Matti Watton

Many thanks go to Matti Watton for the generous contribution of information on this page.

Questions and answers on the series 29 Grand Final.

Q. On the basis of the questions people received, could you have gone out in round 1?

That's not easy to say, because when someone else is asked a question, you can't always be certain if you would have got it right yourself. Mostly you do know one way or the other, but there are some where the pressure of having to answer it would have made you dredge it up from somewhere, or on the other hand it can make your mind go blank. Two examples from the final spring to mind. I didn't have a clue about Peter Effer's first question about IF being part of Halifax bank, and on his second, about the patron saint of France who was the first Bishop of Paris, I would probably have said the right answer: St.Denys, but I also had the answer St.Genevieve floating around my head at the time because of something I had seen in Paris a few weeks before. I'd have been under pressure, so may well have blurted that out. The other was Dave Berry's question about the Queen visiting Italy. When it was asked I couldn't think of it, but I wasn't really concentrating. I definitely didn't know his second one. Apart from that I think I knew at least one from each pair.

Q. Did you feel safe at any point in the first half of the show?

Yes, when the music went to signal that three of us were left! You can never feel really safe because the game can turn so quickly. I try and focus on each and every question because if you relax too much you can soon get caught out. The safer you feel the more determined it can make you not to throw it away. I also always have the thought at the back of my mind that people always remember your wrong answers not your correct ones. On my very first show I got a fairly easy question about golf wrong, and I'm still reminded about it regularly!

Q. How lucky were you to survive with three lives?

I think I was genuinely lucky with the questions I was asked. Most were about well-known recent events and had clues attached. I avoided most of the harder ones and then when I had three lives left at a late stage I wasn't nominated much. The round was also much shorter than the previous final as fewer questions were being answered correctly, so I had fewer questions to answer than I might have expected.

Q. What did you think your chances were once you made the final three?

I felt I had a reasonable chance, as I'd done OK the previous year, but you never know how people are going to react to what is a very different format from the normal game and passes by so quickly. A lot of the buzzer questions are decided by split second margins, so anybody can win.

Q. The Pythian games question was very impressive, how did you play it?

It was a half guess! I knew that there were such things as the Pythian games, and that Apollo had something to do with the Python at Delphi. With Zeus already mentioned in the question, Apollo seemed the natural one to go for, but my expression showed how unconfident I was about it. I'm not sure it deserved the 'wow' from WGS.

Q. At what point did you feel you had the title?

Only late on. I had a run of questions which stretched my lead and when I looked at the scores I realised I only needed one or two more to win. When I got the crucial question I reckon you can hear my voice change tone.

Q. As Champion, how do you think your future will be on Fifteen to One?

Difficult to say. I've always been pretty relaxed about the whole thing and I don't think that will change. I could have gone out lots of times and at some stage in the near future I probably will. I think when you're a returning winner you do feel under a bit more pressure to win, but at the same time that is balanced by the fact that you're used to the studio and the game.

Q. Do you get recognised in the street?

Fortunately not. I get a few vaguely knowing looks, mostly it has to be said from people who, with all due respect, look like they are students or retired! People who know me for other reasons are the ones more likely to mention the show. I have been recognised a couple of times, but that's it.

Thank you Matti.

A report on this Grand Final (series 29) is available here.

Here are a few thoughts about 29th Grand Final (series 28).

I think the most surprising thing about 15-to-1 Grand Finals is how relaxed they can be. Yes, everyone is keen to do well and not to look a fool in front of millions of viewers, but everyone in it knows firstly that they will get another go in the next series and secondly that it is tough and heavily dependent on luck. I for one feel more on edge before a normal programme than before a final. In addition, whatever happens they can't take away the fact that you have made it to that stage, and you are also guaranteed the hospitality and day out.

This year's final was my first experience of the dreaded position number one. Only its not all that bad...if you get your questions right. It was nice for William G. to be going round the circle without waiting apprehensively for your turn.

I think I answered more questions than anyone in the second round this time. I was very lucky that I avoided lots which I didn't know which went to others. It was also an advantage to keep all of my lives intact because as the number left in decreased, others were more obvious targets to be nominated. If you get down to one life you become very vulnerable.

I've tried to tell myself not to blurt out the first thing I think of but to use the few seconds you have to get my thoughts straight. This worked pretty well this time, but for the buzzer section in the final I knew that I needed to change my way of thinking. Except this was easier said than done. I was trying to be too careful, not gambling enough on what the question would be, whereas Dag did, thus getting crucial points on questions which we all would have known, but he was the sharpest on the buzzer. He did, though get down to one life, and when he buzzed in on a picture of Ali G, without hearing the actual question, my heart was in my mouth. Did the question require a more subtle answer? It didn't, so the Greek pot was deservedly his.

I don't take it particularly seriously, despite how I may appear on screen at times, but I suppose I do wonder if the best chance to add my name to the roll of honour has gone.

Matti.

I was fortunate / unfortunate! to be pitted against Matti recently, I was in position 9 whilst he was at 10. What a really nice man he is... one thing does intrigue me, however, when asked a question he simultaneously repeats the question... watch his lips. Its rather like watching a computer programming itself. Anyway it was lovely to meet him and I can always blame his far superior knowledge as the reason I didnt make the grade!
(Karen Molyneux).