Manager at Thistles wins big on TV gameshow

A manager at Thistles has won thousands of pounds after taking part in the popular daytime quiz, Pointless.

Last week saw locals Chris Watson, retail liaison manager at Thistles, and his wife Eve, appearing on two nail-biting episodes of the hit BBC show hosted by Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman, where contestants have to score the lowest amount of points possible.

The local couple beat three other pairs of contestants and found themselves £4,250 richer having answered the final question to name some of the highest skyscrapers in cities and towns across Asia, Europe and North America.

Chris has described the experience of being on Pointless as ‘really bizarre!’ having watched it for more than five years. “It was my wife Eve who suggested we apply, so we did in February 2018,” he explains. “The application form was quite lengthy to complete, and I did wonder if we would be selected as we didn’t hear back from a while.”

Then a whole 16 months later in June of last year, the Watson’s were standing behind a podium at Elstree Studios in London. “It was quite strange being on the set, as it’s quite a big production with all the lights and cameras, with everything being filmed in real time too.

“When you’re watching from home it’s much easier to answer the questions, however, when you’re actually there, your mind goes blank as it’s quite a pressured situation, but we loved every minute!”

The fantastic win was toasted with a bottle of prosecco being popped and when asked about plans for their winnings, Chris added: “We got married in 2018 but didn’t go on honeymoon but we will be now, with a tour of Japan in the spring. Pointless was an unforgettable opportunity for us and we now watch it with the greatest of memories.”

Gary Turnbull, centre director at Thistles, commented: “When Chris revealed he would be on the show with Eve, all his colleagues here at the shopping centre were thrilled. They are both really knowledgeable, so we knew they stood a good chance of going far, and what a result! We’re really proud of how well they did and are delighted that they can now enjoy a trip a lifetime to celebrate their marriage.”