Lucy won £5

Rumour control has suggested for a couple of weeks that today it would be Lucy – so now we would find out. It WAS Lucy – everyone loves Lucy. (Actually, a lot of women out there are not so keen, but don't worry Lucy, that's only 50% of the population, the other 50% want you to have their babies.)

Lucy required Noel to walk her down the aisle to the hot seat. She had been waiting for fifty shows, and as she sat down she remarked about it being her last – ‘its a shame’. Endemol have now given up all pretence of the player selection being random, John G and Fin had been invited back to be with her as they had become mates, Fin had won £10,000, but John G had a nightmare, he only won £10. Lucy Harrington is a police support worker in Bristol, dressed in a romper suit, she looked like a grown up version of Annie, but with black hair. Throughout it all she had managed not to personalise the game, and as far as the banker was concerned she was still an enigma.

Round one: James first with 10p, followed by Gabriellle with £15,000, ‘thats alright’ said Lucy, but her cool was slipping. Pat made things worse with £75,000, you could see it coming and when it arrived it was Gary - £250,000. ‘Oh my God’, said Lucy. ‘lets start again, no-one at home need ever know, and we’ll know where they all are – we’ll have a wicked game’, but you can’t turn back time, and Lucy was where she was. £250 to finish the round. A terrible first round, and some of Lucy’s sparkle had gone, even the TV make-up could not hide reddening cheeks beneath. The banker phoned, he had left a token of his esteem for Lucy under the desk, a little red box with her name inside it, and a hand-written note. Lucy worried about the banker because there had been so much negative energy directed towards him – apparently he agreed; he was losing his hair, and then Lucy cut him off, ‘he got a bit dodgy’. The banker offered £50, clearly he was not worried by Lucy. Now Lucy had often couselled other players to concentrate, but was she concentrating? Fin advised her to shut her eyes, clear her mind and wait until a contestants name came to her – she decided this was the way forward.

Round two: Helen opened 1p, then Pete revealed £100. John would open his box after the break – it was £50. An all blue round to return the board to balance, the £100,000 was still in play. Lucy talked about how sad it would be for her to return to ‘the real world’, but I suspect Lucy’s version of reality is just that bit different. The banker offered £6050. Aaron’s calculation mechanism (from yesterday's game) would suggest the offer was a bit low - the mean at this point was just over £16000. Lucy said ‘No Deal’.

Round three: Lucy forgot Fin’s advice, she quickly went to Jim hoping for 50p, it was £100,000 – the face was falling quickly now, self doubt creeping in ‘I’m not very good at this, am I?’ Noel said, you will get 50p at one end, on your 50th show, you’ll get the £50,000 at the other end. Lucy laughed at his scenario, ‘Its all a set up’. The 50p was next, maybe it was a set-up? But then fate stepped in; JT confidently opened the last box of the round only to reveal the £50,000. Step by step Lucy was having to reduce her ambitions, she had gone through 50 shows, and now she had to be asking herself if it was really worth it? The offer was £1800, the background music was not helping, a funeral would have been happier. Lucy started to work on her morale, finding strength from somewhere, talking up the £35,000 and £20,000. She said ‘no deal’ and the audience cheered.

Round four: £1000 from Fadil, it was OK but Lucy, still in shock, talking robotically, asked Janet to open her box, it was £10. The mood finally lifting, she closed her eyes and then decided on Linda, but we would have to wait until after the break to find out if this was indeed a recovery. On the return it was £3000. The banker phoned immediately, ‘a horrible twisted mind’ according to Noel, the banker saying that he was trying to send negative energy to Lucy, offering £3000. ‘I work around negative energy all day, I’m pretty good at deflecting it’. John G said to ‘push on’ – Lucy turned to the audience, ‘It is the right decison isn’t it? No deal’ – big eyes, a picture of perfect innocence, hmmm.

Round five: Massimo showed £1, Pat had £750, and despite a build up from Noel, Steve opened £20,000. ‘It could have been worse’, but Lucy didn’t quite see it that way. Noel worked hard on raising her chin, he gave the receiver to Lucy so that she could speak to the banker. The offer was £7500. Fin and John G both advised her to take the money – ‘remember what happened to me’, said John G. Lucy looked at them, she looked around the studio ‘I can’t believe I am going to say this, I have had the best time ever – No Deal’. Good for you Lucy!

Round six: Julia has had high numbers most of the time, Lucy confirmed this with her and still decided to choose her, in complete silence the lid went up to reveal the £35,000. Nobody was saying a word, Lucy was now as white as a sheet, racing to find words, mumbling about the £5000 and £10,000 still being there – Sandra next, £500. She thought hard and went for Kirsty - £5000, ‘No’ said Noel quickly, he must have seen the red and thought it was the £10k. However the £10k was still in play, the problem was that it was up against £5. The offer was £2500. A look of mischief came across Lucy – she wanted a cut from each of the others if she lost now, again telegraphing what she was going to do – this was gutsy. ‘No deal’. She was now very excited, a lot of tension in the studio. The banker offered the swap and added that the show was going to be a lot poorer without her, them and her both. ‘I’m gonna stick with my box, and I want Fin to open it’. Fin came down, and without much ceremony he opened it – it was £5!!

Car crash TV! The most popular contestant in the series so far (vote for Lucy), and she ended up with peanuts. John G had been in the audience, maybe that was a sign? This has to be a tough experience for anyone, especially when they have invested so much time and energy into the game. Noel suggested that we may see more of Lucy, she had made a big impression during the show, and maybe her career was about to take a new direction – I hope so, Everybody Loves Lucy ...or rather Everybody Loved Lucy!