These Mastermind questions prompted some bizarre answers – but how would you do? Take our quiz to find out

WHEN Casualty star Amanda Henderson was asked to give the name of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg on Mastermind last year, the clip of her unusual answer, ‘Sharon’, went viral.

Her wild guess – and ex-host John Humphrys’ dry response – prompted Greta to jokingly change her Twitter name to Sharon and the video has been viewed over 5million times. But it’s not the most bizarre answer the show has seen.

As BBC news presenter Clive Myrie is set to become the show’s new host, we’re celebrating by looking back at some of the funniest answers ever given on Mastermind – and you can see if you’d have done any better.

Beginning in 1972, Mastermind was modelled on producer Bill Wright’s experiences of being interrogated by the Gestapo during the Second World War.

PA

Clive Myrie, 56, is taking the reins from John Humphrys as host of Mastermind[/caption]

BBC/Hindsight/Hat Trick Productions Ltd/Kelvin Boyes

John Humphrys has been hosting Mastermind since 2003 after previous quizmasters Magnus Magnusson, Peter Snow, and Clive Anderson[/caption]

But while the infamous hot seat is designed to be stressful, some answers given by contestants have been truly inexplicable.

Have a bash at the questions below to see how you’d have done (correct answers at the bottom).

1. The 2019 book entitled No One is Too Small To Make A Difference is a collection of speeches made by a Swedish climate change activist. What’s her name?

Wrong answer: Sharon.

2. In an 1819 poem, what season of the year does Keats describe as ‘a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’?

Wrong answer: Oliver Twist.

3. The Halle Orchestra is based in which venue in Manchester?

Wrong answer: Salford.

4. The Grinch lives on which mountain, overlooking the town of Whoville, with only his dog Max for company in How The Grinch Stole Christmas?

Wrong answer: Pass.

BBC

Kajen Thuraaisingham set the record for the lowest score ever seen on the show[/caption]

5. In the stories by A. A. Milne, who owned a bear called Winnie-the-Pooh?

Wrong answer: Bob.

6. [In the TV show Dallas] which character became Mrs Bobby Ewing in the final series and was kidnappedand murdered on their honeymoon?

Wrong answer: Priscilla Presley.

7. Who acceded to the English throne at the age of nine on the death of his father, Henry VIII, in 1547?

Wrong answer: Henry VII.

8. Stanley is the capital of which self-governing British overseas territory?

Wrong answer: Didn’t he write Spiderman?

BBC

Shaun Ryder’s confusion about Stanley seemed to come from mishearing it as two words[/caption]

9. Le Maillon Faible is the French television version of which British quiz show?

Wrong answer: Mastermind.

10. In which city is the television comedy series, Cheers, set?

Wrong answer: America.

Answers

1. Greta Thunberg. When the clip of Casualty star Amanda Henderson giving this answer went viral, Thunberg saw the funny side and changed her Twitter name to Sharon.
2. Autumn. Cricketer Monty Panesar was completely knocked for six during his appearance on Celebrity Mastermind, which really has to be seen in its hysterical entirety to be believed.
3. Bridgewater Hall. This was part of software analyst Kajen Thuraaisingham’s disastrous 2010 effort. For a time, he held the record for the lowest combined score on the show, getting just five right answers across both the specialist subject and general knowledge rounds.
4. (Mount) Crumpit. Probation worker Simon Curtis picked Jim Carey as his specialist subject, and then proceeded to get only one question right – the lowest score the show had ever seen. What makes Curtis’ flop all the more incredible is that he’d previously won £250,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
5. Christopher Robin. This was paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox’s first question in her general knowledge round – the only round in the show’s history in which the contestant didn’t score a single point.
6. April Stevens. Fast Show star Arabella Weir gave this answer in her catastrophic specialist round on Dallas. Weir confused Stevens for Jenna Wade, who was played by Priscilla Presley, so the answer’s not as inexplicable as it first seems.
7. Edward VI. David Lammy MP made this howler during an otherwise decent effort on the celebrity version of the show. He also thought “Leicester” might be the variety of blue cheese traditionally served with port – despite the fact it’s usually known as “Red Leicester”, which might have ben a bit of a clue.
8. Falkland Islands. Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder confused the historic port with Stan Lee, the legendary comic book writer.
9. The Weakest Link. One of Thuraaisingham’s many misses.
10. Boston. Another clanger from Monty Panesar’s ill-fated general knowledge round.