Wallace received a commemorative glass bowl as his prize

Mr Wallace, from Wembley, north west London, won by answering questions on FA Cup Finals since 1970.

"I'm living a dream that I never thought I would fulfil," he said. "But it is real and I'm really enjoying it."

The 27th Mastermind winner since the original series began in 1972, Mr Wallace was described by host John Humphrys as "another worthy champion".

Mr Wallace beat five finalists to the prize on Sunday, with the result decided on the number of times each contestant "passed" on a question.

Wallace is the 27th Mastermind winner since it began in 1972

He came out on top with a score of 24 points and no passes.

"It's been one of the happiest days of my life," he said as he received a commemorative glass bowl from BBC chairman Michael Grade.

Humphrys said he was impressed by every Mastermind champion. "How can they know (and remember) so much?" he said. "It is truly daunting."