What you will

Life has a way of springing little ironies upon your when you least expect it. Or to put it another way, now that I would actually like to perhaps go back to Newport on a Monday night and chance my arm, circumstances conspire against me to prevent me from doing so. for the last few weeks a combination of TV commitments ( watch this space ) , Bank Holidays and friends being indisposed has prevented me from doing so.

Thus the Sunday night quiz, and the fortnightly Tuesday night quiz have taken on additional importance. And lo - wonder of wonders, we actually got a win in the Pheasant on Sunday night. We conceded 12 points on the music round, but pulled back in a brilliant, if I do say it myself, round on identifying 20 classic novels by a brief synopsis. Alas , I failed to get a full house through my lack of acquaintance with Wilkie Collins' "The Woman in White". 4 points behind going into the GK round, we actually won with about 4 points to spare. Well and good.

Then last night. The Duke of Wellington in Cowbridge, and a good quiz. We dropped 2 points all night, and I was fairly certain that this would give us victory. No chance. A team full of young men in their late teens and early 20s only dropped 1 point. Was it kosher ? Who knows ? I was nowhere near close enough to see if any of them were using their phones, so lets let that one pass, and ascribe it to a brilliant performance on the night. Well, it might have been. Stranger things must have happened.

However, whatever brought them the win in the quiz, whether it was natural brilliance or WAP technology, it didn't do them any good in the jackpot. Never mind, maybe they'll win that next week. Still, it won't be worth a huge amount, since we emptied the cashbox, with my remembring that the actress involved with David Mellor was called Antonia de Sancha , and not de SanchEZ, and John dredging up the name of Anders Limpar. Justice not only done, but seen to be done, I think.

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I had to leave school a little early today. Well, I didn't have to , but it was convenient and helpfl to do so. I was contacted by a radio programme maker a couple of days ago, who is compiling a programme on London Bridge for her radio station, and she thought it might make a nice angle to interview yours truly. So much so that she hopped on a train from Paddington , interviewed me for an hour or so, and then hopped straight back on the next train. A good 5 hours travelling all together, just for the sake of an interview.

What was interesting was that the more she asked about quizzing in general, and Mastermind in particular, the less and less the interview became about London Bridge, and the more and more about quizzing. She seemed rather surprised when I told her that people who enjoy quizzing come from all age groups, and all walks of life, and all areas of society. Apparently she was expecting it to comprise of almost exclusively rather sad, quiz obsessed middle class 40 something white boys. Now, as a fully paid up member of this particular group myself I did feel obliged to point out that we are very well represented within quizdom.

One other passing thought. She seemed rather surprised when I said that I didn't go to many quizzes now, only normally 3 quizzes a week. For some reason she seemed to think that this was rather a large amount. Can't think why.

Once I know the details of when and where the programme is going to be aired, I will let you know.