Stuart Field has won Mastermind 2023.
The South Yorkshire quizmaster triumphed in a nail-biting grand decider, with Ricky Gervais cheering him on.
Stuart’s victory also happened to coincide with the BBC Two series’ 50th anniversary, making it even more remarkable.
The Sheffield brainbox won the final with 28 points, and his particular topic was the classic BBC sitcom Extras, for which he received a special note of support from Ricky, the show’s co-creator and star.
Ricky said: ‘I just wanted to wish you luck on Mastermind, answering questions on Extras. Have fun. And remember, it is not the winning, it is the taking part that counts. Although, if you don’t win you are technically a loser…’
Stuart had waited 20 years to apply to Mastermind, and his victory in the Grand Final was the culmination of two decades of preparation and quizzing at home and locally.
Stuart said of his epic win: ‘Mastermind is the only thing that I actually ever wanted to win, and when I was told that I had won the feeling was utterly astonishing.
‘The bowl is now easily my most prized possession, as I know how hard I worked to win it.’
He went on: ‘Over the last twenty years I have put in thousands and thousands of hours of quiz “work” at home, although it has never seemed like work as it has been a labour of love for me.
‘I can’t thank my partner Elaine enough, for how much she helped me toward this amazing win and how patient she was throughout the years.’
Raving about the final, Clive Myrie added: ‘What a fantastic season of Mastermind it’s been, ending with a bang and a great final with six amazing contenders.
‘Huge congratulations go to the new Mastermind Champion Stuart on a fantastic win. I can’t wait to welcome more contenders for another season of Mastermind later this year.’
