to present a question about the show.

Hart and Walliams hold the record for first team to not reach double digits and the lowest score of any team in the show's run.

David Mitchell and Eddie Izzard were that year's winners.

2012

The 2012 edition aired on 30 December 2012. The teams did not take team names.
The in-studio final bonus questions were provided by Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes Nicola Adams, Natasha Baker, Sophie Christiansen

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