Only Connect viewers have spoken out in their droves to urge presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell to ditch a long-running joke she dishes out on the show.
On Monday evening, the 52-year-old returned to the presenter’s chair to welcome two new teams of budding quizzers hoping to secure a spot in the next stage of the competition.
Coren Mitchell welcomed the Uisge Beathas and the Crunchers to show, with the latter emerging victorious at the end of the programme with a score of 25 to 23.
Before closing out the show, however, Coren Mitchell couldn’t resist revisiting a long-standing joke on the show about her supposed fondness for a fellow BBC presenter.
After saying farewell to the two teams, Coren Mitchell said to viewers: “Thank you very much for watching.
“And coming up next on BBC Two, it’s one of those Shakespeare Live productions.
Victoria Coren Mitchell dropped the gag at the end of Monday’s episode of Only Connect
BBC
“You know, when the cameras go to the theatre and beam it directly into your living room.
“Tonight, it’s an all-star performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a big BBC Two name in a leading comic role, I hear it’s wonderful.”
Continuing the long-winded gag, Coren Mitchell went on: “Do you know what I love about these shows?
“You can go to the theatre and pay a fortune and then you’re sitting far away, you can hardly make out the stage. But with the cameras right up there, you can see everything in great detail…”
I’m re-starting my TV column this week after maternity leave. Very hard to get back to the grindstone, especially since I’m struggling to work out how I’ll write about something that isn’t “Ludwig”.
And speaking of avoiding TV shows, Only Connect is on tonight.
8pm, @BBCTwo.
— Victoria Coren Mitchell (@VictoriaCoren) September 30, 2024
Delivering the punchline, Coren Mitchell said: “So if you’d like a really close look at Michael Portillo’s apparently magnificent bottom, that’s coming up next on BBC Two.”
The credits then rolled and quiz show fans were treated to a new episode of University Challenge – although not before taking to social media with their thoughts on Coren Mitchell’s attempt at humour.
“I love #onlyconnect but do we have to put up with those frigging inane intro and outro ‘witticisms’?” one fan complained.
A second echoed: “#OnlyConnect Rather ridiculous ending VCM….UC nearly always follows your prog…..”
Elsewhere, a third urged Coren Mitchell to ditch the habit: “#OnlyConnect Ughhhh, I had hoped Victoria had stopped with those Michael Portillo jokes!!”
And a fourth hit out: “Well done to the two teams on #OnlyConnect earlier too; another very good, high quality contest! Only thing wrong was VCM’s final joke, the punchline to which I saw coming miles off!”
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Michael Portillo has been the subject of Victoria Coren Mitchell’s Only Connect gags before
BBC
However, some Only Connect fans were pleased to see the long-running joke return, including one who argued: “Always enjoy the Portillo innuendo at the end of #OnlyConnect even though I can see him coming a mile off.”
And another joined in on the joke: “@VictoriaCoren #onlyconnect great to see @BBCTwo creating new material to showcase the versatile Michael Portillo. Much appreciated.” (sic)