The Sunderland Mastermind mystery of 1993, and how it was solved

In 1993, the retired Sunderland University lecturer was startled when the BBC contacted him to appear on the show.

Complete mystery to John

It was a complete mystery to John as he hadn’t even applied.

It was his son David who volunteered his name for the quiz because he thought his dad had what it took to do well, but would never get round to applying himself.

Undaunted, John, from Middle Herrington, decided he had started, so he would finish his date with Magnus Magnusson.

Selected for a heat of the show

After a preliminary interview in York, where he was grilled on the specialist subjects he had chosen, he was selected for a heat.

When asked by the Sunderland Echo if he felt nervous about sitting in the famous black chair before the TV cameras, John said in 1993: “No I’m quite relaxed about it - it’s just a bit of fun.”

We want to know how John got on.

Penshaw on TV

To jog your Wearside memories of 1993 further, all this was in the news;

A film crew spent an afternoon on location on Wearside using Penshaw Monument as a background for dramatic scenes for what is hoped will be a new television series.

In charge of shooting was North East actor Robson Green, for the pilot film called Come Snow, Come Blow.

Cameras were hauled up the hill

It was about two brothers who were reaching a crisis in their lives.

Special tracks for close-up camera work were laid down between the 18 pillars of the monument for key scenes.

Robson said at the time: “It has been a lovely day for filming with some beautiful effects from the sun. The main problems have just been the logistics of getting all the equipment up the hill.”

The vicar with a congregation - but no church

Wearside vicar Paul Walker was hoping parishioners would be cue-ing up to help him and his brand new church.

He was a man with a mission - to build a new congregation for the Moorside and Doxford Park area.

Mr Walker had no church in which to gather his new flock, so he negotiated a deal with St Benedict Biscop School to rent its hall for services.

The pupils named it St Wilfrid’s.

Share your own memories of Wearside life in 1993 by emailing [email protected]