A Shebbear College pupil is set to appear on national television this weekend, taking part in The Kid’s Special of the popular ITV1 quiz show The 1% Club.
Henry Boucher in Year 8 will feature on the programme airing this Sunday 24 May. Open to pupils aged 9 -14, the special edition sees young contestants take on the show’s unique format. After spotting the auditions while on holiday last summer, Henry decided to apply and successfully progressed through an online interview before being invited to Manchester to film the show in October.
Henry said: “I was on holiday in Spain when I saw the auditions for The 1% Club and decided to sign up as I really want to be on TV and I like the show. I then got invited to a Zoom audition with the producers and, after a few weeks, I found out that I’d got on the show!”
Hosted by Lee Mack, the programme starts with 100 contestants answering questions that become progressively more challenging, with players eliminated each round.
Reflecting on the experience, Henry said: “I was actually shaking. I was thinking, ‘Please don’t be the first off, please don’t be the first off!’”
Filming the episode was a completely new experience for Henry. He explained: “The episode took about eight hours to film, it’s very different to what you actually see in the finished programme.” He added: “I haven’t seen it at all yet, so I don’t know how it’s been edited.”
While Henry is keeping the final outcome under wraps, he said: “I’m not allowed to say how I got on, but I will say I wasn’t the first to go out – but I didn’t win!”
He also enjoyed the experience beyond the competition itself, adding that he made a number of new friends during filming and describing it as “an amazing experience”.
Henry enjoys performing and has always dreamed of being in the spotlight. Earlier this year, he took on a principal role in Shebbear College’s Senior School production of Sister Act, and he is looking forward to starring as Mr Wormwood in the upcoming Middle School production of Matilda.
The College community is delighted to see Henry take part in such an exciting opportunity, and everyone will be tuning in to watch his appearance this Sunday.
Categories: Shebbear College
