Christopher Hughes (quiz contestant)
{{Short description|British quizzer (1947–2025)}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chris Hughes
| image =
| birth_name = Christopher John Hughes
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1947|8|14}}
| birth_place = Enfield, Middlesex, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2025|1|29|1947|8|14}}
| death_place = Crewe, Cheshire, England
| occupation = television personality, train driver, railway worker
| known_for = Eggheads
}}
Christopher John Hughes (14 August 1947 – 29 January 2025) was an English television personality and one of Britain's leading quizzers.
Early life
Hughes was born in Enfield, Middlesex, on 14 August 1947. He was educated at Enfield Grammar School. Hughes worked as a train driver and a railway worker.
Career
Hughes was a winner of Mastermind (1983), International Mastermind (1983) and Brain of Britain, 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Christopher_Hughes|title=Christopher Hughes|publisher=UKGameshows|access-date=14 January 2010|archive-date=14 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114201507/http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Christopher_Hughes|url-status=live}} He is one of only seven people ever to have won both Mastermind and Brain of Britain, the others being Roger Pritchard, Kevin Ashman, Pat Gibson, Geoff Thomas, Ian Bayley, and Clive Dunning.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/UK_Game_Show_Records|title=UK Game Show Records|website=www.ukgameshows.com|access-date=14 January 2010|archive-date=6 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106090506/http://ukgameshows.com/ukgs/UK_Game_Show_Records|url-status=live}} He competed for the Mastermind Club in the Quiz League of London, alongside other former champions and contenders including Ashman.{{cite web|url=https://quizleagueoflondon.co.uk/teams/team.aspx?ID=24|title=Mastermind Club|website=www.quizleagueoflondon.co.uk|access-date=5 March 2025|archive-date=12 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241012040822/https://quizleagueoflondon.co.uk/teams/team.aspx?ID=24|url-status=live}}
Hughes also appeared on The Weakest Link on 24 September 2001, and was voted out in the final elimination round without answering a single question incorrectly during the whole show, having been named the strongest link in six of the seven elimination rounds. Host Anne Robinson declared Hughes to be "the best contestant we have had on The Weakest Link" and opted not to use her signature "you are the Weakest Link, goodbye!" catchphrase, instead simply saying "goodbye, Chris".{{cite web | url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a838728/weakest-link-eggheads-chris-voted-viral-video/ | title=Weakest Link screwed Eggheads{{'}} Chris back in the day |first=Justin |last=Harp | website=Digital Spy | date=21 September 2017 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nine.com.au/entertainment/viral/eggheads-chris-hughes-weakest-link/d3391b81-9eb5-4860-973c-71146543e3f2 |title=VIDEO: Eggheads{{'}} stinging comments after being booted from The Weakest Link still echoes today |publisher=Nine |accessdate=28 February 2025 |archive-date=15 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115235746/https://www.nine.com.au/entertainment/viral/eggheads-chris-hughes-weakest-link/d3391b81-9eb5-4860-973c-71146543e3f2 |url-status=live }} He was a member of the regular panel of quiz experts on the UK television show Eggheads as part of the original lineup.{{IMDb name|1668492|Christopher Hughes}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2025/0227/1499347-eggheads-announces-death-of-christopher-hughes/ |title=Eggheads announces the death of Christopher Hughes |publisher=RTE |accessdate=27 February 2025 |archive-date=4 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304105733/https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2025/0227/1499347-eggheads-announces-death-of-christopher-hughes/ |url-status=live }} Hughes appeared on the programme for 20 years before making his last appearance in 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/culture/eggheads-chris-hughes-death-last-episode-b2706016.html |title=Eggheads{{'}} Chris Hughes' last appearance on BBC quiz show before death aged 77 |work=The Independent |accessdate=27 February 2025}}
Personal life and death
Hughes lived in Crewe, Cheshire. Hughes died at his home in Crewe on 29 January 2025, at the age of 77.{{cite news |last1=Glynn |first1=Paul |last2=McIntosh |first2=Steven |title=Eggheads star Chris Hughes dies aged 77 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2009jgj58o |access-date=27 February 2025 |publisher=BBC News |date=27 February 2025}}{{cite news |title=Christopher Hughes: Eggheads star and former Mastermind and Brain of Britain winner dies |url=https://news.sky.com/story/christopher-hughes-eggheads-star-and-former-mastermind-and-brain-of-britain-winner-dies-13318182 |access-date=27 February 2025 |publisher=Sky News |date=27 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Christopher John (Egghead) Hughes |url=https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/hughes/5237519 |website=Funeral Notices |access-date=1 March 2025}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last=Hughes |first=Christopher |title=The Great Railway Quiz |year=1984 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-8596-8 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=1668492|name=Christopher Hughes}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Christopher}}
Category:Contestants on British game shows
Category:People from Ponders End