A primary school teacher has reached the final of one of TV's toughest quiz shows. 

Mr Nelson, a teacher at Whitfield CE Primary School, has made it to the finals of BCC's Mastermind by answering specialist questions about Sir Bobby Robson.

Mr Nelson, 35, who is from Hexham but lives in Haydon Bridge, is a massive Newcastle United Football fan and proved it throughout several heats.

"I chose to answer questions on Sir Bobby Robson because I'm a life-long Newcastle fan," Mr Nelson said.

"He was the manager in my early teenage years when he reinvigorated the club following Gullit's reign, so was an obvious choice. 

"I've also always been struck by the positivity, dignity and respect that he always carried himself with, be that in his football career or during his fights against cancer and fundraising to combat the disease.

"He as manager, and Alan Shearer as captain at the time, were amazing examples of playing or managing your home-town club and being the pinnacle of what to aim for in football - which is pretty rare these days."

Mr Nelson has not only used his knowledge to build up skills but also used his profession as an advantage.

He said: "The children at school have been incredibly enthusiastic about it all and have been throwing quiz questions at me ever since the heat went out on TV back in September.

"I applied for Mastermind back in September 2022 and I was invited to audition in early 2023. I was amazed to make it through to the heats as  I was actually second in my heat, by just one point, but made it through to the semis as the highest-scoring runner-up. Then I won the semi-final.

"I'm absolutely blown away to reach the final. Mastermind is such a tough show and everyone you are up against is an incredibly knowledgeable quizzer.

"I hadn't expected to get past the auditions, let alone reach the final.

"After the initial elation, however, came the knowledge that the hard work on revision had only just started and I immediately had to get into preparation for the grand final."

Mark Robson, chair of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has also congratulated Mr Nelson and adds:  “I think my Dad would be proud to have been chosen as a specialist subject on Mastermind and he did have an extraordinary life!

“Thomas did extremely well under the pressure of the famous black chair and we wish him all the very best for the final.”

The final will be aired at the start of April.