Victoria Coren Mitchell refuses to apologise for Only Connect mistake
The quiz show host joked it was important to have flaws after viewers spotted actor Finn Wolfhard's name had been spelt wrong.
What did you miss?
Victoria Coren Mitchell has said she refuses to apologise for a spelling mistake that appeared in the latest episode of Only Connect. Some viewers were outraged when Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard's surname was spelt incorrectly on the board during the BBC quiz show. But host Coren Mitchell was unrepentant.
What, how and why?
Coren Mitchell hosts the primetime gameshow in which contestants must name the link between a series of four words. During the Third-Place Play Off the surnames of Sadie Sink, Cara Buono, Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard’s were all displayed - the link being that they all star in hit Netflix sci-fi show Stranger Things. But 'Wolfhart' appeared spelt with a 'T'.
Ooh, it seems we had a spelling mistake on the connecting wall last night! Wolfhard was written as Wolfhart. 🐺 😱 BUT I WON’T APOLOGIZE. I think it’s important to have an error in the Third Place Play-Off, like the deliberate flaw in a Persian carpet, lest God be offended. #TPPO
— Victoria Coren Mitchell (@VictoriaCoren) January 23, 2024
Coren Mitchell responded to criticism after the episode aired, writing on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: "Ooh, it seems we had a spelling mistake on the connecting wall last night! Wolfhard was written as Wolfhart. I WON’T APOLOGIZE. I think it’s important to have an error in the Third Place Play-Off, like the deliberate flaw in a Persian carpet, lest God be offended. #TPPO"
Viewers did not take the mistake as lightly.
One exclaimed on social media: "Absolutely incandescent about #OnlyConnect misspelling Finn Wolfhard's name, cancelling my subscription, putting my foot through the TV screen, sending them the bill etc"
The actor’s name is Finn WOLFHARD, #OnlyConnect pic.twitter.com/YUSKCGxI1F
— Ross Maclean (@ross_maclean) January 22, 2024
Another fumed: "Only Connect throwing us for a loop misspelling Finn Wolfhard's name! #OnlyConnect" A third posted: "So @OnlyConnectQuiz are ok with putting a clue on the board that’s spelt wrong? Finn WolfharD is in Stranger things, but I don’t know of a Finn Wolfhart. #onlyconnect" And another ranted: "@VictoriaCoren Wolfhard! It's Wolfhard, not Wolfhart! #onlyconnect #StrangerThings @BBCTwo"
What else happened on Only Connect?
It is the second time in a month that viewers have been unhappy about supposed mistakes in Only Connect. In a recent episode of the new series they complained the complicated connection between Harry Potter and In Bruges contained some serious flaws.
The question involved finding the connection between four clues: "Grindelwald is the younger of the two main characters," "Fleur Delacour dates Grindelwald," "Mad-Eye Moody is the older of the main characters," and "Lord Voldermort is the boss of Grindelwald and Mad-Eye Moody".
Teams the Thrifters and the Suncatchers tried to guess at what the connection could be, both realising that they were about Harry Potter characters, but failed to get the answer as Coren Mitchell revealed that it was "Wizarding World actors in Bruges".
Viewers were keen to point out their issues with this answer.
Only Connect airs on BBC Two at 8pm on Mondays.