Mastermind 2026 First Round Heat 8

Look, what can I tell you? It was Mrs. Londinius’ birthday yesterday so Quizzy Mondays were outers yesterday and I didn’t get to watch Mastermind until this morning. Still, sitting here chuntering on about it isn’t going to make up for lost time, is it?

So, as we were promised last week, Ruaidhri O’Donnell offered us Bob Mortimer. I really like Bob, and funnily enough I like him more in his (presumably) unscripted appearances. I love Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing even though I have never been fishing in my life, for example, and his appearances on Would I lie to You are legendary. So I wasn’t unhappy to get three of these. Ironically, these were two of the ones that Ruaidhri didn’t get – not that there were very many of these. He managed a good 8, although will maybe be kicking himself for not getting Norway on the Gone Fishing Christmas special.

Marine biologist Lucy Fleming was answering on Dolphins and porpoises. It’s a very long time since I was on the show, but when I did go on I was clearly told that I could not do any subject connected with my job as English teacher. Ostensibly the reason is a good one – it stops anyone embarrassing themselves by having a bad specialist round on something which could bring their professional expertise into question. Well, maybe the rules have been relaxed a bit. Not that Lucy was in any danger of embarrassment. She produced a perfect 12 from 12. Game on.

Beth Leonard was answering on Eva Cassidy. Her cover of Fields of Gold is one of my favourite song performances of all time, but sadly I can’t claim to know much more about the late, great singer or her work. Beth produced a very fine round and scored 11 and no passes which put her just one point behind Lucy with one contender still to go.

That contender was Roger Early. Roger was answering on the England Cricket team under Mike Atherton. I surprised myself by getting 4 of these. Heaven alone knows how, as it’s never really been my favourite sport, but never look a gift horse in the eye, I say. This gave me a good aggregate of 11. Roger, like the two contenders before him managed a double figure round, scoring 10 and no passes.

So it looked like it could be anyone’s game as we reached the turn around and began to head for home. Ruaidhri was first back. At 4 points off the lead he was the underdog, but you have to believe every time that you sit in the chair you’re going to produce a great round. Ruaidhri certainly gave it a lash.He reached double figures and scored 10 to give himself a total of 18. No, it didn’t look as if it would be enough but he’d certainly given a good account of himself and could leave with his head held high.

So to Roger. It’s worth studying Roger’s round as it was a great example of a contender possibly being too keyed up at the start of the round who manages to calm down, settle, and build a potentially willing score. Roger took the first then missed the next three on the bounce and seemed to be getting agitated. Then he pulled himself together, took the next and continued to build a competitive score. Roger put on 12 to give himself a total of 22.

Beth Leonard had one point over Roger at the turn around. But she would need a round of at least 11 to have a chance of the win, and double figure rounds are not easy to come by. Beth’s round was perfectly respectable, as she added 9 to her total. However at the end of the day it left her high and dry on 20.

Which just left Lucy Fleming. Her bravura performance in her perfect specialist had earned her a two point lead over Roger at the halfway point. However that lead can soon evaporate over the course of a GK round. It looked touch and go throughout the round and in the end it all came down to the last question. If Lucy could answer which country has an automatic rifle on its flag then she would win on pass countback. Oh, but she went for Angola. That’s the answer to the matched pair question – which country’s national flag features a machete? The correct answer is Mozambique. Oh, on such small margins can contests be decided.

Bad luck to Lucy but congratulations Roger! Best of luck in the semi finals.

The Details

Ruaidhri O’Donnell	Bob Mortimer	8	0	10	2	18	2
Lucy Fleming	Dolphins and Porpoises	12	0	9	0	21	0
Beth Leonard	Eva Cassidy	11	0	9	3	20	3
Roger Easy	The England Cricket team under Michael Atherton	10	0	12	2	22	2