BBC Mastermind fans have voiced their anger after host Clive Myrie accepted a debatable answer to a question on female singers.
They also vented their frustrations over a low scoring contestants and “ridiculous” specialist subjects on this Monday’s show.
Myrie posed the question as the general knowledge round for the last contestant, retired nursery owner Roopam Carroll, came to an end.
Interrupted by the round ending claxon, Myrie asked: “The three principle classifications in Western music for the female singing voice are from the highest to the lowest – sopranos, mezzo soprano and which other?”
Carroll quickly responded: “Alto”
“Yes. It’s contralto. I will accept that,” Myrie said.
Myrie accepted the potentially ambiguous answer
BBC
The controversial decision brought Carroll to 19 points making her the clear winner of the low scoring edition of the show.
Monday’s second place achieved 17 points while the other two contestants managed just 14 points.
Fans flooded social media with anger at the decision to accept the answer as part of claims the show was declining in quality.
“Alto is NOT contralto. Wrong!!” one fan raged.
The answer helped Carroll win this week’s competition
BBC
One quickly responded: “Agreeeeeeeee! I was bursting at the TV!”
“What?? Alto and Contralto are two different words!!!” a third said, flabbergasted.
A fourth simply commented: “Clive cheated.”
Some fans defended Myrie’s choice but joined others in.
“Of course you can accept alto as it was the correct answer. #mastermind Another round with wins less than 20,” one viewer observed.
A second complained: “You watch #Mastermind and other quiz shows of its ilk because you want to see people being clever, and it’s hard work now that two weeks in a row, no-one has broken 20 points.”
Fans were unimpressed by the low scoring show
BBC
“Mastermind really is a shadow of its former self,” a third said.
Fans also took issue with some of the contestants specialist subjects – claiming they lacked the intellectual rigor of precious years.
“The solo career of Robbie Williams?? Really??? I give up,” one viewer fumed.
Another added: “Robbie Williams and Narnia. High-brow stuff tonight.”
