SYLVIA van der Weyden, of Ormiston, took home the big brass mug after winning Hard Quiz on ABC television on June 26.
She watched the episode with more than 20 family, neighbours and friends, describing it as wonderful and thrilling occasion.
“The mug weighs 7kg. When Tom gave it to me, it was so heavy I nearly dropped it. I watch the show and the set was so familiar. It was weird but wonderful to be there,” she said.
The television series and her special subject As Time Goes By started as a binge watch during Covid and she has since watched the 67 episodes 10 to 15 times, taking notes and noting side details in preparation for the program.
Sylvia is no stranger to trivia shows, having won Jeopardy with Tony Barber in 1993.
The Hard Quiz application was followed with multiple tasks including answering on-line, timed general knowledge questions and questions about herself.
“The questions were really hard, and I scored 12 out of 20 so I thought that was me done,” Sylvia said.
“And then, there was a lot of information that they wanted to know. You had to describe yourself in three words and tell them something most people don’t know about you. I have a tattoo of Bridge Over Troubled Waters on my shoulder,” she said.
“I told them about my first job selling fairy floss and dagwood dogs at the Ekka. It’s grist for the mill,” she said.
Sylvia said she also told them about her claim to fame, which was attending the same school as the Bee Gees in the early 1960s.
“I love Hard Quiz. It’s different, it’s unexpected and it’s funny. And then there is the big, brass mug,” she said.
“I got the call asking me to come to Melbourne in October 2023 and had the most fun. To get on the show is quite a feat. Who cares whether you win or not. It’s such an adventure,” she said.
Sylvia said she was made to feel “really special” with her own dressing room, wardrobe and make-up person.
“The four contestants never get to talk and we don’t know one another’s subjects, so it really is completely ad lib,” she said.
Sylvia said she was most nervous about “the chat”.
“You know he’s going to take the mickey out of you and you don’t know what material he will use. But once I started on the trivia, my nerves were gone. This is my thing. I just wanted to bring it on,” she said.
“My personal philosophy is to have no regrets. I want to do everything before dementia sets in.”
