James's game

Noel is wearing a toned down grey shirt today for his dream factory appearance. The player chosen to play is James, a drama teacher from Hull who is 'pretty fearless' in his words but is hugely impressed with being in Noel’s presence. He reminds me of two people - Eliga Wood aka Frodo crossed with Mr Tumnus of Lion Witch & Wardrobe. James carries Box 19 over to the hot seat.

Round 1
Box 14 and Carlton is first up with £10k. Next is Bianca box 5 holding £100. Box 4 and the new boy Joseph is next with £50k. James announces that he is not keen on people clapping when big numbers are selected. He asks Joan first about her previous boxes then chooses her box number 1 to reveal the £250,000. He counters by calling her a nasty woman. Finally it’s Peter’s box number 6 carrying £5. The offer is £1,220 which, according to the banker will make James the first quarter millionaire – in Yen, James isn’t tempted the decision is no-deal.

Round 2
Daz and box 22 is next with £10 followed by Scott's box 17 and 10p James is happy. Louise’s box 9 is selected next but we have to wait until after the break. We resume with James laughing and in awe at being in Noel’s presence, he compares Noel to Tarby which makes Noel go off into the backstage darkness. Louise has £50 in her box and a very noisy audience stamps and cheers. The banker wants to talk to James who declares him to be spooky as his voice is the same as the one from ‘Scream’. The offer is £8,000 and it’s a no deal from James.

Round 3
Box 8 and Drew reveals £1000. Scott is called down to help James with some noise and energy. His next selection is Richard box 20, who has the 1p. Scott massages James’ shoulders whilst he selects box 11 opened by big Ron containing £1. The offer this time is £14,700. James goes to each wing to do the sweep himself whilst Noel takes a break in the hot seat. Helen his partner in the audience is last to have her say and James takes some time to get a perspective on the offer on the table. The decision after another long pause is - deal. We go straight to break. On is return James tells us his bottle went and he regretted his decision. This is a very early deal with so many big numbers left on the board everyone seems astounded including James and Noel.

Hypothetical round 4
Box 21 and Wayne starts him off with £35k. Next is box 18 and Debbie with the £15k, followed up with £75k in Suzannes‘s box number 16. A huge sigh around the studio as we see only the £100k of any significance left the offer £6,000.

Round 5
Next would have been box 7 and Yvonne who opens up £250. Silence …. No 2 next and Jo opens £3k. Last in this round is box 15 and Lee finds the last £100k to the delight off everyone involved. The offer would have been at this point £2.500.

Would be final round
Last hypothetical round and Noel implores James to find the last £20k. Nessie box 10 opens £5k, box 12 and Theresa reveals the £20k the crowd is stamping, shouting out and applauding, it appears James had the right instincts. Finally Chrissie box 13 and £500 followed by an offer that would have been £147 although no one is remotely interested in the academia.

James‘s box was no 19 and contained £750. Becca had the 50p in box 3. Noel then instructs everyone who thought he should have gone on at the beginning of this part, to stand up and apologise en masse and aloud which they all did happily, Noel also confided that he had agreed with them.

Well done James – good early call which I think might take more bottle than to “keep on going”.
Sue

James won £14,700