William Barnes won Mastermind NZ last night. Here's how he celebrated. (Video courtesy of TVNZ)
Havelock North's William Barnes can now reveal the secret he has kept for seven weeks.
He is television's 2016 Mastermind, the show which finished its run on TV One last night.
His win was announced with little fanfare: host Peter Williams confirmed the score, and there was a round ofaudience applause as Barnes was confirmed the winner.
There was no confetti, music or fireworks. Barnes smiled as he was shown his trophy, then sat back in the show's famous leather chair as Williams said: "We hope you have many happy times sitting at it in the times to come."
Onekawa's Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Ara Hou English teacher wore his school house colours, a yellow T-shirt, for luck.
Barnes spent four months studying from two reference books which the questions were taken from.
"It was quite fun, it didn't feel like study."
While not putting himself under any pressure during the show, he said his main fear was "bombing out".
His friends and family were in the audience, but getting a line of sight towards his wife was vital, he said.
Peter Williams, host of Mastermind. Photo / Supplied
Surprising himself, he said his best round was New Zealand sport, and remembering things from his childhood, answers "just came flying out".
The most nerve-racking of it all? Waiting for his turn in the hotseat. "But once you're in the chair it's fine because everything turns black and it's just Peter Williams and the spotlight."
His secret was to psych himself up to a point where he was 100 per cent focused on the questions.
"I really liked it by the end, it's quite addictive. Once I knew I wasn't going to bomb I thought, 'this is so cool'."
Remembering the show from his childhood he was still grasping the idea that he, like those he had idolised, was now a Mastermind champion too.
