In 1988 Ian Botham joined Bill Beaumont as a team captain. Music of all types was introduced to the Individual and Mystery Personality (now Mystery Guest) rounds and audience research showed the programme appealed to all social classes and age groups. This appeal is still true today.

John Parrott and Ally McCoist first teamed up as captains in September 1996, although they had both appeared as guest captains in earlier series.

In January 1996, with Ian Botham away on a cricket tour, Ally stood in for three shows. John’s first appearance as a captain goes back even further. When he appeared for one show in February 1992, on his team were rugby union’s Jeremy Guscott and a certain Ally McCoist!

In November 1997, after 376 programmes, David Coleman made way for a new presenter: the former British number 1 tennis player, Sue Barker.

The chemistry between Ally, John, Sue and the audience has added an extra dimension to the programme. John’s dry Scouse wit and Ally’s rapid repartee are now an integral part of the show as Sue tries, sometimes unsuccessfully, to keep order.

The programme was given a makeover in the autumn of 1998, with a new studio and a fresh set of opening titles and graphics.

The quiz rounds though have changed little, although some of the events featured in the 'What Happened Next Round' have become somewhat more difficult. In one of the early editions a picture was frozen as Geoff Hurst's shot at the end of the 1966 World Cup Final hit the bar. What Happened Next?

One of the highlights of 1999 was a World Cup 1966 Special when guests, Martin Peters, George Cohen, Geoff Hurst and the voice of the immortal words "some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over, it is now" Kenneth Wolstenholme joined Ally and John.

In 1999 the programme also won the prestigious Royal Television Society Sports Entertainment Programme of the Year Award.

The programme celebrated another milestone in March 2000 when both John and Ally chalked up over 100 appearances as team captains.

In the spring of 2001, the programme once more secured the RTS Sports Entertainment Programme of the Year Award.

In June 2002 it was announced that Frankie Dettori, the former champion jockey would be taking over as a team captain from John Parrott who after a massive 176 appearances has left the programme to concentrate on his snooker.

Frankie is a superstar of horse racing. Twice champion jockey, he has won nine British classics and created sporting history by winning seven races in a row at Ascot in 1996.

A Question of Sport is certainly "not over" and in September 2002 will begin its 32nd series making it the longest running sports quiz show in the world. Who knows what will happen next?