Quiz present champ Tory MP to make TV comeback in Only Connect Christmas particular

A Tory who gave up a profitable profession as a TV quiz present champion to develop into an MP will return to screens this Christmas, the Mirror understands.

Newcastle-under-Lyme MP Aaron Bell gained large cash throughout a prolific run of appearances within the 2000s. He reached the ultimate of University Challenge in 2001, gained the Krypton Factor in 2009 and Only Connect in 2010. And he was the primary contestant to have an ‘all-blue round’ on Deal or No Deal in 2006, trousering the banker’s provide of £25,000 when his field was value 50p. He purchased his first home in Leigh, Staffordshire with the winnings.

And now, after greater than a decade away from TV quizzing, he’s getting again within the sport – on a Christmas particular of fiendish BBC2 quiz Only Connect, hosted by Victoria Coren-Mitchell. He’ll seem on a “Politicians vs Activists” version of the present, on a crew alongside former Labour MP Bridget Prentice and Lib Dem Councillor Gareth Orbrey, on Thursday at 8pm.

Mr Bell informed this newspaper: “It was nice to get again within the Only Connect studios with Victoria and everybody else who helps make it such an amazing present. I liked recording the episode and being a part of a tri-partisan crew with Bridget & Gareth was actually becoming for this season of goodwill!”

In an interview along with his native paper the Stoke Sentinel final yr, Mr Bell mentioned the trick to quizzing was having the arrogance “to press the buzzer a split second before you’re absolutely certain”.

“Otherwise someone else will get in there first. You’ve got to press it when you only think you know – and trust your brain to get the answer to your lips within a couple of seconds.”

From 2006 to 2019, when he was elected, Mr Bell’s day job was as a trading performance analyst for online betting firm Bet365. And from 2003 to 2006 he worked as a development manager for Ladbrokes.

In January last year (2022) he caused a stir in the Conservative Party when he publicly criticised Boris Johnson over Partygate, asking him in Parliament: “Does the Prime Minister think I’m a fool?” He said at the time that he would not enter a quiz as a member of the public now he’s an MP.

But there’s one more show he’d like to try his hand at one day. “When I’m retired, I’d love to do Mastermind, but I’d need the time to go away and really nail down my specialist subject,” he mentioned. “I might do English test cricket since 1981, but you really need to know your stuff on Mastermind or you’ll end up getting embarrassed.”