Olympic rower and actor mastermind show success

A FORMER Olympic rower from Henley was crowned Mastermind champion.

James Cracknell, who won two gold medals, featured in the latest episode of Celebrity Mastermind, which aired on BBC Two on Monday.

He was competing against three other celebrities to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Cracknell’s specialist subject for the opening round was Grigori Rasputin, Siberian mystic and court favourite of Russian Emperor Nicholas II.

Cracknell, who lives in Henley with wife Jordan Connell scored seven points in 90 seconds. Responding to presenter Clive Myrie’s comment that he was an “achiever”, Cracknell said: “In a boat – one skill.

“It’s a lot of pressure. If you think it’s an Olympics is every four years and then you’ve got six minutes which effectively determines whether those four years have been a waste of time or not.”

Myrie mentioned how Cracknell had rowed across the Atlantic with presenter and friend, Ben Fogle, who lives in Fawley, about 20 years ago.

Cracknell said: “We did two hours on, two hours off, 24 hours a day for the 50 days it took us. It was over the Equator, so it’s 12 hours dark, 12 hours light. It’s very lonely on those night shifts, when Ben’s having a rest and you’re out there on your own.”

He added his doubt to why he was completing the challenge felt “very similar” to appearing on Celebrity Mastermind.

Contestants then faced the general knowledge round, having two minutes to answer as many questions as possible, with Cracknell adding an additional seven to his total, achieving 14 points.

The round finished in a three-way-tie between Cracknell, comedian, Jen Brister and presenter, Craig Rowe, broken by three final questions.

After an “unusual” final round, Cracknell was crowned the winner of the episode with a total of 16 points.

Meanwhile, actor Simon Williams, from Nettlebed, appeared on Bargain Hunt.

Williams, 79, who starred in Upstairs, Downstairs, and is married to Lucy Fleming, featured on an episode of the BBC One programme, on Friday, January 9.

The episode was a special celebration for 75 years of the BBC Radio 4 drama, The Archers, in which Williams plays Justin Elliott.

Williams was part partnered with Sunny Ormonde, 78, on the blue team and were up against Susie Riddell and Ryan Kelly on the red team.

They were tasked to find antiques at a fair in Somerset to sell with the aim of making the biggest profit.

Williams and Ormonde were guided by presenter and auctioneer Thomas Forrester and had a budget of £300 to spend.

They bought a copper kettle for £15, a Belgian glass vase for £57, a Victorian silver locket for £150 and a “bonus buy” turquoise brooch for £25.

During the buying, Ormonde and Forrester also managed to lose Williams, who had gone to purchase an ice cream.

During the auction Williams said that he was nervous and “terrified”of winning.

The blue team finished the auction making a loss of £9 but were victorious over the red team, which had made an overall loss of £48.

Williams said he will be “boasting” about for years to come.

Williams said to Ormonde: “We won’t be able to show our heads in The Bull! We go into The Bull, people will be laughing. We’re supposed to be sharp-minded businesspeople.”

You can watch both episodes on BBC iPlayer.