Stephen Fry on BBC Celebrity Mastermind (2003) answering questions about Sherlock Holmes

[@Mark-x3l]

The general knowledge questions they aim at the celebrities have got MUCH easier in the 20 years since this was recorded!

[@parsnip5401]

I think this was around the time it first started but there's only so many brainy celebrities and they have to make it easier for the rest!

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

the celebreties are not really celebrites these days, more influencers on social media.

[@xanderlewis]

‘Celebrities’ have got thicker.

[@GnrMilligan]

That's because the general knowledge of celebrities has gotten much lower in the 20 years this was recorded.

[@terrytownsend5583]

MUCH

[@paulqueripel3493]

I'm surprised Giles managed to get 12 points, one answer normally takes him about 5 minutes what with him recounting a tale.

[@Milamberinx]

"Ah yes, you see my great uncle's secretary was Catherine the Great of Russia, now they had a damnable time getting letters out because of course they didn't speak the same language, but you must understand that in those days it didn't matter so much, on one occasion they were conversing via a Greek interpreter on the subject of hat pins, now it turns out ... " fade to black

[@jamesrowe3606]

​@@MilamberinxFade to boredom. I've never considered suicide, but if I was ever left alone with Giles Brandreth I think I might. That's only because I know I'm incapable of homicide.

[@seanfaherty]

I love that guy

[@NicolasMogensen]

People today who compete in general knowledge professionally (semi-pro to be fair) do learn all these things just for the action. Steven actually knows all this stuff just because he's incredibly clever, knowledgeable and believe it's important.

[@jage1559]

No, Stephen knows this because he has been a member of the Sherlock Holmes society of London since he was a teenager. It's a hobby of his.

[@Makrillo]

But it is really just because he's a nerd.

[@ThornOfSociety]

Well of course he struggled on questions about Sherlock Holmes, why would Mycroft even care about his brother's various comings and goings?

[@Isleofskye]

Andy Bradbury knew.

[@richardrussell7082]

When he was told to 'take the chair' I'd have loved it if he just walked off dragging it behind him 🤣

[@terrytownsend5583]

Naked

[@waynerussell6401]

- and keep the spittoon...

[@nialltomy15]

Thank you for sharing this, its been missing from KZbin for a while.

[@TheHutchy01]

These are some incredibly difficult questions. Even Arthur Conan Doyle couldn't have answered these, he couldn't even remember Dr. Watson's first name or injury...

[@dressinggownsessions7296]

agreed. There's a lot of scope for obscure details in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and given Stephen Fry's reputation for erudition, I think the question-setters figured they should err on the side of tricky. I only got 6 right myself. I only read the complete works once about 14yrs ago, and listened to them all on audiobook 2yrs ago, so they weren't as well lodged in my memory as they were in his. I seem to remember once my late father told me that back in the days of Magnus Magnusson, someone picked these stories as their specialist subject and he was a fan so he had a go at answering along as he watched it on TV, and he didn't get any right.

[@nikkip3385]

I can't quite decide if I'm disappointed or pleased he'd retired from the Mariinsky when I saw Swan Lake in 2011 at the ROH. 😂😂😂

[@dazediss6629]

The scary part being even the ones he passed on; he actually knew or knew plenty on the subject. He obviously knew what a toboggan was but probably dismissed it as being too simple an answer, although he said he didn’t know what Magnus was talking about in relation to Supergrass, he went on to describe one of their hits in detail, the youngest cabinet member he knew but just couldn’t find her name.

[@mrman2415]

That is an incredibly difficult set of questions.

[@chap666ish]

I got two of them right and was dead chuffed!

[@JohnyG29]

Really?!

[@brendanbaker471]

Not really, I got 11 against his 12 on the general knowledge round.

[@kimberlyhonig8030]

It is. These questions aren’t for a novice; they are for an absolute expert!

[@TomFynn]

"...what was the name of the school..." "...bugger" I say mostly correct.

[@HeggyC]

You missed the best part - the guy was an entomologist, or in other words, a guy who studies bugs (a bugger...)

[@DurokSubaka]

Footlights Fry for five points, thanks Bambi.

[@Orangecatinahoodie]

“I’m completely bloody sick of this!”

[@DurokSubaka]

@@Orangecatinahoodie the fact that you know what it references makes it even funnier. Fry and Laurie are absolute comedic gods.

[@rachelfoster1945]

Got. Prche ahaheaa

[@DurokSubaka]

@ daddy sends hugs

[@Daoibhéar]

I can definitely believe that he is the principal ballerina with the Mariinski State Opera

[@shankarbalakrishnan2360]

I don't even remember the last time I was in my senses ❤❤🎉🎉

[@benwherlock9869]

It turns out he did even know who Supergrass were. 😁

[@brendanbaker471]

But he couldn't name them, so no answer.

[@saoirsedoyle134]

i love Stephen ❤

[@balok63a40]

"The Word of our Epoch"

[@archie6945]

"His last bow" is surely not the kind associated with arrows?

[@danielkoschalka3955]

Agreed!

[@ben_jamin197]

God I miss the VHS era.

[@andnowi]

The snake came through a hole in the wall, NOT ceiling!

[@iandann8788]

agree ,sherlock holmes was wonderful ,great read but with so many stories difficult to answer

[@D-oq7lm]

I admire and love fry.

[@maltanno]

"Name the school of entomology"... "Bugger"

[@audiowok5409]

A national treasure

[@vantheman1238]

Even when he comes last he’s the cleverest man in the room

[@ashroskell]

A fun curiosity. Thank you. Such a quintessentially, “British,” institution, made even more so by Fry, of all people, taking the trophy home. BTW, I got toboggan right, so that makes my mind officially more masterful than Stephen Fry’s . . . 😉

[@iwanebbing2642]

After saying "Bugger" for a school-name he should have said "Oh, I heard faimed for entOmology".

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

...and it was not beeped or muted by the BBC, either!

[@alanmahoney167]

I got one right. I knew it was Supergrass

[@pcole980]

Amazing that Tanni Grey-Thompson got 14 considering the rest of the field scored 8. Wonder what her chosen subject was.

[@wungabunga]

The career of Tanni Grey- Thompson.

[@pcole980]

@@wungabunga was it actually? If so LMAO, thats smart af

[@digitig]

It was "The first three 'Star Wars' films".

[@Pwecko]

I'm amazed that she only scored three points in the general knowledge section.

[@pcole980]

@@Pwecko thats wild that, thought she would've been an all rounder but she obviously knows her star wars very well

[@winterthemuteson]

Feels almost cheating having him on. Most celebrities will be athletes or actors with acting degrees or no degree. Stephen has a degree in English literature.

[@HeggyC]

Oh my word, I knew something Stephen Fry didn't (the Supergrass question). My life has been vindicated!

[@kellydalstok8900]

I knew toboggan, and English isn’t even my mother tongue.

[@marvelsomething1952]

It just goes to show how tough this game is. You can know something like the back of your hand and still fail when asked these kinds of questions.

[@angelajones4193]

'His Last Bow' - isn't that 'bow' as in to bow to someone, not as in to tie a bow?

[@nwgverified]

Hard questions

[@phrtao]

By the way - 'The youngest member of the House of Commons' was Sarah (Not 'Susan') Teather. Not so clever after all are we BBC !

[@loireloire482]

What’s the capital of England? Joey Essex!

[@david-pb4bi]

You have to wonder what that ladies subject was if she only got three on general knowledge?

[@87654321j]

Stephen fry Occupation world's smartest man 😅

[@Isleofskye]

This limey is good. I wonder if he ever made it across the pond?

[@LiamLewyShepherd]

🎣

[@eltzrothm1]

I knew the sled thing. That sentence should let you know how I did on the other questions.

[@pauldrumwell4922]

Without being a smart arse,I thought he had , by his own admission, a photographic memory?

[@fransmith3255]

Photographic does not mean perfect. I have a friend who has a memory like him. She is amazing and bizarre like him, but occasionally not perfect. 🙂

[@thebagelsproductions]

I don't think he claims to have a photographic memory tbf. He also mentioned not reading Homes since he was a boy so he likely didn't revise the subject.

[@yomo1690]

Specialist subject..... haven't read them since i was a boy.

[@Oxter]

herrings and sprattt

[@MrGranfield]

Tani Grey only 3 points on GK!

[@miriamgreen3973]

🇨🇦tobaggon!! 😮😅

[@Codex7777]

The fact that you spelt it incorrectly, even with spell-check available, means it isn't something to be TOO proud of, lol. :)

[@scottcarson3004]

"Alexa, define smugness."

[@voornaam3191]

Why do British celebreties LOVE to stare into a television camera lense? Are all viewers at home really that interesting? Sure?

[@andreweccles8130]

Nice to see Davros from Dr Who doing the rounds !

[@hopebgood]

Yawn

[@andreweccles8130]

@@hopebgood if you tired then go to bed ! 😴🛏️

[@hopebgood]

@@andreweccles8130 Sad mate, just sad.

[@andreweccles8130]

@@hopebgood if U are then perhaps you need to speak to some one 🤔

[@hopebgood]

@@andreweccles8130 You really need to get out more mate

[@davecrewe9074]

Tani greys to lose

[@chrismachin2166]

He claims to be wise,but the Bible says he is a fool.

[@fransmith3255]

Page number?

[@chrismachin2166]

@@fransmith3255 Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 . The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

[@fransmith3255]

@@chrismachin2166 I don't see Steven's name here, let alone the bible particularly stating that he is a fool...

[@chrismachin2166]

@@fransmith3255 ..does he fear the Lord? By the mockery to his Creator,I think not.

[@fransmith3255]

@@chrismachin2166 Ah....ha... I hope you get the help you need without damaging anyone else...

[@afischer8327]

Only God is perfect ;-)

[@Codex7777]

If you believe the god of the bible is 'perfect' you obviously haven't read the book, or read it whilst wearing rose-tinted spectacles, or have had it 'interpreted' for you by some self-proclaimed 'spokesman for god' religious charlatan. The god of the bible is the most despicable character in all of literature!

[@J.E.W.]

Except when she makes mistakes, but I forgive her for that.

[@brmh1667]

Can't give this a thumbs up. I feel sorry for the disabled lady. I wish her better luck next time. I'm sure Stephen would have let her win if he had known.

[@calumhughes2778]

I think calling her “the disabled lady” is much worse than treating her like an equal and without pity as Stephen did.

[@windyworm]

What was Fry’s topic “the Balfour declaration and the right of Z10nists to ethically cleanse a region”?

[@alexanderrose1071]

Do recognize, you’re the bad human being here

[@salamalkebab8377]

No, it was "insufferable tw**s in KZbin comments".

[@FreddieCox-fs9wb]

no it was Sherlock Holmes

[@andrewleah1983]

So he's asking questions about m'colleague?

[@Isleofskye]

No,the carer of Minnie Driver..

[@gromcom]

Tanni must've been crap on the general knowledge