IT is said that most people maybe have 15 minutes of fame in their life and so it was when I applied to be a contestant on “Countdown”.

The iconic quiz show has been on our TVs for nearly 40 years and my brother had been suggesting for years that we maybe entered “Pointless” as a pairing but this filled me with dread as you probably need to have a wide range of general knowledge.

I have, however, always been interested in doing crosswords, as a child alternating answers with my Dad on the “Daily Telegraph” back page, and doing anything with numbers, hence my pleasure in being Treasurer for three local organisations.

“Countdown” seemed to be the right fit for me if I was going to give anything a go and therefore on one cold day during the Covid pandemic I followed the instructions on my TV and submitted my name to be a contestant.

Within 48 hours I was emailed to say that interviews were currently being done remotely and that I should be ready for a phone call in the next couple of days, during which I would be asked questions. During this call, not only was I asked about my interests but I also had to do three rounds of the letters, two of the numbers and two conundrums all to the background music of “the clock!”

Having completed these to the best of my ability, and here I use the term loosely, I was advised that if successful I would hear back within the week.

When the email arrived congratulating me on becoming a contestant the invitation was to attend recordings at Media City, Manchester in the middle of August just at the same time that CODS was presenting “Sister Act”.

I made the production team aware of this and they advised that it was no problem and that I would be called back at a future session.

There then followed a clash with the auditions I was to hold for “The Sound of Music” and then a trip I had planned to Cyprus before eventually finding that the filming dates in February were possible and I immediately put these in my diary.

I obviously am not allowed to say the outcome of the programme apart from the fact that I believe I avoided making a fool of myself in what is supposed to be your “15 minutes of fame!”

Anne Robinson was actually very charming and Rachel Riley is as stunning in the studio as she is on camera.

Susie Dent is very relaxed and I was delighted to meet John Thompson, one of my idols from “Cold Feet”, who was in Dictionary Corner.

All expenses such as rail fare, overnight accommodation and a meal allowance are covered so the whole experience was a real pleasure.

I’m sure that lots of you who will watch the show will let me know how much better you would have done in a particular round but that’s the beauty of a quiz show.

Although there was no audience there were about 20 crew operating the cameras, lights and recording and all the time you are sitting there knowing this is going to go out into everyone’s TV. Did I say when?

Wednesday, April 6 at 2.10pm on Channel 4.

Mike Canning