It's Academic - 1983 Regional Final

It's Academic was an 80s general knowledge quiz show for high school students. Like its intermediate school sibling The W Three Show (aka W3), It's Academic was hosted by Lockwood Smith. With his Cheshire cat's grin the future Speaker of the House pulls questions from the numbered pockets, as teams from Onslow, Wellington and Newlands colleges — seated in the distinctive triangular pod set — compete in the Wellington regional final. At stake are brainiac bragging rights, school pride ... and digital watches, Britannica encyclopedias and handheld calculators.

When we were into the really fast part of the show, the poor old adjudicator would be about two questions behind, and I just had to make instant decisions so I got very used to pace.

– Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith on how hosting TV quiz shows prepared him for parliament

Key Cast & Crew

Lockwood Smith

Presenter

Kevan Moore

Producer, Director

Graeme Stevens

Technical Producer

Patrick Macaskill

Adjudicator

Lloyd Cole

Sound