'Mastermind' contestants have been banned from choosing popular sitcoms as their specialist subject.
John Humphrys
The long-running BBC quiz show's rules book has been shaken up, due to researchers running out of questions on comedy programmes - including 'Fawlty Towers', which was requested 32 times last year, 'Father Ted' and 'Blackadder' - as well as film franchises such as 'Harry Potter'.
The popular programme's producer, Mark Helsby, said: "Some of the shorter sitcom series have been exhausted for new questions."
Now hopefuls will also only be able to select three niche topics, cut back by two.
However, despite them lacking suitable questions for the subjects, Helsby insists that choosing a programme for the game is not the "easy option" over the works of someone like William Shakespeare.
He told Radio Times magazine: "If they wanted to do the Works of Shakespeare, we would say 'no', as the subject is so vast.
"Equally, we would say that 'Romeo and Juliet' would be too narrow, but Shakespeare's Tragedies would be a good compromise.
"People have been accused of taking the easy option by choosing a comedy like 'Friends' or 'Frasier', but they have over 200 episodes each, that's a lot of research."
Despite, the changes, Helsby insists there is still a wealth of options to pick from, whilst also revealing one of the most bizarre requests they've had, which was declined.
He concluded: "One applicant wanted to do 'meat' and narrowed it down to 'pork'. We still said no.
"You can do any subject you want - within reason."
'Mastermind', which is currently hosted by John Humphrys, first hit television screens in the UK over 40 years ago and quickly became a fan favourite as viewers watched competitors go head-to-head to answer challenging questions, while sitting in the iconic black chair.