WALKING up to the famous Mastermind black chair was the longest stroll of one brainy Blackpool woman's life.

Retired schoolteacher Elsie Sadek, of Annersley Avenue, Layton, compared the experience with walking to the scaffold, although admitted that once she had sat in the chair for the show's semi finals, screened on October 9, she felt better.

Elsie, 66, said: "The feeling starts when the contestant before you has finished and you know it's your turn, it's terrible.

"Then you have to take that long, frightening walk to the chair which seems to take ages.

"Everyone feels the same relief when they manage to sit down without tripping up or doing anything else embarrassing."

But Elsie, whose specialist subject for the final will be the life and music of Mendelssohn, found the high-IQ quiz very enjoyable.

She made her way into the semi-finals as a high-scoring runner-up and says she was surprised to win, gaining a place in the final.

Elsie said: "I went first and had no idea how I did until the others all had their turns.

"It is impossible to keep track of your score while the questions are fired at you and when it hit me that I had won, I was delighted.

"The most difficult part of the quiz is the general knowledge section. Magnus Magnusson asks questions on absolutely anything."

Following this week's Mastermind success, Elsie can be seen in the final on Monday (October 14) at 7.30pm on BBC 1.

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