Off the Gridiron - Greg Hodgson

Fri Mar 24 2017

While football is a passion for the Yorkshire Rams, like all UK teams we are made up of part-time players.

We thought we would spend this year’s pre-season build-up taking a look at some of the squad’s more interesting activities away from the field.

And the only place to start is with our resident television star - he’s my Pointless friend… he’s Greg Hodgson!

Offensive lineman Greg appeared on the popular BBC1 quiz show in January, alongside his father Phil - and they scooped the jackpot of £2,250!

Having identified either Super Bowl or Grand National winners as their ideal categories for the final round, they took a punt on the topic of “Horses” - over the uninspiring alternatives of Royal Families, 1950s Film Musicals or “Summer” - and were rewarded with exactly the question they hoped for.

Phil took the lead role, offering up Numbersixvalverde, Pineau de Re and Red Marauder, and all three were pointless answers.

“It was the perfect (category),” said Greg, left. “Grand National winners, easy.

“And I didn’t get carried by my dad! I could have found an answer but I didn’t need to, because he had it!”

A first-round topic of science had played into the hands of chemistry student Greg, with the Higgs Boson particle providing a 38-point answer, before in round two they had to name the artists responsible for the 40 biggest-selling albums of 2015.

A wrong answer of Eminem from their first opponent opened the door for Greg and Phil to qualify by giving the two highest-scoring answers - Adele and One Direction.

In between times, though, came what the show’s co-host Richard Osman described as one of his favourite ever answers - Alexander Armstrong’s “A Year in Songs” had clocked in at number 32 in the list.

Armstrong’s surprise was evident on the broadcast but the answer earned brave contestant Linda a coveted pointless answer and ultimately added £250 to Greg and his dad’s winnings.

“It was nice being on, it’s a good show - really fun,” said Greg.

“It’s not a lot different to what you see on the TV, except there’s big breaks - on my episode Alexander had a pointless answer that was him, and what you don’t see is there was a break in the show and he swore very loudly for the whole audience!

“It was really weird to see - we thought she was just complimenting Alexander Armstrong. I remember seeing the CD in the shop but I didn’t realise it was one of the top 40 best-selling.”