The clock starts. As expected at this level of competition, it's tight, tight, tight from the off. Answers come without hesitation.

Melanie is first to drop one.

Which musical was the first collaboration between Rodgers And Hammerstein? ********

But then Gavin is forced to pass on:

The stars of which TV comedy series rode a 3-seater bicycle? *** *******

At the halfway point, there's just two seconds in it. Both look cool. Melanie, however, quickly stumbles over this:

Which actor made his film debut aged 61 in 'The Maltese Falcon'? ******* ************.

This starts a cascade of fumbles. Melanie looses ten seconds then Gavin fumbles. Melanie recovers, only to immediately lose another 10 again.

Which poem ends with: "and which is more, you'll be a man my son"? **

With two seconds to go, she pulls this out of the hat 'In rugby union which country was last to join the Six Nations Championship? *****' - whittling Gavin's win to a small but meaningful 10:12 seconds.

How many cubic feet are there in 2 cubic yards? **
What is 35 x 31? ****

When she does recover and bats it back to Gavin, he gets the easies, or pulls off a stunning reply. Check these…

What is 504 divided by 36? **
How is 171 expressed in Roman Numerals? *****
What is three quarters of 432? ***

It was never going to be Melanie's round. She bows out leaving 33:44 on her opponent's clock. The nail in the coffin?

Both fluff their opening questions:

Which artist painted 'Starry Night' in 1889? ***** * ***
Who played Preacher Harry Powell in the film 'The Night Of The Hunter'? ****** *******

He's down by five. But she can't maintain the lead, getting this wrong:

Bonfire Night celebrates Guy Fawkes's attempt to blow up which monarch? ***** *

Now they're neck and neck, neither of them budging.

At two seconds all and it's the length of the final question that kicks Melanie out.

Which band provided the song 'Stayin Alive' for the movie 'Saturday Night Fever'? *** ****

There's no time to answer.

Some questions:

Which English city has been named Capital of Culture for 2008? *********
Used to measure obesity, what does the abbreviation BMI stand for? **** **** *****
Who won this year's 'I'm a celebrity…Get Me Out of Here'? **** ********

Which playwright is an anagram of 'I AM A WEAKISH SPELLER'? ******** ***********

Gavin struggles with a few too.

Which word completes the first and begins the second in this puzzle: BAT___ANT? ***
Separate the composer from his opera in this mesh: VOETREDLILO? ***** ******

But finally in his direction the pendulum swings. Another 6.33 seconds in his basket.