John Jenkins

John Jenkins from Bolton won the top of the finals board trophy in series 27 with a score of 303, but lost in his return appearence in series 28.

The picture (right) is of the trophy presentation.

The following article was First published on Tuesday 15 February 2000 (following his finals board trophy winning performance).

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/archive/2000/02/15/NEWS7VQ.html

Quick-fire John blows away TV quiz rivals

OLD Bolton soldier John Jenkins proved he was still battle-ready by shooting down fellow contestants in the ruthless TV quiz show Fifteen to One.

Pensioner John Jenkins, of Merehall Close, got bloodthirsty by knocking out the 14 other would-be quiz champions on the Channel Four quick-fire quiz.

The show - which encourages people to gang up on weaker contestants - proved an easy target for 70-year-old Mr Jenkins who showed his aim was still true by getting the top score of 303.

The brainy OAP said: "I didn't deliberately pick on anyone. But every time I got a 'question or nominate' I always nominated. It wasn't really tactics. I won more by luck than judgement."

Grandad Mr Jenkins added he was blessed with luck all through his Army career by missing every major conflict in the post war era.

He joined up two years after the Second World War, missed the Korean War after being stationed in Africa and avoided the Suez Crisis by being pulled out of the Middle East just months before the conflict broke.

His luck failed him in his first attempt to conquer TV's roughest mind quiz in 1992 after he was knocked out when his mind went blank on a simple question.

Nerves

But there was no sign of nerves this time as the former Bolton Quiz League team member stormed through to a win with the highest score on the finals board, losing only one life.

"There was no animosity afterwards," he said.

"Everyone is in the same boat and none of them had any hard feelings about me knocking them out."

The brain of Bolton will learn when he is to be called for the grand final at the end of the month.