Local quiz team face familiar rivals for Only Connect semi-finals

A Rochdale team of masterminds will face a familiar team of rivals for a spot in the Only Connect semi-finals.

The Eco-Warriors team – Jonathan Kershaw, Brett Bostock and Peter Barlow – are set to take on the Escapologists, a trio of familiar faces from their Only Connect debut in August 2017.

In their first face-off, the Eco-Warriors led the way with 23 points to their rivals’ 20, before ultimately winning with 27.

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

The team then saw off tough competition from the Snake Charmers in round two, before advancing to round three.

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

In round three, the Eco-Warriors defeated the Wanderers after their first loss against the Inquisitors, and the Escapologists lost by one point to the Belgophiles after their previous win against the Detectives.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/116982/local-quiz-team-need-one-more-victory-to-reach-only-connect-semifinals

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

With both the Eco-Warriors and the Escapologists having won one game and lost one game in this stage of the notoriously difficult game, the winner will on to the semi-final.

Jonathan, from Castleton, said: “You may recall that we previously met the Escapologists in the first round of the competition, beating them 27-23 in a high-scoring game which, in Only Connect's impenetrable fixture scheduling, saw them proceed further as one of two high-scoring first-round losers.”

Between them, Jonathan, Brett and Peter 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. 

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.

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 Escapologists at 8.00pm on Monday (9 April) on BBC Two.