Episode 61, January 11 2006 @ 4:15pm
Player: Michael (D) - has box 11

Noel is loving this right now - talking up yesterday's 'spectacular, terrifying game', building up the quarter-million, while also pointing out nobody has won 1p! 'I know which one of those two I want to see somebody win first!'

Michael hasn't been smiling much on the wings, and Noel picks up on this, as well as several family photos he shows us. He's also got a bit of a fatalistic approach having cheated death or serious injury on seven occasions!

We're away...

Box 7 - £10! 'That's how to start...'
Box 1 - £50! Noel points out we have had 'a string of fantastic opening rounds'...
Box 20 (Aileen) - £75,000! 'Well that put the mockers on it didn't it?' 'Not the way to make an entrance to the game, Aileen...'
Box 19 - £5,000. 'That's OK,' Michael insists.
Box 21 - £750. 'There we go,' Noel exclaims. Just the one big hit in the opening round... the Banker wonders how his fatalism and his family values will influence his gameplay, and thinks he could have conflicting thoughts that he can play on...

Banker's offer:

£3,500

No conflicting thoughts there, NO DEAL all the way.

Box 12 - £35,000! 'Ooh, that was worth a groan - second of those Power 5 to go...'
Box 16 - 'Sweet 16' he says, and Noel suddenly twigs he's picked female box-openers all the way through - 'you little flirt!' he jokes... £250,000! 'Bloody women,' Michael jokes. We call a break. We need one.

First adbreak
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Box 8 - £250. 'More like it,' Noel declares, 'but prepare for a low offer after that round...'

The Banker asks if women have ever treated him this badly!!

Banker's offer:

£800

'Not as badly as he just treated me!' NO DEAL, duh.

Ann and Linda know what's coming... although Michael seemingly doesn't as he briefly calls the wrong number and then corrects himself!! Noel tells him to calm down and concentrate or the Banker will continue to make low offers...

Box 6 (Ann) - 10p! 'Well, you had a bit of an anti-Power 5 there, but you've broken it up, which is good...'
Box 13 (Linda) - £100! 'This is starting to look a lot better...'
Box 18 (Jessica) - £3,000. 'Much better round!'

Halfway stage
1p
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And a much better offer. 'The time for teasing is over, the time for tempting has begun.'

Banker's offer:

£8,000

Ten times the previous offer. Terry points out there are five boxes higher than the offer and Arlette says she would go on as well... Michael duly says NO DEAL.

'We've had ladies first, now it's all the men from here on in...'

Box 15 - £10,000. Michael insists it's fine, Noel says a blue now would be very helpful...
Box 10 - £1! Big cheers. A corny play on the word 'break' leads us into the commercial interlude...

Second adbreak
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On returning to the game Noel says that Michael 'has had an interesting system, and he has an interesting board as well...'
Box 14 - 50p! Big cheers, and Noel points out that to have four significant sums at this stage is 'rather unusual'.

The Banker concedes the momentum is swinging away from him and the offer can only go one way...

Banker's offer:

£14,000

Noel says it's 'minxy' to put it below the £15,000, but Terry says it's not bad. Geordie says the worst case scenario is that there's one good sum of money left at the next offer. Michael talks about what the money can do for his wedding anniversary and Miguel suggests to take it if it means that much to him...

Michael decides, after some considerable thought, to NO DEAL!

'That was a big call. It was a brave call. Was it the right call?'

Box 3 - £50,000! Big groans. 'Safety net's gone...'
Box 2 - £20,000! 'Another safety net's gone!'

Squashdown
1p
£5
£500
£1,000
£15,000
£100,000

Box 9 - 1p! 'You're not going home with THAT!' Big cheers... Noel says nobody has ever won £100,000 'or anywhere near it' from their box... the Banker thinks it was a mistake putting the last offer below the £15,000 and reckons Michael would have dealt otherwise...

Banker's offer:

£16,000

Terry says the board is much more dangerous now and advises a Deal, as does Geordie... Vaughan says the big dream is still there to be chased... but Michael doesn't want to chase it. DEAL!

'Well, Vaughan said it, the big dream was still out there, but £16,000 is clearly a good result for you. Now, though, we must play on...'

Box 17 - £100,000! Big cheers! 'The perfect game!'
Box 22 - £5...
Box 5 - £500. 'Well, we know you've won anyway because you Dealt at £16,000...'

Banker's offer would've been:

£8,000

'Is it a narrow victory, or a really good one?' Box 11 had £1,000! Box 4 had £15,000.

'Yet again, the Banker is comprehensively beaten, and already, in less than two weeks, it seems clear that this is going to be a disastrous year for him. And we wouldn't have it any other way! Come back tomorrow - because I know you want to see the Banker beaten again!'

I'd have done the same, I'm pretty sure!