Pointless star Richard Osman’s laptop on hit BBC1 show is just a prop and has never even been turned on – or plugged in
Osman may act like he is on the computer to research answers, but in truth it has only ever been touched by the cleaners
THE computer featured on hit quiz show Pointless is just that – as the laptop has never even been switched on.
The device sits in front of show expert Richard Osman, 46, on the BBC1 teatime favourite, suggesting he uses it to research answers for the end of the round.
But he doesn’t actually use the laptop which sits dormant and is not even plugged in.
A TV source revealed: “The computer has never been switched on and Richard doesn’t even know what’s on it.
“He arrived on set and found it there and has never been asked by producers to do anything with it but use it as a prop.
“The machine is not even plugged in to anything. The only people who touch it are the cleaners and prop masters who come in to dust it during recordings.”
The top rating BBC quiz show, which sees contestants trying to give the most obscure answers to general knowledge questions, was first broadcast in 2009 and is now in its 16th series.
The celebrity version is often watched by seven million viewers.
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After the results have been revealed at the end of each round, host Alexander Armstrong refers to expert Richard who runs through other possible answers.
Osman has the laptop facing him and frequently rests his hand on it as if he is using it to do research into the categories.
Last night a spokeswoman for production company Endemol said: “The computer at Richard’s desk is a TV prop and we have never claimed otherwise.”