THE Wizard of Wishaw – world champion snooker player John Higgins – was amongst the world’s elite at Wembley Arena, London, last week in a sporting environment he knows only too well.

However, recently, he found himself in the nerve-wracking position of being on television seated in the famous black chair from the BBC’s highly popular Celebrity Mastermind programme.

John was aiming to raise cash for his nominated charity, bibic (British Institute for Brain Injured Children), which offers practical help to families caring for children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, brain injury and learning difficulties such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

And he revealed to host, John Humphrys, that despite being world snooker champion, he treats his vocation like he would treat any normal nine to five job.

His chosen specialist subject was Dallas, the hit American soap from the eighties based on the wheelings and dealings of Texan oil-rich family the Ewings of Southfork.

John looked to be on course for a win on the night as his knowledge of the soap, which ran for over a decade, gave him an impressive 13 points going into the general knowledge round.

However, his sterling work in the specialist subject round was undone when he snookered himself by gaining just three points more in the general knowledge section.

Singer Beverley Knight was the winner on the night with 29 points, while John was in joint third position with his total of 17 points.

He did raise more than a few smiles, though, and on a couple of occasions burst into laughter, as did the majority of the audience and no doubt those watching at home.

The snooker ace fouled up when asked a question about a city’s name he replied: “Greece”.

He was still reeling from the previous question when he had been asked about the medical condition with the abbreviation DVT.

The world snooker champion ended up tongue-tied before host, John Humphrys, stepped in with the correct answer.

The cue master also thought that Vivaldi had composed “The Four Cheeses.”

The snooker star saved the best for last when he was asked the question: “What type of coffee was so named because its colour resembled the robes of an order of friars founded in the 1520s?”

His answer of “Nescafe” brought howls of laughter from the audience.

Unfortunately, the good form shown by John on his chosen subject, Dallas, also deserted him at the Masters tournament when he lost out in the first round to Mark Allen.

Try your hand at John’s Celebrity Mastermind questions, which are contained on page nine, and see if you can pot more balls than John did.

General Knowledge:

1. 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?

2. Which award-winning comedy series first broadcast in 2003 was created by Matt Lucas and David Walliams?

3. In literature, who did Dr Jekyll become when he took a drug enabling him to act on his evil impulses?

4. In 2002 in The Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles hosted which awards ceremony for the first time?

5. Which medical condition which is a particular risk for air passengers is known by the initials DVT?

6. The twin brothers Romulus and Remus were the legendary founders of which city?

7. What is the name of the 80s female singer who studied at Capel Manor Horticultural College and later presented two series of Garden Invaders?

8. Which former candidate for the American presidency made the film An Inconvenient Truth about the perils of global warming?

9. What popular pizza that shares its name with a famous work by Vivaldi is normally divided into four sections each containing different toppings?

10. What is the name of the sheep who first appeared in the Wallace and Gromit film A Close Shave?

11. Which footballing brothers have a sister called Tracey who has represented England at netball?

12. Where in London did Prince Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer on the 29th of July 1981?

13. What type of coffee was so named because its colour resembled the robes of and order of friars founded in the 1520s?

Correct answers:

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. The Neville brothers (Gary and Phil).

12. St Paul’s Cathedral.

13. Cappuccino.