A former nurse at Hull Royal Infirmary won the Grand Final prize of an 85-inch TV in an hilarious episode of Blankety Blank last night.
nurse of 30 years, Joanne Charlton, 53, had the nation in stitches when she told how she presented a heart attack patient with a colonic irrigation probe “for a laugh.” Joanne was working on the cardiology ward at Hull Royal Infirmary at the time and said the patient had been giving staff some banter, so she thought she would give him a laugh.
Blankety Blank host, Bradley Walsh and the panel of celebrities rolled in laughter. They included comedians Tom Allen and Jon Richardson, Jenny Eclair from Loose Women, morning TV chef Rustie Lee, Angela Scanlon from The One Show and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
In a blaze of lights Joanne was introduced to the studio audience and millions of TV viewers. She proudly told how she comes from Grimsby, was a former nurse at hospitals in Grimsby and Hull and now has a cleaning job.
In the first round the prize was a trip to Whitstable in Kent to stay in a fisherman’s hut and dine at an oyster restaurant. Joanne sailed through the first round and won £750 by matching up the word that celebrity panel members chose too.
The bubbly contestant then won the Supermatch to enter the Grand Final and a chance of the 85-inch Smart Samsung TV and a host of accessories.
(Image: BBC)
She had to guess what her chosen celebrity panel member Rustie Lee would pick to go with the word “Door.” Luckily they both said “Bell.”
Back at her home in Adelphi Court in New Waltham, Joanne declared: “The TV only just fits!” She was delighted because her son Benjamin, 20, who was born with heart defects, was given a new X-Box to go with the TV.
Joanne and husband Keith hosted a party last night for friends and family. “We all enjoyed it. We had a buffet and knees up. It was really good,” she said.
The new TV is being put to good use as well as helping Benjamin enjoy his gaming passion, husband Keith is listening to rock music. He plays with local band Feedback.
Joanne said she enjoys watching period dramas such as Bridgerton and her soaps. The show was filmed a year ago and she has had to keep the result secret until last night.
“When people saw us having a new TV, I think they guessed the outcome,” she said.
Joanne said her mother worked on Saturdays when she was growing up so she went to stay with her Nanna and Grandad, Elsie and Alan Grosset and they watched the show each Saturday night. The show started in 1979 and had famous presenters over the years like Terry Wogan, Les Dawson and Lily Savage. Joanne said she felt her grandparents were watching over her in the TV studios in Maidstone, Kent.
She said: “I have always enjoyed Blankety Blank. It holds a special place in our hearts. I look at life as each day is a new day and you have to grab any opportunity as you never know if it is your last. I have gained so much self-esteem from the acting group and had confidence and made friends and we put on shows,” said Joanne, who runs her own cleaning business.