Ian Bayley

Ian Bayley is one of the leading lights of the UK quiz scene. He was narrowly pipped to the post by Nancy Dickmann in this years final, but it is surely a matter of time before he has his own glass bowl. A regular on our screens - as well as Mastermind in the last year he also featured prominently on Are You an Egghead and Only Connect.







"What are your earliest memories of Mastermind?"

Finding out that some guy was going to do Doctor Who and then forgetting to watch it.

"What made you apply in the first place?"

I've done many other quiz shows and I believed I could do quite well.

"How did you choose your specialist subjects?"

I had been interested in all of them before I became interested in quiz.

"What was the audition process like?"

Very friendly. I didn't have to jump through hoops or tell "funny" stories. The questions were tough and I was almost thinking I wouldn't make it.

"How far did you realistically think you would get?"

I prepared myself for getting knocked out in the heats. It can happen even to the best of us and it happened to my friend Olav.

"How did you go about revising?"

I recorded facts onto my Dictaphone and played it over and over.

"What are your recollections of filming?"

Lots of support from friends, especially in the latter stages.

"Any encounters or experiences relating to your performance or afterwards you would like to share?"

The girlfriend of a friend I hadn't met before introduced herself to me at Oxford Station. Somehow I'm that memorable.

"What were the reactions of your friends and family?"

Excited.

"How did you feel seeing yourself on TV?"

I came across better than I did on other quiz shows and I got my points across well. They somehow managed to keep the best bits of my chats. This was a pleasant surprise as I didn't think there were any good bits to keep.

"Why do you think people are attracted to quizzing? Is there something specifically that attracts certain people - and is it healthy?"

Yes. People should be interested in the world around them.

"What did you think of this year's series?"

Hard to say since I was in it.

"What's your thoughts on the future of the show?"

Solid provided they don't jeopardise ratings by messing around with the scheduling again.

"Are you going to give it another go?"

Yes.