Transcription
[music] [music] Hello and welcome to [music] Mastermind with me, Clive Myer. In the spotlight tonight are Katherine Fth, a marketing manager. Her specialist subject is the Great Reform Act of 1832. Jonathan Wright, a trainee lawyer. He'll be answering questions on the castles of South Wales. Paul Smith, a compliance manager whose subject is the works of the television animators and puppeteers Oliver Postgate and Peter Ferman. And Farah Shake, a doctor. Her specialist subject is the band Maroon 5.
>> [music] >>
The preparation for an appearance on Mastermind can take weeks, months, years, even a lifetime. But can anyone still really fully prepare for the rigor of 2 minutes of specially subject questions and two and a half minutes on general knowledge? All while perched in the famous black chair. You see, this simple piece of furniture has the ability to render contenders speechless, to make minds go blank, to discombobulate and infuriate. That's why eventually winning this beautiful glass bowl and being able to call yourself a Mastermind champion are so highly praised. Can I ask the first of our contenders tonight vying for a place in the semi-finals to join us, please?
>> Your name?
>> Katherine Fth.
>> Your occupation?
>> Marketing manager.
>> And your specialist subject?
>> The Great Reform Act of 1832.
The Act of Parliament brought about by political pressure and civil unrest that began the process of transforming the UK's political system. In 2 minutes, here we go. A notorious example of the rotten boroughs abolished by the Great Reform Act was which constituency near Salisbury where two MPs represented a handful of electors?
>> Old Sarum.
>> Yes. The first Reform Bill was put forward the year after the outbreak of the Swing Riots that had begun in August 1830 with the destruction of a threshing machine in which English county?
>> Kent.
>> Yes. In April 1831, which MP put forward an amendment to the first Reform Bill to prevent any reduction in the number of MPs in England and Wales, though when this was carried, it led to the dissolution of Parliament?
>> West.
>> No. Isaac Gascoyne. What radical newspaper was founded by Henry Hetherington in July 1831 and later that year called for the creation of at least a hundred new peers?
>> Poor Man's Guardian.
>> Yes. During a Lords debate, which Whig peer quoted the poet Oliver Goldsmith and referred to the Tory Lord Wharncliffe as "wandering, remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow"?
>> Brougham.
>> Yes. Which Birmingham banker, a key advocate of reform in the years leading up to the Act, was the founder of the Birmingham Political Union?
>> Attwood.
>> Yes. The amendment that enfranchised tenant farmers paying a rent of £50 or more in county constituencies is named after which peer?
>> Tenterden.
>> Yes. Henry Phillpotts questioned whether William IV's coronation oath prevented him from assenting to the Irish Reform Bill. Was the Bishop of which English city?
>> Exeter.
>> Yes. What was the title of the satirical sketch by the artist John Doyle which depicted the anti-reform Tory Sir Charles Wetherall as a dying man in a robe and nightcap?
>> Wee Willie Winkie.
>> No. The last of the borough bridges. The Prime Minister Earl Grey used the phrase "melancholy events" to describe the riots that broke out in which English city in October 1831 following the defeat of the second Reform Bill?
>> Bristol.
>> Yes. On the 14th of May 1832, [music] which peer cast doubt on whether a new administration formed by Wellington [music] would support reform, given that the Duke had demonstrated an uncompromising hostility to it?
>> Lyndhurst.
>> No, it was Lord Ebrington.
>> Katherine, at the end of that round, you had no passes. You've got eight points.
>> Thank you.
>> [music]
>> And our next contender, please.
>> Your name?
>> Jonathan Wright.
>> Your occupation?
>> Trainee lawyer.
>> And your specialist subject?
>> The castles of South Wales.
The history and features of the many castles and fortified manor houses of South Wales. In 2 minutes, here we go. Which castle, built in the 13th century by the land baron Gilbert de Clare, is the largest in Wales and is today renowned for its leaning tower?
>> Caerphilly.
>> Yes. A Watergate leading onto the river was a notable feature of which castle that was redesigned in the 15th century under Humphrey Stafford, the future Duke of Buckingham?
>> Newport.
>> Yes. Henry de Beaumont, who founded Swansea Castle in the early 12th century, was a Norman nobleman also known by the title the first Earl of where?
>> Warwick.
>> Yes. In 1557, which castle became known for an affray over the salvage rights to a French ship that was wrecked nearby, resulting in the death of a member of the family that owned the castle?
>> St Donat's.
>> No, it was Oystermouth. Which opponent of King Charles I and a signatory of his death warrant died in Chepstow Castle in 1680 after being imprisoned there for many years, albeit apparently in relatively comfortable conditions?
>> Martin.
>> No. Close is Henry Marten. La coste, between Swansea and Kenfig, stands on the site of a Roman fort with what name?
>> Luguvalium.
>> No. Luguvalium. Which 12th-century coastal castle on the Gower Peninsula, together with the nearby St. Mary's Church, was abandoned in the 15th or 16th century because sand blown in from the local dunes eroded the stonework?
>> Candleston.
>> No. Penard Castle. Which illegitimate son of King Henry I took over as ruler of Cardiff Castle in the 12th century and is featured artistically in the castle's elaborate banqueting hall?
>> Robert.
>> Need a bit more.
>> Pass.
>> What was the name of the industrialist and philanthropist who was the last owner of Weobley Castle before it was handed over to the care of the state in 1911?
>> Pass.
>> Castell Coch in Cardiff, which was rebuilt in the 19th century for the Marquis of Bute, has three towers: the Well Tower, the Keep Tower, and which other tower?
>> Pass.
>> In the 14th century, which king took refuge at Caerphilly Castle, hiding there briefly from supporters of his wife as she sought to remove him from the throne?
>> King Edward II.
>> [music]
>> Yes. Kenfig Castle, which was built in the early 12th century, was damaged in an attack in 1316 during the rebellion led by which Welsh nobleman, only to be besieged again after repair five years later?
>> Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.
>> It was Llywelyn Bren. Jonathan, [snorts] you had three passes. Castell Coch in Cardiff that has three towers: the Well Tower, the Keep Tower, and the Kitchen Tower. The name of the industrialist and philanthropist, the last owner of Weobley Castle, that's Emily Talbot, and it was Robert of Gloucester, the illegitimate son of King Henry I, who took over Cardiff Castle. So, at the end of that round, you've got five points. Thanks. And our next contender, please.
>> Your name?
>> Paul Smith.
>> Your occupation?
>> Compliance manager.
>> And your specialist subject?
>> The work of Oliver Postgate and Peter Ferman.
The creative team who, with their production company Smallfilms, produced many classics of children's television. In 2 minutes, here we go. Furman and Postgate first met in the late 1950s when Peter was a lecturer at the Central School of Art in London and Oliver was a stage manager for what television company?
>> Associated Rediffusion.
>> Yes. For the original series of Ivor the Engine, the title character's whistle sound was provided by Vernon Elliott using what musical instrument?
>> The bassoon.
>> Yes. Many of the Smallfilms programmes were created and recorded in a studio built within a cowshed on Peter and Joan Furman's farm in which village in Kent?
>> Blean.
>> Yes. The Bagpuss character, Professor Yaffle, was conceived by Postgate as a cross between his own uncle and which British philosopher?
>> Bertrand Russell.
>> Yes. The first stop-motion animation film that Postgate and Ferman made together, The Journey of Master Ho, tells the story of a Chinese boy and what animal who both come to life from a willow pattern plate?
>> Water buffalo.
>> Yes. What's the title of the specially themed Clangers episode made in just three days and broadcast on the day of the second UK general election of 1974?
>> Vote for Froglet.
>> Yes. What's the name of the animation technique involving the use of magnets to animate characters on live television which ITV asked Postgate and Ferman to use for their first television programme together? Alexander the Mouse.
>> Busy motion.
>> Yes. What's the name of the strange bird with green feathers that appears in the Noggin the Nog series?
>> Graculus.
>> Yes. What character from the 1965 series The Pogles was deemed by the BBC to be too frightening, so was removed for the subsequent series, retitled as Pogleswood?
>> The Witch.
>> Yes. The character Bagpuss was originally supposed to be a marmalade cat, but the material used to make him had been supplied in pink and white by mistake by a company with what name?
>> Pass.
>> In the 2015 revival of the Clangers, Postgate, who died seven years previously, was succeeded as the narrator by Michael Palin for the UK broadcast and by which Canadian actor for the American version?
>> William Shatner.
>> In the 1979 animated series What-a-Mess, based on a series of books by Frank Muir, the puppy of the title is what breed of dog?
>> Afghan Hound.
>> It is an Afghan Hound. Paul, you had two passes. The 2015 American version of the Clangers was voiced by the Canadian actor William Shatner. And the character of Bagpuss was supposed to be a marmalade cat, but the fabric supplied was pink and white by a company called Dunbar Fabrics.
>> Yes.
>> And at the end of that round, Paul, you've got 10 points.
>> Thank you.
>> [music]
>> And our final contender, please.
>> Your name?
>> Farah Shake.
>> Your occupation?
>> Doctor.
>> And your specialist subject?
>> Maroon 5.
The band formed in California in 1994 and fronted by Adam Levine. In 2 minutes, here we go. Maroon 5 reached number two in the UK singles charts in 2011 with a song "Moves Like Jagger", a collaboration with which American singer?
>> Christina Aguilera.
>> Yes. The band dedicated their halftime show at the 2019 Super Bowl and their 2021 studio album to their former manager who died in 2017. What was his name?
>> Jordan Feldstein.
>> Yes. In the mid-1990s, the band, then known as Kara's Flowers, signed briefly to Oar Records, after which independent music producer heard them performing at a party in Malibu while he was walking past with his dog?
>> Dicola.
>> No. Tommy Allen. In 2001, the group changed their name to Maroon 5 and recruited the guitarist James Valentine from which short-lived three-piece band who'd recently won a national battle of the bands competition?
>> Square.
>> Yes. Which DJ remixed the Maroon 5 song "Not Falling Apart" from *It Won't Be Soon Before Long* on the band's 2008 remix album *Call in Response*?
>> Mark Ronson.
>> No. Tiësto. In the music video for the song "Sugar", the band makes surprise performances at various weddings across Los Angeles. What's the name of the hotel they're seen performing at?
>> Park Plaza.
>> Yes. Which song did the band cover for the 2004 compilation album *Mary Had a Little Amp*, released to raise funds to support preschool education provision?
>> Pass.
>> Which television legal drama featured a number of Kara's Flowers songs in its episodes after Levine, who was briefly a writer's assistant on the show, persuaded a producer to use them?
>> Judging Amy.
>> Yes. According to the band's website, in the name of their long-running official fan club, the letters S.I.N. stand for what phrase?
>> Pass.
>> Which graphic artist designed the cover of the band's 2002 album *Songs About Jane*?
>> Gig Art.
>> Yes. After leaving the record label Reprise in the late 1990s, Levine and Carmichael enrolled at which Long Island arts college [music] where they experimented with musical genres such as gospel?
>> Five Towns College.
>> At which Long Island arts college where they experimented with musical genres such as gospel and soul?
>> Catskill.
>> No, it was Five Towns College. So, Farah, you had two passes. Their official fan club, the letters S.I.N., they stand for "Strength In Numbers". And the song the band covered for their 2004 compilation album, *Mary Had a Little Amp*, it was "Pure Imagination".
>> Oh, yeah.
>> At the end of that round, Farah, you've got six points.
>> [music]
>> At the end of the specialist subjects round, let's have a look at the scores. In fourth place with five points, it's Jonathan. In third place with six points, it's Farah. In second place with eight points, it's Katherine. And in first place with 10 points, it's Paul. So now it's general knowledge. And if there's a tie at the end, then the number of passes is taken into account, and the person with the fewer passes is the winner. And if they're tied on passes as well, it's a tie-break. So let's ask Jonathan to join us again, please. Jonathan, you start with five points. You've got two and a half minutes on general knowledge. Here we go. Which city is the capital of Belgium?
>> Brussels.
>> Yes. What was the surname of the British boxer whose left hook became known in the press as "Enry 'Enry 'Enry"?
>> Foreman.
>> No. Cooper. What's the name of the psychologist and former actress who was a regular cast member on the television comedy series *Not the Nine O'Clock News* and who in 1989 married the comedian Billy Connolly?
>> Pamela Stevenson.
>> Gelb is the German word for what colour?
>> Yellow.
>> Yes. What 2019 psychological horror film directed by Robert Eggers stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two men working on a remote and mysterious island off the coast of New England?
>> The Lighthouse.
>> Yes. The tubular Sicilian pastries known as cannoli traditionally contain a sweetened filling made from what soft cheese?
>> Mascarpone.
>> No. Ricotta. Which American rapper, who sometimes includes the word "Misdemeanor" as part of her stage name, had UK hit albums with *Under Construction* in 2002 and *Respect Me* in 2006?
>> Missy Elliott.
>> Yes. Chiropody, also known as podiatry, is the specialist treatment and care of which part of the body?
>> Feet.
>> Yes. What's the name of the politician who in May 2025 was elected to serve a second term as Prime Minister of Australia?
>> Anthony Albanese.
>> Yes. A symphony composed by Franz Liszt, first performed in 1857, was inspired by and is named after a 14th-century epic poem by which Italian writer?
>> Dante.
>> Yes. A colourless crystalline form of zirconium oxide known as cubic zirconia is commonly used in jewellery as a less expensive imitation of what precious gemstone?
>> Diamond.
>> Yes. The American lyricist, born Israel Gershwin, who often collaborated on stage musicals with his younger brother, the composer George Gershwin, was known by what three-letter first name?
>> Ira.
>> Yes. In geometry, a plane, as opposed to a line or a solid, has how many dimensions?
>> Two.
>> Yes. The Poor Beagle, the Smooth Hound, and the Mega Mouth are species of what cartilaginous fish?
>> Shark.
>> Yes. Which New York landmark, installed in 1886, was designed by the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi?
>> The Statue of Liberty.
>> Yes. The 2024 book *Frankie* is the fifth novel by which Irish broadcaster and television chat show host?
>> Ryan Tubridy.
>> No. Graham Norton. [music] What adjective that can mean unconventional, I'll start so I'll finish. What adjective that can mean unconventional or oddly behaved when referring to a person is used in astronomy to describe a planet's orbit that isn't circular?
>> Weird.
>> No, eccentric. Jonathan, [snorts] at the end of that round, you had no passes. You've got 17 points.
>> Thank you.
>> Next up is Farah. Farah, you start with six points. The score to beat, as it stands, is 17 points. You've got two and a half minutes on general knowledge. Here we go. What three-letter word can refer to a long queue of slow-moving traffic or a sweet fruit-flavoured preserve often spread on toast?
>> Jam.
>> Yes. In the television sitcom *Friends*, what's the first name of the massage therapist and aspiring musician played by Lisa Kudrow?
>> Phoebe.
>> Yes. In the abbreviation IVF for a type of fertility treatment, the letters IV stand for what Latin term?
>> In vitro.
>> Yes. What British studio complex, used for making films such as *The King's Speech* and *Paddington*, is located in Borehamwood near Watford?
>> Shepperton.
>> No. Elstree. Which Balkan country that gained independence in 2006 has a name that translates as "Black Mountain"?
>> Montenegro.
>> What was the name of the Egyptian president who was assassinated less than three years after being jointly awarded the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize with Menachem Begin?
>> Mubarak.
>> No. Sadat. What name, derived from a Greek word for "thick", is used in physics for subatomic particles that are composed of quarks and have types known as baryons and mesons?
>> Baryon.
>> In June 2025, which American tennis player won her second Grand Slam singles title with a three-set victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the French Open?
>> Coco Gauff.
>> Yes. The tomb of the architect Sir Christopher Wren is in which London cathedral?
>> St. Paul's.
>> Yes. Which composer wrote the operetta *The Merry Widow*, first performed in Vienna in 1905?
>> Lehár.
>> What's the usual five-letter name for a male duck?
>> Pass.
>> What's the alphanumeric name of the form, sometimes called an end-of-year certificate, which is issued annually by an employer to an employee, providing details of how much income tax they've paid?
>> P60.
>> Yes. Which town in Lancashire was granted city status in 2002 as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee celebrations?
>> Preston.
>> Yes. What's the stage name of the American singer Ernest Evans, who popularized numerous dance styles including the Twist and had UK hit singles in the 1960s entitled "The Twist" and "Let's Twist Again"?
>> Chubby Checker.
>> No. Chubby Checker. A classic spritzer usually consists of sparkling water or lemonade mixed with what alcoholic drink?
>> Vodka.
>> No. White wine. And which American aviator became the first person to be named as Time magazine's Man of [music] the Year when the accolade was introduced for 1927?
>> Pass.
>> It was Charles Lindbergh. Farah, you had four other passes. The usual five-letter name for a male duck. Drake.
>> Okay.
>> The composer who wrote the operetta *The Merry Widow*. Franz Lehár. The name derived from a Greek word for "thick" and is used in physics for subatomic particles that are composed of quarks. It's a hadron. And a Balkan country that gained independence in 2006 and it has a name that translates as "Black Mountain". Montenegro.
>> Oh, yes.
>> At the end of that round, Farah, you've got 13 points.
>> [music]
>> Next up, it's Katherine. Katherine, you start with eight points. The score to beat, as it stands, is 17 points. You've got two and a half minutes on general knowledge. Here we go. Visually, what single-digit number most closely resembles an uppercase letter B?
>> Eight.
>> Yes. On a standard London Monopoly board, which property at £400 is the most expensive one to buy?
>> Mayfair.
>> Yes. The singer known as Conchita Wurst won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix", representing which country?
>> Austria.
>> What alternative name for the Arabian camel is derived from a Greek word that means "running"?
>> Dromedary.
>> No, dromedary. [clears throat] The Camargue area of southern France, known for the birdlife in its wetland nature reserve, is in the delta formed by two branches of which major river?
>> Seine.
>> No, the Rhône. In the 1960s and early '70s, the Burmese diplomat U Thant served as Secretary-General of what international organization?
>> United Nations.
>> Yes. When it opened on Broadway in 1963, what play by Neil Simon starred Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley as the newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter?
>> Barefoot in the Park.
>> No. Barefoot in the Park. Lambeth Palace is the London residence of the holder of which religious post in the Church of England?
>> Archbishop of Canterbury.
>> Yes. A palfrey is an archaic term for a docile specimen of what domesticated animal?
>> Horse.
>> Yes. Which British actress starred in the 1976 television play *Nuts in May* and the 1990 film *Life is Sweet*? Both written by her then husband Mike Leigh.
>> Alison Steadman.
>> Yes. Which political leader was the founder of modern-day Turkey and became its first president in 1923?
>> Atatürk.
>> Yes. The South African investment coin called the Krugerrand is made from one troy ounce of which precious metal?
>> Gold.
>> Yes. What famous 1937 painting by Pablo Picasso, in the collection of the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, depicts the German aerial bombing of a Basque town?
>> Guernica.
>> Yes. The substance retinol, which plays an important role in healthy eyesight, is a form of which vitamin?
>> A.
>> No. A. Although other fruits are sometimes used, the French dessert clafoutis is traditionally made with what fruit, with the stones left in?
>> Cherries.
>> Yes. Black cherries. Which American singer and Nobel laureate wrote the 2022 book of essays entitled *The Philosophy of Modern Song*?
>> Bob Dylan.
>> Yes. In 1932, the London Underground station Gillespie Road was renamed after which [music] local football club after a campaign led by the club's manager Herbert Chapman?
>> Arsenal.
>> No. Next door, Arsenal.
>> Katherine, at the end of that round, you had no passes. You've got 19 points.
>> Thank you.
>> And finally, let's have Paul again, please. Paul, you start with 10 points. The score to beat to get through to the semi-finals is Katherine's 19 points. You've got 2 and a half minutes on general knowledge. Here we go. What pleated, knee-length garment resembling a skirt and made from tartan cloth is part of traditional Scottish Highland dress?
>> Kilt.
>> Yes. In competitive rowing, which is the only member of the crew who faces forwards in the boat's direction of travel?
>> The cox.
>> Yes. What's the surname of the titular criminal barrister who appears with Rob Ryland in the television series *Rob Ryland's Grand Tour*, which won a BAFTA in 2025 in the factual entertainment category?
>> Ryland.
>> Yes. In Roman numerals, what number is denoted by the letters LXX?
>> 70.
>> Yes. The common name of what long, thin, predatory invertebrate with a segmented body suggests that it has 100 feet?
>> A centipede.
>> Yes. What's the full name of the Marvel Comics superhero who first appeared in 2001 and runs the Alias Investigations agency in New York?
>> Jessica Jones.
>> No. Jessica Jones. The word bibliophile is defined as a collector or lover of what items?
>> Books.
>> Yes. The 1991 Gulf War was triggered by Iraq's invasion of which neighbouring country?
>> Kuwait.
>> Yes. What muscle, which has a name derived from a Latin word for "tailor", runs the length of the thigh and is the longest in the human body?
>> Sartorius.
>> No. Sartorius. What name, shared with the 11th month of the French Republican calendar, is given to a method of preparing a lobster in which the meat is mixed with a creamy sauce and served in the shell?
>> Thermidor.
>> Yes. Which British grime singer topped the UK albums chart in 2020 with *Heavy is the Head*, featuring the number one single "Vossi Bop"?
>> Stormzy.
>> Yes. In 2017, Maria Balshaw succeeded Nicholas Serota as the director of which group of British art galleries?
>> The Tate.
>> Yes. The campus of Keele University, near the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme, is a few miles west of which English city?
>> Stoke-on-Trent.
>> Yes. The 1980 satirical documentary film *The Great Rock and Roll Swindle* charts the rise to stardom of which British punk rock group?
>> The Sex Pistols.
>> Yes. What 1945 novel by Evelyn Waugh is subtitled *The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder*?
>> Brideshead Revisited.
>> No. *Brideshead Revisited*. Which politician succeeded Harold Macmillan as UK Prime Minister in 1963 but served in the role for just less than a year?
>> Alec Douglas-Home.
>> What unit of volume, equal to 35 imperial gallons or 42 American gallons, is used [music] to measure quantities of crude oil?
>> A barrel.
>> Yes. In Greek mythology, what was the name of the musician and poet? I'll start so I'll finish. The musician and poet who was married to Eurydice and was killed by the Maenads, the female followers of Dionysus, the god of wine?
>> Orpheus.
>> No, it was Orpheus.
>> At the end of that round, it didn't matter. No passes. 23 points. You've done it.
>> Thank you.
>> [music]
>> So, let's have a look at the final scores. In fourth place with 13 points, it's Farah. In third place with 17 points, it's Jonathan. In second place with 19 points, it's Katherine, which means in first place with 23 points, it's Paul. So, he goes through to the semi-finals. Congratulations to him. If you'd like to be a contender in the next series, please go to our website, bbc.co.uk/mastermind, and you can follow us at @mastermindquiz. Join us again next time for more Mastermind. Thanks for watching. Bye for now.
>> [music]
>> It feels amazing. It came as a complete shock when, uh, when Clive announced I'd won.
>> Your occupation?
>> Compliance manager.
>> And your specialist subject?
>> The work of Oliver Postgate and Peter Ferman.
>> At the start of the special subject round, first time sat in the chair, pressure's on. I actually had to remind myself to breathe. Three questions in, I realised I wasn't breathing, and I wasn't going to last to the end. So that was something I had to remember to do.
>> [music]
>> [music]
>> [music]