Tonight Magnus is 'starting' so please stay with him until he has 'finished', the exciting search for this year's champion. Manchester Polytechnic are the hosts for this first heat of the series, and waiting to take up the challenge are: Pauline Fisher (teacher): Lives of the Hesse and Battenberg families, 1837-1937

Edward Saunders (architect): Life and works of Sir Christopher Wren

Heather Weaver (housekeeper): Life and works of Chekhov Cyril White (colour chemist): Life of Sir Richard Arkwright