I’m showing my fun side
It’s one of the world’s most intimidating TV studios – especially if you are in its leather hot seat.
And as Mastermind returns, you’d expect new host Clive Myrie to be feeling nervous as well as the contestants. But the news presenter seems fairly relaxed about taking the reins on the iconic show. “Yeah, why not?,” he shrugged. Clive is the quiz’s fifth host. He replaces John Humphrys – who stepped down after 18 years – and arrives ahead of the show’s 50th anniversary next year. And the 56-year-old, who this year won RTS Television Journalist Of The Year and Network Presenter Of The Year, had to jump through a few hoops to land the gig.
He said: “Okay, first of all, it’s an iconic show, the kind of programme that is only ever available every 20 years. So when John announced that he was leaving, you put your hat in the ring and you do a screen test. All on Zoom. A few weeks later, I got a call saying, ‘Hey, what do you think?’ And I’m like, ‘I’m not so sure. Give me a week.’” Clive actually jumped at the chance. He said: “I suppose I’ve felt I’ve been a correspondent for more than 30 years, reporting abroad most of that time. It felt like an amazing chance to try to plough another furrow.
“It felt to me as if I’ve earned my stripes as a reporter, as someone that the public can trust. I think there is an element of familiarity there. So hopefully, people aren’t thinking, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’
“Anyone who knows me knows it’s not just about doom and gloom, and war and refugees, and pain and suffering. I like a bit of fun and I like entertainment. I’ve done Have I Got News For You twice and Richard Osman’s House of Games, Would I Lie To You? and I’ve just finished Celebrity Antiques Roadshow.”
Clive is also frank about whether it’s important a person of colour got the Mastermind job.
He said: “Part of the reason I grew up wanting to be a journalist was because I saw Trevor McDonald reading the news in the early 70s. I turned on the TV and there was this guy who looked like me.
“So if that is encouraging other people who may look like me to think they can be on prime-time TV, and their name is not Ant or Dec, that’s brilliant.”