How Sam Wallace was crowned Breakfast's Mastermind champion

With TVNZ's Mastermind set to debut this weekend, host Peter Williams gave viewers a taste of the show, putting his fellow Breakfast colleagues to the test.

But in a surprising twist, it was weatherman Sam Wallace that took the top spot in the show's Mastermind chair.

Tasked with five questions each on a specialist subject of their choice, Wallace chose 'Cars and engines', from which he scored three out of five points.

A triumphant Sam Wallace next to a somewhat disappointed Nadine Chalmers-Ross.

Despite the hosts' best efforts, both Nadine Chalmers-Ross and Rawdon Christie were outmaneuvered by their weatherman's superior knowledge.

Chalmers-Ross, whose specialist subject 'German Shepards' scored her just two points, came in a disappointing second place.

Her co-host Christie came last when his specialist subject, 'New Zealand's most respected broadcaster', resulted in Christie being quizzed on Williams, who opened with the question, "Which high school did I attend?"

Returning to screens after a 20 year hiatus, Mastermind contestants will be quizzed on both specialist subjects and general knowledge. The iconic game show will premiere this Sunday on TV One.

- nzherald.co.nz