Discovering Discovery Mastermind - or not, as the case may be.

Okay, so if you’ve been following my recent posts on LAM you’ll know that one wee half term task that I set myself was to fill the gaps in my Mastermind contender database. The stumbling block I’ve come a cropper on is 2000/2001’s Discovery Mastermind.

Through UK Gameshows I found a database list of all contenders from 1972 until 2003, however the caveat with this is that it can only provide a very incomplete list of Discovery Mastermind contenders, 15 in all. I’ve managed to extend that to 26, largely thanks to finding Brian Daugherty’s videos of his 3 appearances on Discovery Mastermind on Youtube. Thanks for that Brian.

Other than that, though, I’ve found precious little out there to help. Which I suppose shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Being on Discovery I can’t imagine a massive number of people actually watched the series. A quick glance at the BBC’s official Mastermind website shows that although the BBC did, I think, make the show for the Discovery Channel, they are not the least bit interested in it, or the radio 4 shows for that matter. It’s a shame, and it does make it difficult to find any information about the series.

This is what I’ve managed to gather about the series. In the introduction to the third round match on Youtube, Clive Anderson announced that there were 24 contenders left in the round. In each show I watched the top 2 scorers went through to the next round. This suggested 48 contenders in round 2 and therefore 96 in round 1. Working on this principle round 4 must have had 12 contenders, and round 5 must have been the final. I think. If this is true, then there must have been 24 first round heats, 12 second round, 6 third round and 3 fourth round. Adding on a final this makes a total of 42 shows – by some distance the longest series ever. If I’m right.

There’s questions that all of this brings to mind. I’m not clear on whether the contenders had to learn a brand new subject for each round as they do now. If so, hen if I have it right the contenders would have had to learn five subjects in all if they reached the final. Purely in terms of time that’s a hell of an undertaking. Thinking of my own series, I had about 8 weeks to learn for my first round after being confirmed with a place in the first round. I had something like 12 weeks to prepare for the semi-final. I only had 6 weeks to prepare for the final and you’d better believe me when I tell you that I needed all 6 of them. Maybe contenders were allowed to re-use subjects at some point. Maybe you know what happened – I’d love to hear from you if you do.

I admit that I’ve only some vague memories from more than 2 decades and 3 youtube videos to go on, but I have a few opinions about what I saw. Firstly that it was a real sprint. I knew that the round were shorter, but I hadn’t realised how much shorter. The specialist rounds were 70 seconds long, and the GK 75 seconds. Which maybe explains why Clive Anderson was selected as quiz master, since he could fire off the questions at speed. You rarely see a score of less than 5 on a GK round nowadays. In Discovery Mastermind 4 would have been a decent, relatively competitive specialist score. Even with Clive Anderson’s most machine-gun-esque delivery I think that the maximum available on a GK round would have been about 10. Heaven alone knows how the show would have fared had the questions been as long as they’ve been for the last few years.

I didn’t find the incidental music played while the contenders walked to the chair, and then while they were answering the questions to be quite as awful as it sounds. I didn’t like the idea though, and I don’t really think it adds anything at all to the show in terms of entertainment value. Likewise, asking viewers on Sky to vote for who they thought was the ‘brainiest’ contender was frankly a bit naff.

Well, there we are. If you can enlighten me any more about the show I’d love to hear from you. If you were a contender on Discovery Mastermind yourself, and you’d be prepared to share your memories of the show that would be absolutely brilliant, and I’d love to hear from you.

Mastermind's '6 and Over Club'

I’ve pretty much completed my database of contenders with the help of you wonderful LAM readers. You may recall that it was me checking to see how many series that Mel Kinsey has taken part in that made me remember that the database is incomplete. Well, checking this it occurred to me to wonder who have appeared on the most number of shows. I say shows because it is possible to appear in three shows in any given series if you get to the final. I thought it might be interesting to share this with you.

Now, I should state from the start that I do make mistakes, and if I have made any in this, then I apologise. Also, this might not be completely accurate, since I have only very limited information about Discovery Mastermind in 2001. So where contenders on the list appeared on Discovery Mastermind to my knowledge, I have only counted one appearance.

I have only included known appearances on regular Mastermind – the original series, the radio series, Discovery Mastermind and the revived series. This means I haven’t included appearances on Champion of Champions – which would push Geoff Thomas up to double figures.

As it is, he’s in the top 5. There’s no surprise that the late Hamish Cameron holds the record for both the number of series in which he appeared and the number of individual shows in which he appeared. Likewise triple finalist Mark Grant shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anyone. 13 shows from 5 series gives him an average of 2.6 shows per series. Which is only the third best since Diane Hallagan’s 8 from 3 series gives her an average of 2.67. Which is not quite as good as Ian Bayley’s 6 from 2 series, an unbeatable average of 3. John Beynon, Neil Wright and Roger Canwell all also have an average of slightly higher than 2 shows per series.

Does it matter? Well, no, in the great scheme of things I don’t suppose that it does very much. But it’s interesting. It’s also interesting to speculate whether Hamish’s total will ever be beaten. It won’t be beaten by Isabel following her win. Mel speculated on Facebook earlier this week about making an appearance in his 80s but didn’t say that he would. I have no idea what Mark’s plans are but considering he has a very good claim to being the greatest contender never to actually win a series so far you’d have to say it’s a possibility. Another final appearance would equal the record for shows.

Then if we look down to the 8s our own Rachael ‘Cherryade’ Neiman-Wiseman has more than once been just a whisker away from getting to the final. Only she could say if she intends keeping going until she makes it, but if she did, then she’d certainly join the double figures club.

Whatever the future holds, I raise a metaphorical glass to all the members of the 6 and over club and offer a heartfelt apology to anyone I’ve missed out.

Name	No of Series	No of Shows
Hamish Cameron	8	16
Mark Grant	5	13
Isabelle Heward	5	10
Mel Kinsey	6	10
Geoff Thomas*	4	9
David Love	5	8
Diane Hallagan	3	8
Rachael Neiman-Wiseman	4	8
Gillian Taylor	4	7
Hazel Humphreys	4	7
John Beynon	3	7
Les Morrell	4	7
Neil Wright	3	7
Roger Canwell	3	7
Stewart Cross*	4	7
Beth Webster	5	6
Brian Daugherty	4	6
Colin Daffern	3	6
Derek Moody	4	6
Gareth Kingston	3	6
Ian Bayley	2	6
Paula Keaveney	4	6
Sheila Altree **	4	6
Wendy Forrester	3	6

 *I don’t have complete records on Discovery Mastermind, so it’s quite possible that these contenders had more than one appearance in that series – I have credited them with just the one until I know better.

**Sheila appeared in the 1985 series first round after having previously appeared under her previous name. Before 1995 contenders were not allowed to appear in more than one series, and so after winning her first round heat in 1985 Sheila was disqualified. Had this not happened then she would definitely have made at least one other appearance.

Mastermind Contender Database - 2020 now complete

Huge thanks to Paul Gilbert for sending me the complete list of 2020 contenders. I believe that my database is pretty much complete apart from Discovery Mastermind. I have about a dozen names from the series but will keep looking to add any more I can find. 

Mastermind Contender Database - 2021 now complete.

 Special thanks to Ashton Davies, who responded to yesterday's request for help with a complete list of contenders in the 2021 series. It's just 2020 missing now - and of course Discovery Mastermind if anyone could possibly help with that. Crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath. 

My Mastermind Contender Database - could you help?

When I saw Mel on yesterday’s heat of Mastermind, I went to my database to check how many series he’s taken part in. This reminded me that it is incomplete. Using various sources my database is pretty complete on the original series and Radio Four Mastermind from 1972 until 2000. I’m also complete (I think) on the revived series from 2003 – 2019. I’m also complete with the 2021/22 season.

However, apart from finalists I have no records of the 2019/20 and the 2020/21 seasons. These coincided with my lost weekend period. Not an excuse, just the way that things were then.

So I’m just putting it out there. If anyone reading can help me add any names to the database who took part in either of these series, then could you please comment on this post? All I need would be the name, and how far the contender reached – first round/ semifinal/ final – although as I say I do already have the 6 finalists of both series. I know I’m unlikely to get a complete list but I’d be grateful for any names I could add to the database.

Likewise, I really haven’t been able to find out much about the contenders in Discovery Mastermind in 2001, and so any help that anyone could give me on this score would be gratefully received as well. Thanks in advance.

University Challenge 2023 First Round, Jesus College, Cambridge v. St. Catherine's College, Oxford

The Teams

Jesus College, Cambridge

Josh Kaye

Juliette Tindall

Hamish MacGregor (Capt.)

Sumit Aggarwal

St. Catherine’s College, Oxford

Peter Olive

Tom Laskowski

Ollie Spacey (Capt.)

Holly Partis

Morning to you, dearly beloved. Well, last night the luck of the draw threw up another trans-Oxbridge match, and that’s rarely a bad thing in my opinion.

Battles which occurred within the lifetime of a religious figure made me think of the Prophet Muhammed, and Tom Laskowski must have had the same thought as we were both right. Literary works whose titles include the word wife didn’t do much or either of our scores with both of us only managing the Wife of Bath’s Tale. I will be honest, I’ve never heard of Moore’s Law, or if I have I’ve forgotten about it. Sumit Aggarwal hasn’t forgotten though, and he leapt for his buzzer like Maradona to put that one in the back of the net after a great early buzz. I’d guess that there are no fans of American sport in the Jesus team, since they missed out on taking any of a set of bonus on animals that share their name with Major League baseball teams. I have to say I was quite pleased to dredge up the Arizona Diamondbacks. Josh Kaye took his first starter knowing the 2020 drama Windermere. This time, given locations in Scotland, Jesus took a couple, and to be fair I’ve never heard of Greenockite either. Sounds like a supporter of Morton FC to me. So to the picture starter. We were shown the site that tops the Twentieth Century Society’s list of buildings at risk and as I only visited Coventry last year, I was onto that one, as was Sumit Aggarwal. Three more of the same followed – and I was surprised to see the last set since I know the Swansea buildings well – quite literally I gave my Mother-in-Law away their – and be honest, how many of us can make that boast? Jesus took a full house as well, and they looked as if they were starting to motor. ‘German mathematician .  . . introduced. . . Hebrew letter. . “ began the next starter, so I took a pure guess with the first that came into my head – aleph. Josh Kaye wasn’t guessing but thankfully he gave the same answer and we were both right. This was followed by a full house on women in the Old Testament. Josh Kaye took his double when he recognised words from FDR’s inaugural address. Recently published memoirs only yielded five points. However at just past the 10 minute mark Jesus had an ominous lead of 95 – 15, and all of Jesus’ points had been scored without St. Catherine’s troubling the scorer.

Hamish MacGregor continued the Jesus onslaught, identifying targe , buckler and scutum as types of shield. Words containing each of the five vowels only once provided a very nice UC special set, and they showed a little profligacy in taking only 2 of this gettable set. Knowing praseodymium was enough for me to award myself a Science lap of honour around the Clark sofa. The merciless Jesus onslaught continued when Juliette Tindall buzzed early to identify the film “City of God”. Now all four members of the team had contributed at least 1 starter. 2 bonuses on space exploration were taken, but they missed out on Ray Bradbury. Josh Kaye chanced his arm with the next starter but missed. St. Catherine’s just sat there like rabbits caught in headlights, until JP’s exhortation that this was an open goal led Tom Laskowski to answer that the word linking all the clues in the question was banner. The director Karyn Who? – alright, Kusama – brought just one bonus but at least their buzzers had been reconnected. So to the music round, and by the time I had clocked that this was Cavalleria Rusticana Hamish McGregor had already given the correct answer of Mascagni. 3 more intermezzi took the Jesus score to an ominous 150. If they didn’t manage another point in the contest they were at least looking set of a repechage slot. Nobody knew the Rabi model for the next starter. Hamish MacGregor maintained his team’s momentum recognising a definition of Rationalism. Two bonuses on road use protocols were taken, which was one more than I managed. I always say that for Maths questions which ask for the value then it’s more likely to be 1 or 0 than any other number. Noc cigar thanks for playing anyway this time, as Hamish MacGregor knew it was minus one. Medieval Wales saw them take 2 bonuses, after an amusing discussion on whether Tintern Abbey was a real place or made up. Now, the next starter mentioned the words ‘allotrope of carbon’ which was the cue for one of my standard answers – buckminsterfullerene. Captain Ollie Spacey’s early buzz confirmed it was right. A couple of bonuses on countries meant that the score was 190 – 45 to Jesus at the 20 minute mark.

The game was over as a contest, but there was still some interest, as it remained to be seen how high a score Jesus could post, and whether St. Catherine’s could at least achieve triple figure respectability. Nobody knew about a waterfall in Latvia for the next. Ollie Spacey, who by now had figured out that you ought to buzz when you think you MIGHT know the answer rather than waiting until you’re certain took the next starter, knowing that the three places mentioned were all in New England. A full set on London Boroughs beginning with B certainly helped the St. Catherine’s cause. Nobody recognised a Deathwatch beetle for the picture starter. Tom Laskowski knew Julian the Apostate for the next starter to earn the dubious honour of the picture bonuses. Three more pests of which they managed to identify one, which was one more than I managed. Ugly little devils all of them – that’s the pests and not the St. Catherine’s team. The next starter began – “Named after a Swedish physicist which unit of length –“ ANGSTROM! I shouted, leaping off the sofa and into a rarely taking second lap of honour. Sumit Aggarwal had that one as well. Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and as I recall I didn’t very much – yielded nothing, but hey, they were on 200 so it didn’t matter. Sumit Aggarwal knew that in addition to sport climbing and karate, surfing and skateboarding were the new sports in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 1961 Nobel prizes yielded a single bonus. Nobody knew that the Fujita scale measures tornadoes. Holly Partis knew that St. Columba founded a monastery on the island of Iona. Words ending in -etto gave St. Catherine’s not just one, but two which put them into the safe harbour of a respectable triple figure score. Josh Kaye knew that Mars was the planet which takes just over 600 days to orbit the sun. I thought I knew nowt about test cricket, but I knew enough to take the first two bonuses on a set on bowlers in the 00 test wicket club before we were gonged.

Jesus won by 225 – 105. It’s a good performance. Their bonus conversion rate was higher than fifty percent despite having more than one set where they failed to answer any. I was particularly impressed with the fact that messrs Kaye, MacGregor and Aggarwel each managed four correct starters. When you’ve got sharp buzzing spread throughout the team like this, you’ll always have a chance. Let’s spare a thought for St. Catherine’s. They too had a bonus conversion rate of 50 percent and when they started throwing caution to the wind on the buzzer they looked like a team who might well have made it to the repechage had they only started doing so a few minutes earlier. That’s the way it goes, I’m afraid.

Interesting Fact That I Didn’t Already Know Of The Week

Tarana Burke is credited with being the originator of the MeToo movement.

Mastermind 2023: First Round Heat 7

Not happy. All it would have taken would have been for the Beeb to start tonight’s Mastermind a mere fifteen minutes earlier and I would have been able to watch both this and Bakeoff without having to record either. Well, there it is. Let’s make the best of it.

Recidivists have thus far been pretty thin on the ground up until tonight. First up though was a great Mastermind stalwart Mel Kinsey. I believe that this may well be the 6^th series that Mel has contested. His history with the show stretches back to 1995 when he made the Grand Final and was unlucky to be in the same one as the great Kevin Ashman. Mel was offering us the life of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon. Sadly for Mel it turned out to be one of those rounds. Sometimes the questions stubbornly refuse to go your way, and answers refuse to jump off the tip of your tongue. Mel scored 5.

Second into the chair was teacher Jenny Armitage. Yes, she did have to put up with at least some of the support from the Clark sofa. I always want to see my brothers and sisters in adversity teaching do well. Answering on Shakespeare Comedies that’s exactly what she did. I’d be tempted to say that Shakespeare comedies is an oxymoron, but that’s really unfair. Shakespeare can seem very dry and unappetising on the page, but you see a really good performance of even the less popular of his comedies and they come alive. Mind you, it’s a long time since I saw any of them being performed, which is my excuse for a less than stellar performance. I didn’t get anywhere near the 10 that Jenny scored.

Next up was Darren Ross, answering on the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. I approached this round with a well founded sense of foreboding, and in the end I was lucky to get zero with my lack of knowledge. Going off on a tangent my favourite ‘fact’ about the ’45 is that Bonnie Prince Charlie was the most famous man in History to have been named after three sheepdogs – thanks Billy Connolly. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think that there was any low hanging fruit in this round, and Darren rarely looked to be having any difficulty at all in recalling the answers to almost all of the questions. His 11 on what certainly looked like a very difficult round looked to me to be a great performance.

If there was no hint of a piece of low hanging fruit in the previous rounds, then it was equally true of the fourth. Gaynor Melling was answering on Rupert Bear. Now I knew that the character was originated by Mary Tourtel, but that made part of a question and not an answer. I also knew that Alfred Betsall took over when Mary Tourtel had finished, and again, that was part of a question. These were enough o tell me that for the second round in a row I would not be troubling the scorer. Gaynor plugged on throughout the round, eventually managing to post a score of 9.

So to the General Knowledge. The big question going through my mind was whether the specialist round was going to be playing on Mel’s mind. For the first minute or so it certainly seemed so. But as I mentioned, Mel is an old hand at this game, and I was glad to see him rally significantly in the last minute and a half. In the end Mel scored 9 on General Knowledge.

This brought Gaynor Melling back to the chair. With only 2 points separating the players in bronze, silver and gold at the halfway stage, the three of them each had everything to play for in the GK round. Gaynor took the tried and trusted method of listening to each question and answering what she knew, and guessing what she didn’t. True, she did accrue two passes on the way to scoring 9, and with everything being so tight at the top, I couldn’t help wondering whether these might prove to be significant.

Well, it never quite looked as if Jenny was going to score the 8 she would need to bring the pass countback into play. She started quite well, but as the round went on the correct answers dried up. In the end it was a little closer than it looked as if it might be, but she fell one short scoring 7 to take her own total to 17.

It was down to Darren Ross, then. If he could score a relatively modest 7 and no more than 1 pass, then he would secure an outright win. Well, to be honest he did make quite hard work of it, and it was only in the last couple of questions that he crept past the total. In the end he added 8 to his score to take his final total to 19. No, that’s not a great score, but it was enough, and that’s what really matters.  Some nights that’s just how it works out, and if you’re standing on top of the podium at the end of the ace, well, the time you posted is of secondary importance. Well done, sir.

The Details

Mel Kinsey	Neil Armstrong	5	0	9	3	14	3
Jenny Armitage	Shakespeare Comedies	10	1	7	3	17	4
Darren Ross	The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745	11	0	8	1	19	1
Gaynor Melling	Rupert Bear	9	0	9	2	18	2