Only Connect Champion of Champions Special

Victoria Coren Mitchell returns as host for the programme, where the 2023 champions, the Strigiformes, face the Thrifters in a competitive match‑up. The Thrifters went on to win the Series 19 title the following year, highlighting the shift in momentum between the two sides.

Strigiformes v Thrifters is an episode‑style programme that brings two competing groups together in a single instalment. The show is presented as a distinct episode within a broader series, and it follows the familiar format of pitting one side against another for a head‑to‑head contest. The episode is fronted by Victoria Coren Mitchell, who guides viewers through the action. In this instalment the Strigiformes appear as the 2023 winners, taking centre stage as they square off against the Thrifters. The Thrifters, who would go on to claim the series 19 title in the following year, provide the opposing challenge, setting up a clear showdown between the two sides. Beyond the host and the two competing parties, the episode’s structure remains straightforward: the Strigiformes, fresh from their 2023 triumph, face the Thrifters, a team that later secured the series 19 championship. The programme therefore captures a moment when the reigning champions meet the future title‑holders, all under the steady guidance of Victoria Coren Mitchell.