Marilyn won £5500

Highest paid game show host in the country quickly pointed out that this is not a game show but a televisual entertainment drama. I thought he was about to break into song '...its not how you play, its how you ...feel', Jimmy Durante eat your heart out.

Today's player was Marilyn, she seemed dressed for the occasion wearing a very fetching evening dress with beads reminiscent of a 1920's flapper, and she cleverly side-stepped the direct question - 'did she have prior knowledge that she would be selected?'

Noel asked the perfunctory questions and then we had an interesting insight from Marilyn; the contestants are vetted, she had to do an audition and actually turned down the first opportunity as her son (now in the audience) was very ill, but the researchers were persistent, and so she eventually agreed to go on the show.

Round one: Janet opened with £75,000, a gasp round the audience, a very quiet audience, £1 was next and you could feel the relief, 1p followed and we were settling in now, £100, and then £100,000 - two of the power five had gone. Marilyn was philisophical, 'you get up and downs in life', and she seriously did seem to be completely unaffected. The banker, clearly taken with Marilyn, talking about Marilyn Munroe, but not overly gushing , offered £1400 - which she promptly rejected.

Round two: £750, £15,000 - 'thats ok, its not their fault, I'm picking them', all said by a hushed version of Joyce Grenfall. After the break Nick opened 50p, not a bad round considering her attack on the power five earlier. The banker phoned and she started chatting him up, saying he had an 'Oxbridge' voice, he seemed up for it too, but then tantalisingly she said '...no, but I wouldn't mind being related in some way'. The offer was £6500 and she rejected it immediately.

Round three: Lucy opened £50,000, (everyone still loves lucy), £500 and £250, a pattern of one red against two blues was emerging. Marilyn had mentioned Sarah earlier to the banker, and now Noel observed that 'Marilyn was also mad enough to go tot the end'. Apparently there is a dance that the contestants do before recording to get them in the mood. The banker offered to raise the offer if she now performed the dnce with JT, she duly agreeed. The 'dance' consisted of Marilyn standing immediately behind JT, as he wriggled she moved her hands up and down the front of his body - all good fun (but terribly embarrassing for her son, I'll bet). The offer was £8100, and a now breathless Marilyn said 'No Deal'.

Round four: £35,000, would the next two be blue? There were only four blues left, JT gave her 10p, and then a truely terrible joke from Noel as he announced the break. If, like me, you have grown up with Noel on Radio One's breafast show, then you will be well used to his sense of humour - we know his jokes are at least 30 years old. After the break Pete opened £50, again the pattern. The audience clapped loudly and the banker's call broke through it, no time for discussion - the offer was £9500. Aaron advised that there was a lot of risk in the board, 3 blues against 5 reds, yes including teh £250,00, but then a long way to fall to the next amount - £20,000.She looked back to her son, 'perhaps she should take her own advice' she said - and then with steely eyes she said 'No Deal'.

Round five: Dave wished her well and then opened the £250,000, the dream had gone, she now had to readjust her sights to the £20,000. The next box was £3000, and the final box of the round was £1000, all red, a bad round, but she could still walk away with a reasonable amount. The banker provided a 'respectful offer' - £4000. She asked her son, who in essence said that she should take the money, while two contestants said that if it was them they would go on - who would she side with. 'No Deal' a lot of risks being taken in this game, including some with her relationships?

Round six: £5000, another red gone, she needed to find a blue. The next box opened to reveal £10, one more to go, and it was the middle amount - £10,000. Marilyn wa going to be left a choice between the banker's offer and a box which could contain £5 or £20,000. The offer was £5500, and her son immediately cut in - 'Don't risk it'. Marilyn heard it and then asked for a sweep of the contestants, the answer was split 50/50. She took the question, thought for a long time and said 'Deal'.

Her son came down to be with her. Noel opened the box to reveal £20,000 - Marilyn seemed flattened, following her son's advice had cost her £14,500 but going against him could have cost her much more back home. Again DOND offers up more combinations than anyone might have expected: win-win, lose-lose, win-lose...and today perhaps lose-win?