Mastermind Grand Final Preview

This is a really difficult one. My brain knows that the final will have already been recorded, and nothing that I write here can have the slightest effect on the outcome. Yet I get more predictions wrong than I ever get right, and while my comments on the curse of the Clark sofa are made with tongue in cheek, the fact is that I do honestly feel as if I am harming someone’s chances if I tip them to do well. It’s pathetic really.

Well, here is my unofficial table of the results from the semis. I assure you that it is pure coincidence that the three finalists who have shared their experiences with us on LAM fill the top three places.

Name Semi SS Passes Semi GK Passes Total Passes Gary Grant 12 0 16 0 28 0 Andy Tucker 11 0 15 0 26 0 Nick Reed 13 0 12 0 25 0 Maya Davis 12 0 13 1 25 1 Mark Wyatt 13 0 12 2 25 2 David Love 13 1 12 1 25 2

I’ve little doubt that it strikes you pretty much as it strikes me, that this is going to be very close. Now, I will make a confession here. As always, anyone who can get to a final would be a worthy winner. I would be delighted for any of our three contributors to become champ, and any one of them would deserve it. I hope, though, that I could be forgiven for saying that in my heart of hearts I’m rooting for Gary, my skipper from Only Connect. I distinctly remember as we went into the Grand Final of OC series 4 putting on the mantle of omniscient greybeard, and urging Neil and Gary to enjoy the experience, because grand finals don’t come along all that often. Well, Gary, you’re making it a habit, and it’s a nice habit to have. Certainly that experience will stand him in good stead.

But then my other tip for the top, Andy Tucker, also has experience of the playing in a Grand Final – of Brain of Britain no less. So the two of them, Gary and Andy both have that advantage over the other contenders. So while it’s entirely possible that one of the other 4 will have a blinder of a performance and win, on the balance of probability when you add the previous experience, and the great general knowledge of both, I think that one of them will be champ.

As for the other positions, well, flip a coin. Nick Reed has shown well all series, and you’d be a fool to count him out. Mark Wyatt is a speed merchant when it come to supplying answers. He’ll go like an express train in the SS round, and if the GK suits, he’ll be right up there. David Love has been extremely solid throughout the whole competition and looks unlikely to be overawed by the big occasion. As for Maya, who , if I’m brutally honest, has somewhat exceeded my expectations, if she can match her semi final performance she’ll be in the shake up at the end.

The last really close final – well, Nancy won by two clear points – but the last really close final was probably mine in 2007. I can see this being another very tight one.

Best of luck all 6 of you – I can’t wait