Billy's game today.

Noel is dressed up as a French chef and all the contestants are dressed as various Christmas dinner ingredients!

First show of the Christmas specials... let's hope we see the twist in live play.

Billy has box 18.

Billy is dressed as a pee! Billy is a qualified heating engineer and wants to become a London taxi driver, as that line of work runs in his family. He shows a photo of him on his moped, learning how to navigate the streets of London.

Here we go...

Round 1

The banker rings and jokes about the 1 'pee' being on the table. He says if Billy finds the 1p in the opening round, everyone will get a bottle of champagne.

Kate starts giggling, and Noel asks when she last pulled as she's dressed as a Christmas cracker!

12 - Mark - £20,000

14 - Bert - £3,000

4 - Luca - £35,000

21 - Ryan - £100,000

Noel says this is an astonishing opening round.

20 - Lynda - £1

Banker time

Billy says

NO DEAL


Noel calls a break...

Billy's based not far from me... whatever the outcome, he deserves a pint out of sympathy for having to wear that...

I shouldn't really admit it but when I was about 12, I went to a fancy dress party dressed as a pea pod.

At least most of the players are still recognisable.

We're back

Round 2

Noel says that Billy will get the chance to go on one box at a time and also win a holiday if he's in live play at 5-box.

16 - Lloyd - £100

1 - Lisa - £1,000

19 - Dan - £250

Banker time

Based on recent opening offer patterns, we could viably have expected £6k there, even after that round.

Second offers have been no better, and often worse, than opening offers - £8k would be indicated based on average percentage of the mean, FD, and Deal-Eye benchmark for offers since the last theme week.

The banker says the damage of the opening round will hold Billy back. He says the game at 5-box is all about delivering food to the table, which will require a steady hand as he'll have to do various things without dropping a pea!

Banker's offer:

£8,500

That twist sounds rather complicated.

It'll probably make more sense when played out for real.

Billy says

NO DEAL

So it's another 5-box skill game. I wonder if the producers have noticed that ever since they introduced those, people have dealt before the twist, whereas when it was pure luck, that hardly ever happened?

Round 3

5 - Ria - £15,000

17 - Gary - £750

6 - Leo - £5,000

Noel calls a break...

Second break at 20 minutes past... looks like he is going to be in live play at five box.

That's an unnerving thing to note when you consider this configuration!

This is a very precarious board already with just FOUR reds remaining!
And the Banker's Top 3 are STILL INTACT!

I predict the offer will reach 5-figures.

Based on the FD and the Deal-Eye benchmark, that would be above average generosity by recent standards, though relative to the mean it wouldn't be.

£10,500 seems plausible.