Buzz's Game Report

Thursday again, another week on the back slope, and still we have not seen a winner of the £250,000. Noel was wearing a magic eye picture insetad of a shirt, I think I could see a helicopter in 3-d, or maybe it was a giant grey ant. 'You cannot get the big money if you simply chicken out', said Noel, referring to Fran's game of yesterday. Today's player was Buzz. I was sorry to see him go, he has become a bit of a legend the most reliable blues provider since the game began. The audience were chanting his name as he took the walk of wealth with box 21. John 'Buzz' Busby - more like Sid Little than Sid Little himself - was an essex green grocer. Buzz had a photograph of himself, his wife, his son and daughter and their respective spouses - 'my whole life is in that picture Noel', no-one could fail to like Buzz. All his numbers were associated with Frank Sinatra. 'Do it the Frank Sinatra way', invited Noel as he got Buzz underway. 'I'll do it my way', replied Buzz.

Buzz, rubbed his hands together, 'Right you lot, its pay back time, I've put a lot of blues out there in my time and I want them all back'.

Round one: Lee, box 1 - £10,000. Suzanne, box 4 - £75,000, 'ooooo no, now hang on' said Noel, but no-one stopped, Buzz was pushing forward. Ron, box 11 - £15,000. Louise, box 5 - £100,000. 'Oh what on Earth, this is incredible', said Motson Edmonds. And then it just got much worse, James opened box 12 - £250,000. Unbelievable, you couldn't make this up. Buzz was tight-lipped, hiding behind his glasses, just perceptibly rocking back and fore. The King of the Blues had just experienced the worst opening round since the beginning of the show, he only had two power five boxes left, the two lowest ones. The offer was £514 (Sinatra died on the 14th May 1998). 'No deal', said Buzz, cheeks red - angry perhaps that the Banker would refer to Sinatra's death, or maybe embarrassed that he couldn't find a blue.

Round two: Box 3, Daz - £5. Scott, box 18 - 10p. Janie, box 2 - after the break she lifted the lid on £250, an all-red round followed by an all-blue. The offer was £1915 (Sinatra was born on December 7th, 1915). Noel bent round the desk, 'I just wanted to see if those boots were meant for walking', said Noel trying to be clever. 'Na na, that was his daughter', replied Buzz. 'Didn't they do a duet?', Noel trying to recover. 'That was something stupid, that was' said Buzz. Nicely done Buzz. Noel asked the question, 'No deal' said Buzz.

Round three: Carlton, box 13 - £10. Gorgeous Becca, box 9, 'Good luck Buzz, you deserve a blue'. But when she opened her box it was £50,000 - he didn't deserve that. Joan, box 19 - £50. 'How's the morale?' asked Noel.'I'm absolutely fine' said Buzz. While Noel talked to the banker, Buzz looked straight ahead, blinking furiously as he worked internally to maintain his composure. The offer from the 'Chairman of the board', was £1000, Buzz was being forced to play on regardless - 'No deal'.

Round four: 'We have seen u-turns before' said Noel, trying to regain the momentum. Buzz took up the baton, I could just imagine him as a London warden during the blitz, carrying on no matter what. He went for Jo, box 16 - 50p - Louise was a clapping frenzy. Yvonne next with box 7 - £750. Wayne, opened box 10 after the break - 1p. Another all blue round. 'A penny from heaven', said Noel. The board now showed three blues against five reds, 'the best is yet to come' surmised Buzz. The offer was £4000, with the comment that if this was not treated with due respect the Banker would come down, and 'he may get a kick out of me'. But Buzz thought the offer was fair considering the board, so we weren't going to see the Banker. Despite it being fair, Buzz was not persuaded - 'No deal'.

Round five: Drew, box 17 - £1000. Peter, box 22 - £3000. 'The turnaround is still on course if this is blue', said Noel - can't someone cut him off at the knees before he makes these kind of statements? Its almost always fatal. Teresa opened box 13 - £1 - Edmonds had got away with it, but he'd be back. The board now had two blues against three reds including the £20,000 and £35,000. Buzz was still in blitz mode, face stiff, shoulders back, chin out. 'Would you smile' said Noel, more a command than a question. Buzz finally, briefly, smiled, 'I think I have turned it round'. The offer now was £8200, the highest of the game. Buzz looked at the board,steeled himself and said, 'when somebody loves you, its no good unless they love you all the way....No deal'. You don't mess with these little men with thin-rim glasses and pullovers, they've all been trained by the SAS you know.

Round six: He went for Stevie Box 6, 'One more time Stevie', said Buzz, praying that her red streak was officially dead - £100. Richard was next with box 8 - the lid lifted slowly on a red - £5000. Someone in the audience seemed to spot it before anyone else, cheering loudly and alone before the rest realised that this was good. The board was left with £100, £20,000 and £35,000, if Buzz could find the £100 then he was guaranteed £20,000 and could win the highest amount of anyone since Gaz. He settled on Nessie, box 14 - £20,000 - leaving another all or nothing choice, the fourth this week. 'Oh my word' said Noel moving effortlessly from Motson to Coleman, he was looking at the gulf between £100 and £35,000. Buzz remained chin-up. The offer was £9800, the audience gasped in astonishment at how low it was. Buzz needed to deal, but would he? 'My family have sacrificed a lot over the weeks for me to be here', he said. Buzz took an age, then he looked across at Noel, pointed to him as Sinatra might while singing on a stool, and then said 'deal'.

Had Buzz beaten the banker? Noel opened his box and revelaed £100, for the first time during the game Buzz reacted with something other than a stiff upper lip, he was shocked. Chrissie, the new girl opened box 20 - £35,000. 'Last word with Sinatra?', said Noel. Buzz smiled, 'I did it my way'.

For the man who had delivered 20 blue numbers in 23 games to pull an all-red first round including the top three boxes, was just awesome. For an atheist like me, well its disturbing...but hey, Thats Life!

Buzz won £9800