Brainiac: Science Abuse

Series 1 featured a wide variety of experiments including testing to see whether a mobile phone would ignite petrol vapours, walking on custard and testing the effects of electric shocks on various Brainiacs.

Series 2 saw the start of "Brainiac Snooker", in which World Snooker professional Quinten Hann would pot the last six balls on a table into pockets connected to fuses which would cause a caravan rigged with a different explosive to explode. This series also included several shorter segments, such as "Pub Science with Dr. Bunhead" in which the recurring character of Dr. Bunhead goes into a local pub and performs a small scale science experiment. Dr. Bunhead also had a second segment in which he did the same as with "Pub Science", but instead around a home. Another segment was added in this show called "Tina Turner and Her Bunsen Burner" in which "Tina Turner" goes to blow up a car using various explosives while lighting specifics with a golden Bunsen burner. This series also gives birth to "I can do science, me", "Things Tickles' body can't do" and "Explosive of the day" in which a group of women (referred to as the Brainiac Babes) ignite a random explosive, each of which is given a score out of ten. The audience could also play along, making this one of the first truly interactive segments of the show. At the end of the final episode, the Brainiac Babes were joined by a random viewer.

The second series also introduced Charlotte Hudson as a third, but minor, host, and saw the introduction of what then became long term character "Professor Myang-Li", played by Rachel Grant. Professor Myang-Li hosted a short segment in this series simply called "Sink or Float" in which she drops a piece of fruit into a pool and sees if it sinks or floats (similar to a future segment called "flush or float" where a piece of fruit is dropped into a toilet and the toilet is flushed to see if the fruit flushes down or not)

Series 3 featured Brainiac Golf (similar to Brainiac Snooker, but exploding caravans filled with different substances that exploded with coloured flames depending on the chemicals used), Lad v. Lass, Thermite, "Does being electrocuted affect your ability at work?" (human statue, flair bartending, darts player), "Things the instruction manuals don't warn you about", 47 Second Science, Diana Ross and her Chain Reaction, and testing which things break and which things bounce after a ten-foot drop.

Dr. John P. Kilcoyne, Associate Dean of the University of Sunderland had a regular slot where he mixed various chemicals to see whether they "fizz" or "bang".

Series 4 introduced Brainiac Darts, during which Bobby George threw a perfect set, always finishing on the Double Top which triggered the explosion of a caravan, and a new "I Can Do Science Me" which is set around auditions. There is also a feature called "Things What My Body Does", in which a member of the public is filmed doing something extraordinary with their bodies. It also featured "Movie Stars Destroying Cars" and Dr. John P. Kilcoyne with "Glow or Blow".

It also introduced a new feature called "Brainiac for a Day", where contestants could bring an item of their choice to blow up. It was set out as a game show with the hosts Dolly Girl (Lisa Marie Bourke) (previously "Jane" in the "Lad v. Lass" segment) and Dolly Boy (Stefan D'Bart).

Series 5 retained "Brainiac for a Day", "Things What My Body Does", and contains new segments like "Brainiac V Beast", Dr Kilcoyne with "Fizzle or Flash" and Prof. Myang Li (Rachel Grant) with steel balls, attempting to "shatter or shunt" various objects. In addition, Vic Reeves appeared as the Russian scientist Uri Abusikov, along with his assistant Ursula, attempting to destroy things with liquid nitrogen.

In this series, Reeves took over as host from Richard Hammond, who had left the show. Hammond's growing commitments to Top Gear and his contract with the BBC meant that he was finding it increasingly difficult to fulfil his role as presenter of Brainiac. Hammond was also reportedly losing interest in doing Brainiac.[2] Reeves was brought in as replacement host shortly after the end of the fourth series and before Richard Hammond's near fatal crash. The original production team including Executive Producer Stewart Morris, Series Producer Richard Greenwood and Series Director Peter Eyre left the programme at the same time as Hammond.

Series 6 saw the return of Vic Reeves as host and Jon Tickle as co-host. Thaila Zucchi replaced Hudson as the third co-host and made her debut on the series in two items: "How Hard is Your Thing?" in which she tests the hardness of different objects using thermite and a ton of bricks dropped from a crane, and "Shocking Acts" in which she finds out whether variety acts can still perform while receiving electric shocks. Other new segments included "Gas Bang Wallop" featuring a character called Barry Bernard who destroys things with gas, "Chemistry Deathmatch" in which regular characters Dr Bunhead and Professor John Kilcoyne go head-to-head to produce the best experiments, "Custard Dreams" which follows the adventures of a Brainiac who discovers he can walk on custard, and "Stars in Their Caravans" which sees a variety of UK celebrities trapped in caravans, in a mock game show which results in large explosions.

Competitors

• Gail Porter
• Frank Bruno
• Paul Daniels
• Debbie McGee
• Jayne Middlemiss
• Wozza Thompson (Antony Worrall Thompson)
• Tony Blackburn
• WAGs
• Danielle Lloyd
• Abi Titmuss
• Keeley Hazell