Rochdale’s Eco-Warriors through to second round of Only Connect

Photo: BBC

Jonathan Kershaw, Brett Bostock and Peter Barlow - the Eco-Warriors

Rochdale team Eco-Warriors are to return to the silver screen on Friday (27 October) with the second round of BBC Two quiz show, Only Connect.

All three members of the team – Jonathan Kershaw, Brett Bostock and Peter Barlow – are ‘quiz whizzes’, and between them they have played in different leagues across the district for over 20 years, such as JW Lees Summer League, Rochdale and District Quiz League, Blue Pitts Raiders, Blue Pitts Rovers and Healey Hotel.

The trio made their Only Connect screen debut in August when they saw off competition from the Escapologists.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/111950/jonathan-kershaw-brett-bostock-and-peter-barlow-to-feature-on-only-connect-on-friday

The Eco-Warriors got off to an early lead with 10 points after the first round, before drawing in the second round with each team scoring 13 points. After round three, Eco-Warriors led the way with 23 points to their rivals’ 20, before ultimately winning with 27.

Team captain Brett, from Littleborough, is no stranger to television quiz shows, having appeared on shows like 15-1 since the mid-90s. He believes he has reached more grand finals of 15-1 over the years than any other contestant, having appeared in five.

Peter, a local government officer from Littleborough, has been quizzing for about 25 years. He has also appeared on 15-1 and Brain of Britain.

However, for Jonathan, 48, from Castleton, Only Connect marked a new experience. Previously he had sat in the audience for the recording of University Challenge: The Professionals and gone through the ‘games-test’ phase of the short-lived Britain’s Brightest with other individuals from local quiz leagues.

Previously, they had applied for the show five times and auditioned three.

Originally airing on BBC Four, Only Connect moved to BBC Two in 2014. Hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell, the show features two teams of three people competing in four rounds of tough gameplay, to find connections between seemingly unrelated clues.

Watch the Eco-Warriors take on the Snake Charmers at 8.30pm on BBC Two on Friday 27 October.