Last year BBC bosses confirmed the show was one of several returning series previously made in-house to put out to competitive tender in line with undertakings made during its last charter renewal.
The contract with Hat Trick and Hindsight also covers Celebrity Mastermind.
Under the tender process the BBC retains all Intellectual Property rights for the programmes, which will continue to be shown on the BBC and will remain presented by John Humphrys.
Kate Phillips, Controller of Entertainment Commissioning says: “We assessed the bids against four criteria and the bid from Hindsight and Hat Trick was the strongest.
“We liked their idea of Mastermind returning to its roots, in a dramatic and pressurised setting. We’re also delighted that this decision means another BBC show will be made in Northern Ireland.”
