Mastermind slammed amid claims new champion won with the WRONG answer

'My Desert Rat father will be turning in his grave': Mastermind viewers slam BBC after new champion wins by one point with the 'WRONG' answer (so did she say 'gerbil' or 'jerboa'?) Judith Lewis, 59, emerged as the winner of the quiz series by just a single point  She 'correctly' answered a question about the symbol of the Army's Desert Rats Viewers claimed she incorrectly said the symbol was a gerbil instead of a jerboa  The confusion came as she mumbled final syllable leaving viewers confused

By George Martin For Mailonline

Published: 23:45 BST, 20 June 2019 | Updated: 02:18 BST, 21 June 2019

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The final of Mastermind sparked a heated debate amongst viewers after some claimed the champion had answered the winning question incorrectly.  

Judith Lewis, 59, emerged as the winner of the quiz series on Thursday after being given a point for answering a question on the symbol of the Army's Desert Rats 'correctly'.

Some viewers claimed Ms Lewis said the answer was was a gerbil, when in fact the 7th Armoured Division's signet is a jerboa - a desert-dwelling rodent native to North Africa. 

The outrage caused one viewer to write online: 'My Desert Rat father would be turning in his grave'. 

In footage from the final she appears to mumble her response, leading to ambiguity over which animal she had given as the crucial answer.

Ms Lewis claimed shortly after the broadcast she had said 'jerboa' and had proved it by spelling out the word in footage that was not aired on the BBC.  

Judith Lewis claimed victory in the latest series of Mastermind after narrowly beating the other contestants by just one point

Judith Lewis claimed victory in the latest series of Mastermind after narrowly beating the other contestants by just one point

She gave the answer to the final question as the 'time up' buzzer sounded to signal the end of her round - as she took victory by just one point from the next best contestant.  

One viewer posted soon after: 'My Desert Rat father will be turning in his grave.'

Actor Barnaby Edwards tweeted: 'Thrilling final of Mastermind as that massive ignoramus John Humphrys erroneously declares someone the winner because he doesn't know a gerbil is a different animal from a jerboa.'  

Ms Lewis, whose specialist subject had been war-era books by Olivia Manning, said her answer was scrutinised on the set and she was asked to spell out the word.

According to the Sun, the NHS psychiatrist, 59, said: 'I know a jerboa is different from a gerbil, but it was the last

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