TV Watch - 12th December

TV Watch – 12th December

Its Mastermind, Jim, but not as we know it.

Mastermind itself signed off for its winter break after the 14th show of the current series. The show’s website tells us that Celebrity Mastermind will be shown again before the end of this month. Well and good. However, for the last couple of years the run up to Christmas hasn’t just meant Celebrity Mastermind, but also Junior Mastermind. Yet there is no mention of whether Junior Mastermind is coming back this season.Well, actually, there is one version of Juior Mastermind that is already on our screens. On last Sunday Evening Mastermind Plant Cymru began.

Mastermind Cymru is, as the name implies, the welsh language series of Mastermind, presented not by John Humphrys, albeit that he is welsh, but by Betsan Powis, on S4C the welsh language terrestrial channel . There have been 2 champions, the inaugural champion from 2006, Emyr Rhys Jones, and the 2007 champion Sion Aled. This season the show has become Mastermind Plant Cymru which roughly translates into Wales Children’s Mastermind.

I will admit that I haven’t watched the show – I have lived in Wales for over 20 years, but somehow have never quite got round to mastering the undoubted beauty of the welsh language. However I will be watching out and keeping my ear to the ground, since a little bird tells me that the daughter of one of my colleagues at work is a contender in this series. Watch this space for more details.

Only Connect

The first semi final saw the Crossworders, Mark, David and Ian march their way into the final. Tricky connections became , so it seemed even a little trickier, although to my immense satisfaction I saw a couple of the connections which neither team managed. Alright, so I was sitting at home on a comfy sofa, not in a hot studio, but it still gave me a feeling of satisfaction. Can I please ask any readers who haven’t already done so, follow the link I gave you last week, and leave a positive comment about the show . It would be such a shame if this were to be the only series of what I think has become a little gem of a show.

Sorry that its only a short TV entry this week. At work we’ve had the Inspectors in, and so my viewing has had to be severely limited to allow time for preparation. It seems we might be moving into a bit of a fallow period on the TV – what with Mastermind leaving our screens until the New Year, and Only Connect with only two more episodes to go. At least there’s still University Challenge, and the Brain of Britain on the radio. Lets be thankful for small mercies.