I’m a four-time snooker world champion but famous SOAP was my specialist subject on Mastermind
CELTIC-DAFT John Higgins has three pastimes he’s passionate about.
Snooker, obviously – it has made him his living, taking him around the globe and crowning him best in the world no less than four times.
Celtic too – he’s a diehard Hoops fan, and always has been.
He even played against future star of rivals Rangers, Charlie Miller, when they were kids.
But his third passion is maybe a little less ordinary.
He isn’t sure where it came from, but reckons it may have developed from his love of snooker.
Higgins is a huge fan of cheesy US soap opera DALLAS.
So much so he even fielded questions on the American serial on MASTERMIND.
His knowledge was quite impressive – he answered correctly for 13 points on his appearance in 2010.
But he’s just not quite sure where his love of the show came from – though he fell in love with one of the characters and another became a big hero of his.
He told the Let Me Be Frank podcast: “I just don’t know [where his obsession came from], it was on maybe before the snooker highlights or something, who knows?
“It was on 8pm every single night in the house and I just loved that Pam.
“She was, when you were growing up…
“But then when you think of J.R. you just think ‘Oh what hero’, just some of his one-liners. Incredible.”
A four-time Crucible champion, the Wizard of Wishaw is used to huge, silent arenas, where all the eyes and all the pressure is solely on him.
But when it came to the crunch, the snooker ace wilted – not on the green baize, in the big black chair!
Here's John's Celebrity mastermind questions
General Knowledge
- What word of Finnish origin is given to a small room used as a hot air or steam bath for cleansing and refreshing the body?
- Which award-winning comedy series first broadcast in 2003 was created by Matt Lucas and David Walliams?
- In literature, who did Dr Jekyll become when he took a drug enabling him to act on his evil impulses?
- In 2002 in The Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles hosted which awards ceremony for the first time?
- Which medical condition which is a particular risk for air passengers is known by the initials DVT?
- The twin brothers Romulus and Remus were the legendary founders of which city?
- What is the name of the 80s female singer who studied at Capel Manor Horticultural College and later presented two series of Garden Invaders?
- Which former candidate for the American presidency made the film An Inconvenient Truth about the perils of global warming?
- What popular pizza that shares its name with a famous work by Vivaldi is normally divided into four sections each containing different toppings?
- What is the name of the sheep who first appeared in the Wallace and Gromit film A Close Shave?
- Which footballing brothers have a sister called Tracey who has represented England at netball?
- Where in London did Prince Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer on the 29th of July 1981?
- What type of coffee was so named because its colour resembled the robes of and order of friars founded in the 1520s?
He went on: “See the amount of ribbing I get and then I went and done it on Celebrity Mastermind.
“It was surreal sitting there when they’re asking questions and you’re answering them about Dallas.
“I only got a couple wrong. But then it went into general knowledge and it quickly went downhill!”
The potter had ventured onto the BBC quiz in aid of (British Institute for Brain Injured Children).
Mastermind answers
Here's the correct answers - Higgins got FOUR correct
1. Sauna. 2. Little Britain. 3. Mr Hyde. 4. The Oscars/Academy Awards. 5. Deep vein thrombosis. 6. Rome. 7. Kim Wilde. 8. Al Gore. 9. Four Seasons. 10. Shaun the sheep. 11. Gary and Phil Neville. 12. St Paul’s Cathedral. 13. Cappuccino.
But after answering all things Larry Hagman, Texan oil barons and the Ewings family he is preparing to take his passion one step further and visit the city he grew up captivated by on television.
He added: “I’m 50 next year and I think it’s a surprise from my missus coming up.
“I love everything about JFK as well. So, I’m going to try and do like the tour.
“Apparently, they [had Xs on the road where he was shot] and then they took it away because it was too disturbing.
“I love all the history of that as well.”
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