WWTBAM Prep, Part 18 (27-Apr-2019 to 6-May-2019)

Notes taken while watching the UK edition of WWTBAM, April-May 2019. New editions (2018 onwards, broadcast on ITV) are titled “NEW WHO:”, older editions are titled “WHO:” or “OLD WHO:” and were broadcast on Challenge; Celebrity editions, also broadcast on Challenge, are titled “SLEB WHO:”. Specific dates for these notes: 27-Apr-2019 to 6-May-2019. [6,704 words in this piece.]

OLD WHO: Fri 26-Apr-2019

[27/04/2019 23:52] Brian Richman returns on 4k, I’m recording and watching in real time.

8k: Savage Garden are from (Australia) [50/50 left him with Sweden, which he thought was right / Phone-A-Friend was 100% that it’s Australia]

16k: JEAN TODT became principal of this F1 team in 1993: Williams / Sauber / Jordan / FERRARI [No idea, he doesn’t risk it and leaves with 8k]

REVISE: F1 teams, principals, drivers / JEAN TODT became principal of FERRARI in 1993

Brian Richman leaves with 8k

10 new contestants, Dave Lansdown, Lee Warburton, Tim Bailey, Sally Horrocks, Ian Brown, Jim Eccleston, Peter Scott, John Davidson, Jim Smith, Andy Procter

But in the names shown after the fastest finger first, Lee Warburton’s name was replaced with Rob Wardle

FFF: Famous Italians in order of birth

BDAC gives us: Michelangelo / Antonio Vivaldi / Benito Mussolini / Gianluca Vialli

1/10 gets it right, John Davidson in 5.99s

[02/05/2019 10:05] And now, 5 days later, I’m back to watch the rest of it – there have been no further notes on “Who wants to be a millionaire?” since this bit of live TV

A pensions adviser from Copthorne in West Sussex / Wife Sylvia in the crowd, this is the guy who sent over 2000 letters to his wife after they split up to try and get back together / he wants to get enough money so that they can get back to living in one house again, they were separated for 6 years

1k: So Long, Farewell is from this musical: (“The Sound of Music”) [Ask the Audience: 86% get it right]

2k: Which of these creatures has plumage? Mongoose / Mullet / Mandrill / (Magpie)

He met Rod Stewart at the 1982 Football World Cup in Spain, they’d bump into him every day and chat about the games

4k: Classic children’s game that features a mule: (Buckaroo) / Operation / Twister / Ker-Plunk [“One of the problems with not having children is you don’t know children’s games,” he says / Phone-A-Friend: gets it right]

8k: FAIRYHOUSE in Ireland is a venue most associated with this sport: Snooker / Golf / Rugby Union / (Horse Racing) [50/50 leaves Rugby too]

REVISE: Race courses, in Ireland as well as the UK / are there any in Northern Ireland? Also, features of race courses: the ROWLEY MILE is at Newmarket

16k: Actress who became HIGH SHERIFF OF SURREY in 2002: Wendy Richard / Frances de la Tour / Hannah Gordon / (Penelope Keith) [It’s guessable, but would you risk it for 16k? If you haven’t heard the story, would you just make the assumption? He goes for it]

REVISE: Actress Penelope Keith became HIGH SHERIFF OF SURREY in 2002

32k: Nationality of the famous soprano Dame Nellie Melba: (Australian) / Canadian / New Zealand / South African

Cheque shows 21-5-05

64k: According to ONS what were the most popular babies’ names of 2004: Oliver and Olivia / (Jack and Emily) / Daniel and Chloe / Thomas and Jessica [He goes for Thomas and Jessica]

REVISE: Top babies’ names for the last 20 years / It was Jack for many years, including 2004 and has been Oliver and Olivia at times / It’s been Amelia in recent years – is that still true?

John Davidson leaves with 32k

FFF: Start with furthest NORTH, songs in geographical order according to British place mentioned in the title

CDBA gives us: Mull of Kintyre / Scarborough Fair / Men of Harlech / London Calling

7/9 get it right, Dave Lansdown is fastest in 4.12s

A housing manager from STOWMARKET in Suffolk / His sister in the audience / he has a 3 year old son, no mention of a wife, we see a photo (because this is 2005) / Brother Paul is severely disabled and he wants to send him and a carer on a holiday

1k: Ryan Giggs plays football for (Wales)

2k: An aggressive display of military power: (Sabre-rattling)

4k: ARNICA is a plant often used to treat (bruising) [Ask the Audience: 84% get it right]

8k: The final word of the third Matrix film: Responses / Returns / (Revolutions) / Retributions

16k: The French resort of Biarritz stands on which body of water: Mediterranean Sea / English Channel / (Bay of Biscay) / Straits of Dover [Again, would I be so confident on the 16k question while sat in the chair? Phone-A-Friend: he’s 100% confident]

32k: Crown Prince Felipe is the heir to the throne of: (Spain) / Denmark / Netherlands / Luxembourg [He doesn’t know, uses 50/50 and is left with Denmark too / he doesn’t risk it]

Dave Lansdown leaves with 16k

There are 10 new names after this but we haven’t seen them wave at us: Lee Warburton, Jane Kimberley, Phill Handscomb, Sam Jackson, Mark Bytheway, Phil Hogan, Tom Taylor, Bill Harvey, Stuart Renni, Phil German

FFF: Last 4 lines from the first verse of the national anthem

DBCA gives us: Send her victorious / Happy and glorious / Long to reign over us / God save the queen

Only 2/10 get it right, Lee Warburton is fastest in 3.12s [We saw him waving, but his name wasn’t in the previous lists of names]

A local government officer from Bradford in West Yorkshire / His girlfriend is in the audience / Keen road-runner until he got injured, would like to get fit and go for the London marathon

[02/05/2019 10:36] And that’s it, just the 100 quid question before the end of the show

Still up at nearly 1am, and 3 hours of WHO repeats

0.51 Well, that’s handy, the first 3 (of 5) episodes of “Who wants to be a millionaire?” are all repeats, and already noted, namely: Sat 10pm SLEB WHO with the Spandau Ballet boys / then Sat 11pm “OLD WHO: Fri 15-Mar-2019 on Challenge, missed start, but now it’s complete” / and Sat/Sun midnight COUPLES WHO: Challenge Mon 18-Mar-2019, 17-3-01, 19-3-01, they’re about to go out (as I’m watching live) on the name of West Ham’s home ground – the Boleyn ground.

0.57 The next 2 shows on timer – 1am and 2am – time for bed.

If they’re going in sequence these episodes will be:

OLD COUPLES WHO: Challenge 19-Mar-2019, 22-3-01, 24-3-01

David Anderson and Victoria Best from Sittingbourne, he’s looking for work, she’s a quality assistant / they answered the fastest finger first in the previous episode / they’re getting married the following August and want 8k for the reception, which has already been booked

OLD WHO: Sun 28-Apr-2019 (not sure of the time), 20-11-2000, Judith Keppel, 23-11-2000, Chris Elliott 125k, Jim Parker 32k

[02/05/2019 10:54] There were other shows, immediately above here, but we’re straight into Judith Keppel and her final 2 questions (St James is patron saint of Spain and Eleanor of Aquitaine was married to Henry II) / This is a 3hr 40min recording, so I’ll have to watch it in stages

And we have 10 new contestants: Jeff Gross, Alan Jones, Catherine Sharkey, Mike Denton, Ian Taylor, Graham Berrington, Joe Docherty, Jim Parker, Donna Walsh, Chris Elliott

Again they’ve done that funny thing where someone who waves at us (Jim Parker) doesn’t appear in the list of names after fastest finger first; Mike Pennick’s name appears instead

FFF: Vice Presidents of USA in order

BDAC gives us: Lyndon B Johnson / Gerald Ford / Dan Quayle / Al Gore

7/10 get it right, Chris Elliott is fastest in 5.64s

A teaching assistant from Castleford in West Yorkshire / girlfriend Sally is in the audience, daughter Katrina is at home / He’s at Park Junior School and was there as a pupil / They’re still in shock after Judith Keppel’s big win

1k: children’s TV Bill & Ben’s neighbour was (Little Weed)

2k: Over one third of this US state lies in the Arctic Circle (Alaska)

4k: Member of the Freud family who is a former MP (Clement) [Ask the Audience: 83% get it right]

8k: MAASTRICHT is in (Netherlands) / Germany / France / Finland

16k: Husband of Melanie Griffith (Antonio Banderas)

32k: Football team from an English town that plays in the Scottish league (Berwick Rangers)

Cheque shows 20-11-2000 again

64k: Metal that traditionally denotes 10th wedding anniversary: (Tin) / Copper / Nickel / Iron [Phone-A-Friend: his mum guesses tin]

REVISE: Wedding anniversaries; TIN is 10th anniversary

125k: GLEVUM was the Roman name for: Leicester / Worcester / (Gloucester) / Chester [50/50 leaves Leicester too / He goes for it]

REVISE: Roman cities, GLEVUM was Gloucester

A change of shirt, a different show from the original broadcasts

250k: Leader of the PEASANTS’ REVOLT: (Wat Tyler) / Perkin Warbeck / Richard Whittington / Thomas Becket [He doesn’t risk it]

The final cheque shows 23-11-00

Chris Elliott leaves with 125k

10 new contestants, but we’re not introduced to them before the fastest finger first: Larry O’Neill, Andy Bates, Jimmy McIntosh, Chris O’Riordan, Frank McCulloch, Mark Rains, Christine Ramsay, Jim Parker, Graeme Thorpe, Ben Whitehead

(Jim Parker was the person we saw waving earlier, but he wasn’t in that previous list of names)

FFF: Starting with STOP, traffic light sequence in order according to the British Highway Code

CBDA gives us: Red / Red and Amber / Green / Amber

NOBODY gets it right, so we’ll have another go

FFF: Roman Numerals in order, starting with the highest

CBDA gives us: M D C L

Only 1/10 gets it right, Jim Parker (who we saw waving earlier, they’ve put him into a different set of 10 contestants) in 8.08 – they did it with Lee Warburton too in an earlier show

A computer software designer from CHESTERTON in Warwickshire / his wife can’t be there, she’s 7 months pregnant / he was a male model at a fashion show – he looks over 40 and says, “They can’t get too many old farts like me to do it”

1k: (Taxiing) is an aircraft’s movement along a runway before taking off

2k: (JP) are the 2 initials that denote a magistrate in England

4k: originally from Brazil, LAMBADA is a (dance)

8k: General strike in Britain: 1906 / 1916 / (1926) / 1936 [Ask the Audience: 65% get it right]

16k: CALIFORNIAN BLUSH is the name of: Hot chilli pepper / PINK-TINGED WINE / Grenadine ice cream / Red-skinned apple [“I’m not gonna lie”, I would probably have gone for apple there / He drinks a lot of this stuff, that’s how he knows the answer]

REVISE: CALIFORNIAN BLUSH is the name of a pink-tinged wine

32k: Article that displays a MASTHEAD: Birth Certificate / Cheque / (Daily Newspaper) / Diary [50/50 leaves him with Birth Certificate too]

Cheque shows 23-11-00

64k: Found in Australasia a BANDICOOT is: Bat / Rodent / Primate / (MARSUPIAL) [Phone-A-Friend: says marsupial, but he goes for rodent / his friend was right]

Jim Parker leaves with 32k

OLD WHO: Sun 28-Apr-2019 (not sure of the time), 23-11-00, 25-11-00

[02/05/2019 11:32] It’s slower progress than some of my previous note-taking, but I am watching the shows with a bit more diligence – more of the chat, not just the questions

The FFF names are the ones posted immediately above, from Larry O’Neill to Ben Whitehead, minus Jim Parker

FFF: Words in order from a famous proverb

CDAB gives us: Rolling Stone Gathers Moss

9/9 get it right, Ben Whitehead is fastest in 4.91s

A student from Liverpool / His mate Brendan is up there / He phoned up after talking about the show all night long at the student bar / Tarrant says: “Your love life’s a bit of a disaster, then” / 2nd cousin once removed from Sean Bean, supposedly, but he’s never met him

500 quid: ELDRICK is the first name of (Tiger) Woods

1k: Spondulicks is a nickname for (money)

2k: (Pacific) ocean lies between Tokyo and Los Angeles

4k: (Yeti) is TIBETAN name for the Abominable Snowman

8k: Printed the first book in English: John Wycliffe / (William Caxton) / William Tyndale / Johannes Gutenberg [Good answers there, all worth looking up / Ask the Audience: 80% get it right]

REVISE: early days of printing, and exactly who the following are: John Wycliffe / (William Caxton) [Printed the first book in English] / William Tyndale / Johannes Gutenberg

16k: ROLLMOP is made from (Herring) not Salmon, Trout or Cod [Phone-A-Friend: positive it’s herring]

32k: University of East Anglia is in (Norwich) [50/50 leaves him with Ipswich too

Cheque shows 23-11-00

64k: Malcolm Gluck is best known for writing about: (Wine) / Motoring / Cinema / Gardening [He says he has no idea but guesses right anyway]

125k: ROMANSCH is an official language in: France / Spain / Austria / (Switzerland)

Same jacket but a different shirt so this is a different from the original broadcast

250k: The CUCKOO PINT is a wild plant with which alternative name: LORDS AND LADIES / Kings and queens / Dukes and duchesses / Princes and Princesses [He doesn’t risk it / This has happened before, with people coming back and not answering another question]

Cheque shows 25-11-00

Ben Whitehead leaves with 125k

Tarrant tells us that since they started they’ve given away, on average, over 90k per show

REVISE: The CUCKOO PINT is a wild plant with the alternative name LORDS AND LADIES / Will this kind of information ever stick for someone who isn’t into plants?

10 new contestants: Mark Fenney, James Thomson, Martine Knight, Shaun Howitt, Pete Alvey, John Randall, Dave Watson, Linda Allan, Colin Clarke, Mal Smith

FFF: Trumpton Firemen in the order their names appear in the roll call

ACDB gives us: Barney McGrew / Cuthbert / Dibble / Grubb

Only 1/10 gets it right, Linda Allan in 13.87s

A part-time art teacher from York / Husband Robbie is in the audience / 5 kids watching from all over the UK / She has been doing things that scare her silly, has put her head underwater for the first time, and been on a helicopter / Wants to buy a new kiln for the school and then extend the dining room now that the kids are having children

1k: A pillion passenger would be on a (Motorcycle), not a supermarket trolley or skateboard

2k: A landlocked country: Australia / (Belarus) / Chile / Denmark [Ask the Audience: 73% get it right]

4k: Starred in the 1996 film The Nutty Professor: (Eddie Murphy) / Robin Williams / Will Smith / Billy Crystal [Phone-A-Friend: her future daughter-in-law, knows it]

8k: A type of bat: Flying mouse / (Flying fox) / Flying wolf / Flying hare

16k: In Coleridge’s poem, the bird killed by the Ancient Mariner: (Albatross) not Kittiwake, Gull or Puffin

32k: Delia Smith is a director of (Norwich City)

Cheque shows 25-11-00

64k: Year represented in Roman numerals as MDCLXVI: 1536 (1666) 1746 1856 [50/50 leaves her with 1856 as well / Initially she got it right, then changed her mind and went for 1856]

Linda Allen leaves with 32k

FFF: Start with most populous, countries in order

BACD gives us: Mexico / England / Australia / Switzerland

At the time: 81m / 46m / 17.5m / 7m

[2019 estimate: Mexico has gone up to 127.6m, Australia to 25.4m]

3/9 get it right, Martine Knight is fastest in 6.70s

A police station enquiry officer from HELSTON in Cornwall / Dad is in the audience, husband and 4 kids at home / She used to be a traffic warden, and once let Phil Mitchell from “EastEnders” off a parking ticket

[02/05/2019 12:19] Another one bites the dust. There is another 1hr 40min on this recording, but it looks like I’ve noted it already

OLD WHO: Sun 28-Apr-2019 (not sure of the time), repeated from 27-11-00

[02/05/2019 12:23] It’s this one: WHO: 26-27-Jan-2019, Challenge, 27-11-2000, 29-11-2000, 30-11-2000, Malcolm Knight back in the chair / Or rather it’s the first of 2 episodes that I made notes on, one after the other

WHO: 3-Feb-2019 0.45am, Dave Anderson and SIMON ROSENBERG, also on other PC, AND expanded notes further down, on 13-May-2019

[03/02/2019 00:46] Well, it looks like they’re recycling the same old set of episodes. I have seen this guy very recently, but not sure if I made notes.

This contestant, Dave Anderson, follows on from MIKE COLLINS, who went wrong on Maria Callas – she was born in the USA. This is what my earler note says:

OLD WHO: 125k sagas are from Iceland, 8k Marriage of Figaro set in Spain, 16k down to 1k Maria Callas was born in USA

[25/01/2019 15:06]

[03/02/2019 00:57] Okay, so that’s the end of this episode, and there’s one more on Challenge tonight

Dave Anderson, 9-12-2000, up to 32k, here comes the 64k question

64k: Robert and James Adam 18th century Scottish brothers were famous in which field? (Architecture) Acting Agriculture Astronomy

125k: FDR elected President of USA: 2 3 (4) 5 times [This is where I LEARNT this fact back in 2000, and from memory – from over 18 years ago – I’m guessing that this is where he pulled out / yes he does, after using Ask the Audience / they went for 3, by 65%, but he didn’t accept their answer]

10 new contestants

FFF: Detective writers in the order they were born

CBAD gives us: Edgar Allen Poe / Arthur Conan Doyle / Agatha Christie / Ruth Rendell

8 correct, Andy Gillies in 5.5s is fastest [He’s from Edinburgh, works in Pensions Admin]

He used Ask the Audience to confirm that Anglesey is in (Wales)

8k: Sinclair C5 is a (Vehicle)

16k: Setting for the Hobbit and “Lord of the Rings”: (Middle Earth) [This was 2000, before the movies came out, not sure it would be a 16k question these days / He used his Phone-A-Friend who was sure it was Middle Earth]

32k: “The Downing Street Years” and “The Path to Power”: political memoirs of (Margaret Thatcher) [He went 50/50, was left with Thatcher and Heath, but he’s not going to risk it / he leaves with 16k]

FFF: Channel Islands, largest to smallest

I went wrong here with DCBA, my worst ever Fastest Fingers First I think

It should be CBDA: Jersey / Guernsey / Alderney / Sark

Simon Rosenberg in 4.66s / From Hatch End, head-teacher at a school for children with Special Needs

[And, running a search, I find that he died suddenly in 2017 / he was head of JOHN CHILTON School in Northolt, and was the brother of Helen Lederer]

And I caught a bit of this in the week – he went 50/50 on a question about the specific name for an inhabitant of Los Angeles: (Angeleno) not Angelus, which is for 8k

16k: Ace of Base originate from (Sweden), he uses Ask the Audience to confirm it

32k: Which character in “Alice in Wonderland” remarks ‘curiouser and curiouser’: Cheshire Cat / White Rabbit / Mad Hatter / (Alice)

This is where he bails out, after using Phone-A-Friend: it’s Alice, and I have seen this recently. We seem to be in some kind of a loop, in late 2000 / no problem with that, I just need to rationalize my notes and recordings

I’ve found a Google Books list of winners from around this time so I know that Simon Rosenberg (16k) is followed by Gareth Welch (64k)

The name of a popular 70s sitcom in the correct order:

BADC gives us: Man about the house

Gareth Welch 3.07s

I have notes for this – and for Simon Rosenberg – on 24-Jan-2019 / We get as far as Barbara Vine being RUTH RENDELL [This is the guy in the orange shirt, from FAREHAM whose mate is in the audience, and he wants him to get enough to buy a car so that he – or rather his girlfriend – won’t have to keep giving him lifts]

[04/02/2019 09:01] Okay, I’ve been through that recording, one more time, and deleted it. And, once again, it ends on that Ruth Rendell question, and this was followed by a rundown of the UK Top 10 films, and the episode of “The Chase” (Celebrities) with Ann Widdecombe, God help us.

NOTES: Simon Rosenberg, John Chilton School, Helen Lederer, her daughter was in Echo Beach

[02/05/2019 15:54] Simon Rosenberg was head at JOHN CHILTON school in Northolt. He died in 2017. His sister was Helen Lederer (born 1954) and HER daughter (Hannah Lederer Alton) is an actress who was in ECHO BEACH, a soap opera that ran for 12 episodes in 2008. She played Jason Donovan’s daughter. It also featured Martine McCutcheon and HUGO SPEER, and was created by Tony Jordan for KUDOS

OLD WHO: 29-Apr-2019, from 28-5-05, Lee Warburton 32k, Tom Taylor 16k, Jane Kimberley 8k

[03/05/2019 12:38] Lee Warburton returns, on the low-money questions

1k: Proud as a (peacock)

[He did his Achilles tendon in, would like to get it sorted to get back into serious running]

2k: (Helena) Rubinstein was the cosmetics entrepreneur [Ask the Audience: 87% get it right]

[Nickname Two Beds Lee, he won a road and fell race 2 years running sponsored by a bed company, and won two beds]

4k: “Pulling out all the stops” referred originally to playing the (organ) [50/50 left him with Harp as well]

8k: Axminster, particularly associated with manufacture of carpets is in (Devon)

16k: (Graham Greene) wrote “The Third Man”

32k: Adjective that refers to the UNDERSIDE of an animal: Dorsal / Ventral / Neural / Haemal [By elimination I’d go for VENTRAL, but would I be confident on the show? / Phone-A-Friend: 75% it’s Ventral, and he’s right]

Cheque shows 28-5-05

REVISE: VENTRAL refers to the underside of an animal

64k: A chart album for Avril Lavigne: Let Go / Let Me / Let Out / Let Down [It’s LET GO, I know this from Pop Master back in January, where it was in a “Classic Album” question / He’s gone for Let Down, his girlfriend thought it was Let Go]

THAT shows the value of listening to Pop Master, it would have made me 32k and kept me in the game

Lee Warburton leaves with 32k, good contestant, I warmed to him

It’s the same 9 as before from Jane Kimberley to Phil German

FFF: Leisure inventions and pursuits in the order they first appeared

I went wrong with DBAC: Bicycle / Billiards / Monopoly / CD Player [I took too long thinking about that one: which came first, bicycle or billiard table? I got it wrong: Billiards was first]

It should be BDAC: Billiards / Bicycle / Monopoly / CD Player

15th CENTURY / 19th / 1930s / 1980s

5/9 get it right, Tom Taylor is fastest in 4.79s

A former head teacher from Inverness / wife at home, youngest daughter in the audience / retired last August / Would take 3 months travelling the whole of South America from Tierra Del Fuego up to the north

1k: Colleen McLoughlin was girlfriend of (Wayne Rooney) [Ask the Audience: 96% get it right]

2k: First name of the wife of ANDY CAPP: (Flo) Not Glo, Mo or Jo

4k: A 2003 hit for Oasis: (Songbird) not Songbook, Song thrush or Songstress [Phone-A-Friend: His daughter, 100% it’s Songbird]

8k Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, is near: Durban / CAPE TOWN / Johannesburg / Pretoria [50/50 leaves Pretoria as well]

REVISE: South Africa cities Durban / CAPE TOWN / Johannesburg / Pretoria, Robben Island is near Cape Town

16k: Mandy and Lampwick were characters created by (Dick Emery) [2021: There’s been a similar question on “The Chase” recently: anyone under 40 wouldn’t have a chance with this kind of question]

32k: Breed of dog that takes its name from German word meaning to SPLASH: Chow / Pomeranian / Saluki / Poodle [I’d guess Poodle, but never heard it before / He doesn’t risk it / It is POODLE, and you could kind of eliminate the others]

Tom Taylor leaves with 16k

REVISE: Dogs: Poodle takes its name from the German for Splash

FFF: Events in order the occur throughout the year

DBCA gives us: Epiphany / St David’s Day / Halloween / St Andrew’s Day

1/8 gets it right, Jane Kimberley in 8.78s

An events organizer from Birmingham / Her mate Pat is in the audience, husband is at home / Wants to go on the Orient Express / Last thing she won was a tea-set over 30 years ago, and still uses it

1k: The 3rd Beckham child: (Cruz) [Ask the Audience: 97% get it]

2k: (Thames) is the river that runs through Maidenhead, not Tyne, Trent or TAMAR

Now she’s in a new top, light blue rather than red, so we’re into a different show from the original broadcasts

4k: Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson 2004 remake of US TV series (Starsky and Hutch)

[If not a million, 64k would clear her debts and the mortgage]

8k: Llandaff Cathedral in Wales is in: Aberystwyth / Cardiff / Llanelli / Swansea [50/50 leaves Cardiff and Swansea / She guesses on CARDIFF and she’s right]

REVISE: Llandaff Cathedral in CARDIFF / Did I see it when I was there? Check names of Cathedrals in other WELSH cities

16k: Paul Allen was the co-founder of: ICI / Sony / (Microsoft) / Chrysler [“It’s not Microsoft” she says, and then wonders / Phone-A-Friend: a cousin in Leighton Buzzard who says it’s definitely not MS / She doesn’t risk it]

Jane Kimberley leaves with 8k

10 new contestants but Phil German is still there: Jamie Bennett, Tom Unwin, Andrew Knox, Alan Gibbs, Graham Spreckley, Phil German, John Facey, Derek Sproston, Paul Coughlin, Andy Garner

FFF: Start with shortest, athletes in order of distance over which they won their Olympic gold medal

DCBA gives us: Adrian Moorhouse / Sally Gunnell / Sebastien Coe / Chris Boardman

1/10 gets it right, Alan Gibbs in 9.40s

[03/05/2019 13:09] No time for any questions, that’s the end of the show, he will return on the show from 30-Apr / I still have 3 more shows from this week to watch / 90 minutes in front of the TV would sort that

OLD WHO: Sat/ Sun 4/5-May-2019, midnight, 18-3-06, 25-3-06 [repeated 21-May-2019, 10pm]

[05/05/2019 23:09] Three episodes in a row that I have not made notes about.

This one begins with Mike Reeves being given a cheque for 64k on 18-3-06

125k: Belgian city that hosted the 1920 Olympic Games (Antwerp) Bruges Brussels Ostend [He doesn’t risk it]

Mike Reeves leaves with 64k

9 contestants left, Paul Copley, Andy Purdy, Gary Morewood, John McCann, Graham Clark, Jed Thurlow, Lance Oyston, Dave Morrison, Fergus Jamison

FFF: Start in America, rivers from west to east

DACB gives us: Mississippi / Loire / Ganges / Darling

3/9 get it right, Graham Clark is fastest in 4.12s

An IT analyst from Poole in Dorset / wife in the audience, 2 kids at home and another on the way / Met at a karaoke night and he serenaded her with BALLROOM BLITZ / He is in a band and would like to spend money on a new room for the baby, and a home studio so that “like Daniel Bedingfield” he could release his own stuff

1k: (Phobia) is a suffix meaning irrational fear

2k: In 20005 Michael Owen signed for NEWCASTLE UNITED [That passed me by – he signed for Man U in 2009, after Newcastle got relegated. He went from Liverpool to Real Madrid in 2004, so he only had a year at Real]

4k: Comedian who used the phrase “May your god go with you” (Dave Allen)

8k: Grasmere village is situated in (Lake District) National Park

16k: Petrology is the study of (Rocks)

[He’s now in a brown shirt, he was in a white shirt, so this is a different show from the original broadcasts]

32k: Malcolm Canmore was a king of (Scotland)

Cheque shows 25-3- and the year is entirely covered by CT’s thumb [and same on the next cheque]

64k: Author who became CHILDREN’S LAUREATE in May 2005: Gillian Cross / JACQUELINE WILSON / Celia Rees / Lucy Daniels [Ask the Audience: 76% get it right / I wouldn’t have known this before 2010, but I’m okay with my Children’s Laureates: Only Jacqueline Wilson of the four options has held the post]

125k: Youngest actor to receive a Best Actor Oscar: Marlon Brando / Russell Crowe / Gregory Peck / (Adrien Brody) [50/50 leaves Brando too / Phone-A-Friend: doesn’t know / he doesn’t risk it]

At the end we see the full date on the cheque, which is 25-03-06

10 new contestants: Philip McCabe, Anita Bunting, Mike Newman, David Smail, Gabriel Kemlo, Tim Westcott, Brian Wilkins, Theresa Faloon, Sarah King, Mike Lloyd

FFF: Musical works in order they were first performed on stage

DCAB gives us: The Mikado / The King and I / Godspell / Miss Saigon

1885 / 1951 / 1971 / 1989

2/10 get it right, Tim Westcott is fastest in 4.29s

A company treasurer from Swindon in Wiltshire / Wife Gillian in the audience, 2 kids / they lived in the US / he grew up in Swindon

1k: The name of an 18th century English queen (Anne)

2k: (Joey) is the spin-off from “Friends” that stars Matt Le Blanc

4k: Composer whose name can be translated as Joe Green (Giuseppe Verdi)

8k: Fourth letter of the Greek alphabet: Mu / (Delta) / Chi / Omicron [Ask the Audience: 84% get it right]

16k: Awards given out by Hollywood Foreign Press association: Tonys / Grammys / (Golden Globes) / Emmys

32k: (Barbara) is first name of the MP married to novelist Ken Follett

Cheque shows 25-3-06 again

64k: Band that reformed in 2005, 35 years after they split up: Cream / Beach Boys / Free / Monkees [Must be the Monkees I think / NOPE, it was CREAM, that passed me by]

REVISE: CREAM reformed in 2005, 35 years after splitting up

125k: In 1995 Sir Martin Rees was appointed to this post: Lord Chancellor / (Astronomer Royal) / Lord Mayor of London / Master of the Queen’s Music [50/50 leaves Master of the Queen’s Music as well]

[05/05/2019 23:37] And that’s the end of the show, 28 minutes of viewing.

OLD WHO: Sun 5-May-2019, 1am, 25-3-06, 1-4-06 [repeated 22-May-2019, 10pm]

[05/05/2019 23:38] Tim Westcott returns on 125k

250k: Which of these Asian capitals lies closest to the Tropic of Cancer: Kuala Lumpur / Bangkok / Beijing / RIYADH [Phone-A-Friend: he doesn’t know, doesn’t even guess / He takes a long time before deciding to take the money]

Tim Westcott leaves with 125k

REVISE: Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, cities nearby / RIYADH is closer to the Tropic of Cancer than Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Beijing / Tropic of Cancer is in NORTHERN hemisphere, Tropic of Capricorn in Southern hemisphere

10 new contestants including Colin Cadby from East Sussex: Colin Cadby, Erik Zoha, Sue Roberts, John English, Brian Justice, Ewan McLay, Barbara Freeman, Patrick Geraghty, Keith Nicholson, Hamish Glass

FFF: Famous partnerships in order they first made their TV debut together

DCBA gives us: Sooty and Sweep / George and Mildred / Den and Angie / Des and Mel

5/10 get it right, Colin Cadby in 7.34s but Keith Nicholson is fastest in 4.67s

A commercial manager from Lytham in Lancashire / wife Jane in the audience, a son at home / His boss calls him an “all-important cog in a small publishing company” and doesn’t want to lose him

1k: (Jumping ship) = a sailor leaving a ship without permission

2k: (Daniel Craig) replaced Pierce Brosnan as James Bond

4k: DIY Tool for drilling holes is a brace and (bit)

8k: A380, unveiled in 2005, is the world’s largest (passenger aircraft) not power station, satellite, submarine [Ask the Audience: 88% get it right]

16k: Savannah is a major port in this US state (Georgia)

32k: British playwright who won 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature Tom Stoppard / Michael Frayn / (Harold Pinter) / Alan Ayckbourn [He doesn’t think it’s Pinter, because “he died recently” / Phone-A-Friend: Thinks it’s Pinter or Tom Stoppard / 50/50 leaves Michael Frayn as well, he goes for Frayn and loses 16k / To date (2021) Pinter is the only one of these writers to win the Nobel]

Keith Nicholson leaves with 1k

FFF: Popes in chronological order

DBAC gives us: St Peter / Julius II / John Paul II / Benedict XVI

3/9 get it right, Colin Cadby in 7.11, Patrick Geraghty is fastest in 4.02s

A telecoms engineer from KNARESBOROUGH in North Yorkshire / Just one call to get on the show / mother-in-law Jaconina is in the audience / Julie and 3 kids at home, and we see a photo / he often works in Finland where he keeps Father Christmas up-to-date with their behaviour / He would like to design and build his own house

1k: Prince of Darkness is a nickname for this rock star: (Ozzy Osbourne) / Mick Hucknall / Bryan Adams / Simon Le Bon

2k: Brunei derives most of its wealth from (oil)

4k: (The Producers) Mel Brooks film that became a Broadway Musical starring Matthew Broderick

8k: Appears on the flag of the Vatican City State: Swords / (Keys) / Doves / Fish

16k: Balmoral Castle was built for this monarch: Anne / Mary II / Elizabeth I / (Victoria)

32k: BARON DE COUBERTIN founder of modern Olympic Games was: Italian / Swiss / (French) / Spanish

Cheque reads 1-4-06

64k: (Moby Dick) begins with the line “Call me Ishmael” not Kidnapped, Gulliver’s Travels or King Solomon’s Mines [Phone-A-Friend: Thinks it might be King Solomon’s Mines / 50/50 leaves King Solomon’s Mines too, and he goes for it]

Patrick Geraghty leaves with 32k

FFF: Creatures in order of how many legs they usually have

BDAC gives us: Bird / Insect / Arachnid / Decapod

4/8 get it right, not including Colin, Hamish Glass is fastest in 5.04s

[06/05/2019 00:07] And that’s the end of that one, two hours’ worth done in under an hour [And it was repeated on Wed 22-May-2019]

OLD WHO: Sun 5-May-2019, 2am, 1-4-06, 8-4-06

[06/05/2019 00:13] Continuing on with Hamish Glass, from Stockport in Cheshire / retired / his wife is in the audience, 3 kids / He wants to travel the world’s ancient ruins before he becomes one himself, he says / Their chalet in Wales needs central heating

1k: On traffic lights, after Amber comes (Red)

2k: A variety of monkey: Lobster / Warbler / (Spider) / Flounder

4k: The Grace Gates are a feature of (Lord’s) not Anfield, Silverstone or The Belfry

8k: A “TOQUE” is a hat traditionally worn by a Pilot / Judge / Teacher / Chef [Chef I think, but it’s a new one on me / it is a CHEF]

REVISE: Toque is a CHEF’S hat

16k: The International Brigade was a VOLUNTEER force formed to fight in this war (Spanish Civil War)

32k: Politician David Blunkett was born in (Sheffield) / Manchester / Birmingham / Newcastle

[Tarrant is wearing a different suit, but the contestant is wearing something very similar to what he was wearing before, so it looks like we’re on a different show from the original broadcasts, and it looks like Colin Cadby didn’t get a go on the show]

64k: The British version of the American TV sitcom “Who’s The Boss”: One foot in the grave / The Upper Hand / Keeping up appearances / Men Behaving Badly [Ask the Audience: 66% go for The Upper Hand, and I think I would too, it’s THE UPPER HAND]

Cheque shows 8-4-06

REVISE: Who’s The Boss is the American version of sitcom The Upper Hand, check others like Man about the house / Did any of the following have US versions? One foot in the grave / Keeping up appearances / Men Behaving Badly

125k: relationship between ROYD Tolkien, who appears in the third “Lord of the Rings” film, to JRR Tolkien: Nephew / Son / Grandson / Great-grandson [50/50 leaves the last 2 options / I would guess Grandson / Phone-A-Friend: doesn’t know / He might have gone for Great-grandson / The right answer is GREAT GRANDSON]

REVISE: ROYD Tolkien, great-grandson of JRR appears in the third “Lord of the Rings” film

10 new contestants: Adam Ridgway, Nick Byrd, Anna Hope, Wendy Joyce, Hugh McIver,  MARK LABBETT, Mike Scott, Jane Amos, Jimmy McFarlane, Mark Riley

FFF: Starting on West Coast of America working east, TV series in order of geographical location

DACB gives us: Baywatch / Friends / The Bill / Neighbours

3/10 get it right, including Mark Labbett in 8.30s, Mike Scott is fastest in 6.81s

An accountant from Broxbourne in Hertfordshire / Wife Maria in the audience / 2 kids at home / Has been trying to get on since it started [nearly 8 years ago] / He would buy a place in Spain, where his wife has family, and would take his dad to Egypt

1k: (Raw Steak) is said to relieve a black eye

[He and his wife met in 1973 working at the Inland Revenue]

2k: David Starkey presents TV programmes about (History)

4k: A hit for Bob Marley and the Wailers: (Exodus), not Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers

8k: In January 2004 NASA’s space rover SPIRIT landed on which planet: Venus / Mars / Jupiter / Saturn [50/50 leaves Venus & Mars / Phone-A-Friend: Thinks Venus but isn’t certain / I think I’d go MARS, which is right, but he goes Venus and leaves 4k]

Mike Scott leaves with 1k

REVISE: January 2004 NASA’s space rover SPIRIT landed on MARS / check other Space Rovers, and things like Voyager – the planets they went to

FFF: Start at top, bones of Human body in order

CDAB gives us: Mandible / Scapula / Coccyx / Fibula

3/9 get it right, including Mark Labbett in 7.28s, Hugh McIver is fastest in 7.10s

He got onto the show after one internet entry, a retired policeman from KILWINNING in Ayrshire / wife Anne is at home / son David is in the audience, daughter is at home / lots of jobs before the police, including bus conductor and army, he had to quit due to injury, now stays mostly indoors / 9 dogs, son is back home, he would like to get him sorted

1k: (Punt) is propelled by a long pole

2k: Great Lake that shares its name with a Canadian province (Ontario)

4k: Shakespeare died in (1616) [Ask the Audience: 61% get it right, 23% go for 1515]

8k: “Girls on Film” was first UK Top 10 for (Duran Duran)

16k: House in KENT that is the country residence of the foreign secretary: (Chevening House) / Groombridge Place / Richborough Castle / Cobham Hall [50/50 leaves Groombridge too / He doesn’t know]

Hugh McIver leaves with 8k

REVISE: Chevening House in Kent is the country residence of the foreign secretary:

FFF: Sporting events in the order they usually take place throughout the year

CADB gives us: London Marathon / FA Cup Final / Henley Royal Regatta / Horse of the Year Show [I wasn’t sure about that one, but it’s right]

April / May/ June-July / Autumn (Sep-Oct)

Only 1/8 gets it right, Mark Labbett in 4.84s

[06/05/2019 00:45] And that’s the end of the show, not even a single question

NOTE: OLD WHO: Repeated, Sat 4-May-2019 11pm was a repeat of a Couples Who

[06/05/2019 00:51] It was this one: COUPLES WHO: 21-Mar-2019 10pm on Challenge 2-1-01, 4-1-01 [repeated Sat 4-May-2019 at 11pm]

So, that’s saved me an hour of viewing

Careless: “Who wants to be a millionaire?” with Mark Labbett Did NOT record

[06/05/2019 00:58] Whoops, I’ve just realized that the late-night recording with Mark Labbett didn’t record. That’s the first one I’ve missed for a LONG time, but it was repeated later.