BBC Mastermind viewers issue same complaint over ‘awful’ show change
Clive Myrie welcomed four new contestants on BBC Mastermind (Image: BBC)
Mastermind viewers raced to complain over what they described as a major difference to the show. Clive Myrie welcomed four new contestants onto the BBC programme on Monday (July 10), each hoping to excel in their chosen specialist subject. Farrah chose British and Irish cheeses, Elsie opted for the Roman General Sulla, Emily answered questions on the hit TV series Jonathan Creek, while Adam was quizzed on the 19th century composer Johannes Brahms.
Once they had completed their specialist subject rounds, the four players were then challenged to answer as many general knowledge questions as possible within two and a half minutes. Shortly after Emily sat opposite Clive, viewers criticised the programme for giving the contestants what they believed were “easy” questions, with some pointing out that this had not always been the case.
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Viewers complained that the contestants received “easy” questions (Image: BBC)
One said: “Super easy questions!!!!”
“The first few questions never used to be this easy,” a second agreed as another echoed: “Quite easy general knowledge questions.”
Another posted: “I think someone new is setting the general knowledge questions. Some absolutely awful ones this week.”
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Emily’s first three questions were: “In terms such as pop music and pop culture, pop is short for what word?”, “The cartoon puppy Scrappy-Doo is a nephew of what animated canine television character?”, and “Competitors in swimming events in which stroke must start the race in the water, rather than by diving into the pool.”
She correctly answered “popular” and “Scooby-Doo”, but failed to identify “backstroke”, instead guessing “butterfly”.
However, it was one of Elsie’s answers that caught viewers’ attention online, with her response leaving many in stitches.
She was asked: “In a series of films released in the 1970s and ’80s, the police homicide officer known as Dirty Harry is played by which actor?”
Elsie went with John Cleese, but the correct answer was Clint Eastwood.
Taking to X, one declared: “I’m sorry, but this might be the funniest wrong answer I’ve ever heard.”
Another wrote: “As if Elsie answered that Dirty Harry was played by John Cleese,” followed by a laughing crying emoji.
A third posted: ” John Cleese as Dirty Harry!! OMG that’s given me a chuckle. Can you imagine a Basil Faulty version of Dirty Harry!!”
A fourth added: “Dirty Harry played by John Cleese?! Now THAT I gotta see!!”
Despite the blunder, Elsie finished in first place with 20 points.
