Local quiz team need one more victory to reach Only Connect semi-finals

Photo: BBC

Jonathan Kershaw, Brett Bostock and Peter Barlow - the Eco-Warriors during the second round of Only Connect

A local team of masterminds will quiz another day after storming to victory in another round of notoriously difficult show, Only Connect.

The Eco-Warriors team – Jonathan Kershaw, Brett Bostock and Peter Barlow – took on the Wanderers for the coveted position of staying in the competition.

Despite losing to the Inquisitors in the previous round, the Eco-Warriors still had a shot at a place in the semi-finals, should they win two of three further games.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/116555/local-quiz-team-reach-another-round-of-only-connect

The Eco-Warriors now only need to win one more game to reach the semi-finals after ultimately taking the victory against the Wanderers with 17 points. The team got off to a strong head start with five points, before storming ahead in round two with eight. Following a particularly difficult round three, they led the way into the final round with 12 points.

Between them, the local quiz whizzes 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 2017 when they saw off competition from the Escapologists. Since then they have faced other tough opponents, such as the Snake Charmers and the Inquisitors:

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/115647/rochdale%E2%80%99s-ecowarriors-take-on-the-inquisitors-for-a-place-in-the-only-connect-quarterfinals

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/113526/rochdale%E2%80%99s-ecowarriors-through-to-second-round-of-only-connect

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

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 reached the semi-finals of 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.

You can watch the full show online on BBC iPlayer until Wednesday 4 April.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09vg8x1