Fifteen to One 2.0: Series 6 Final

So, another grand final of Fifteen-to-One 2.0, the second hardest game show ever made, according to UKGS's poll last December.

It's been a low scoring series, with the highest score being Barbara Levy's 191, and the second highest the 152 of Gilly Rawlinson and Steve Clarke. George Scratcherd, UC alumnus, ran up a score of 161 before running out of lives and being ruled out.

Playing in this afternoon's final were: Ms Levy, Lawrence Cook (conqueror of Jim Gratrex), Mr Clarke, Philip Mayall, Ms Rawlinson, Brian Chesney (runner-up in last year's Brain of Britain, amongst other things), Ken Key, Gerry Keen-Haudin, Keith Hutchings, Michael Howarth, Rob Mansfield, Hugh Rowntree, Huw Pritchard (runner-up of OC Series 7 with the Celts), Tom Rowell and Mel Kinsey.

Like last series, only two players, Ms Rawlinson and Mr Rowntree, were knocked out in the first round, but only four progressed to the second round with their three lives intact.

During the second round, most of the attacks seemed to be centered upon Ms Levy, who Sandi, I think rightly, said the other saw as a threat. She was eventually knocked out in 10th place. Several others fell in quick succession, until eventually four players were left, Messrs Cook, Chesney, Key and Pritchard. Ken had control, and chose to target Lawrence, who he nominated twice in a row, and he got both wrong, sending him out 4th.

And so the final three were: Brian Chesney, Ken Key and Huw Pritchard.

The final, as usual, was forty questions all on the buzzer. Ken and Brian both lost a life early on on the same question (the rules having been changed for the final so that wrong answered questions are thrown open to the other players), but the early questions were spread fairly evenly.

Ken then got a second wrong, leaving him with just one life left rather early. Brian then got a second wrong and was too left with one life, leaving Huw the only one with all three. However, all three were soon level on points with 32 each. After this, though, Brian and Huw began to run away together, leaving Ken trailing.

With ten questions to go, Huw was ahead on 92, with Brian on 82 and Ken 62. Brian drew level and then took the lead. Huw drew level again, and it was now probably a two horse race. This was confirmed when Ken got a third wrong, and was knocked out third.

Brian was now ten in front, but Huw still had his three lives left to Brian's one, and there were just five left. The next two were dropped, neither man taking a needless risk. Huw then took the third-last, drawing level. Brian got the penultimate question, meaning it would all be decided on the final question. If Brian got it, he'd win; if Huw got it, he'd win by virtue of having more lives left. Brian got the buzzer first... and got it wrong.

Huw didn't need to answer, but he did anyway, and got it right just to make sure.

And so, after a grand final just about as close and exciting as the previous one, Huw Pritchard is the new champion and won the £40,000! Well done to him, and congrats to Brian and Key too for a great contest.

So that's it for Fifteen-to-One 2.0 for now, but two more series have been commissioned for next year, both fifty shows long if I understand correctly. I am seriously considering putting an application in for one of them, so watch this space.

I'll be back next week with my usual Quizzy Monday review. See you then.