Pointless is a British television quiz show that has been immensely popular since its debut in 2009.
Created by Endemol, the show airs on the BBC and is hosted by Alexander Armstrong, with assistance and insights provided by Richard Osman in the original series (later co-hosts took over when Osman stepped back in 2022).
The programme is particular popular with those who have obscure knowledge – and boy do we have some great Pointless trivia for you!
While some believed that the theme tune was thought-up by Richard Osman’s brother, Mat, this isn’t actually the case. Despite the musician making jingles for many TV shows, Pointless isn’t actually one of them.
And even though presenter Alexander Armstrong has released music in his time, he didn’t write the track either.
As well as being the bassist from 90s rock band Suede, Mat made tracks for 8 Out of 10 Cats, not Pointless, as revealed on a spirited debate on a Reddit forum recently.
It all kicked off amidst a discussion about celebrated guitarists. During a heated discussion about people’s favourite Britpop bassists, the conversation veered into theme songs.
One fan posited: “Yeah, I’d say Alex James from Blur, and Mat Osman from Suede (who is also Richard Osman’s brother, and wrote the theme music for Pointless)”.
However, they were swiftly set straight by another user who corrected with: “He did the music for 8 Out of 10 Cats, not Pointless”. Contrary to popular belief, Marc Sylvan is the man behind the tune.
Marc is a renowned composer and sound designer, particularly celebrated for his work in television, video games, and other media. He is best known as the composer of high-profile theme tunes and incidental music for various TV shows. His distinctive style often combines orchestral elements, electronic music, and creative sound design.
He has written and produced music for several popular British game shows, as well as Pointless – including The Million Pound Drop, Tipping Point and Lingo. Well, you learn something new every day!