"It all started a few weeks ago when John told us that a friend of Marion’s had nominated him as a contestant on one of a special series of six shows "Deal or NoDeal" were running for people who had done great work in their community, and that he had made it to the last 16 (out of 15,000 nominations!).

The production team arranged to go to his house to film him and his family, together with Helen, our physio, and a few friends, then went away to make their decision as to who would make the final six to take part in the show.

Several days later everyone was thrilled and excited to learn that he had been selected. We then heard that the team would be returning to Guildford to provide some background information about John’s achievements at the Samson Centre .

Filming for the show itself would be over two days in Bristol. John was asked to find 21 other people to go with him, each of whom would open a box on the show, and I was one of the very lucky ones that he chose from the MSTG, along with Helen Brodbin, Jackie Britneff and Claire Hubbard.

On Wednesday 21st November we arrived at the hotel in the centre of Bristol where we were staying and a coach picked everyone up at 3:45pm to take us to the studio. We were shown around, told what would be happening, and had to practise opening our boxes. They warned us that we could be on camera at any time during the show and should not "arrive with a hangover, pick our noses or scratch our bottoms!!" We had also been asked to take three sets of clothing with us and give them to the team, who would select which items we would wear the next day.

Thursday morning arrived and the coach came to pick us up at 8:30. Nerves and excitement were rife. Arriving once again at the Endemol premises we went to our male or female dressing rooms, which were pretty basic with sectioned off cubicles with shower curtains, and there were the clothes we were to wear, all labelled with our names. After dressing it was make-up time for both girls and boys (I think the men quite enjoyed the powder and paint although they pretended not to!).

By this time the audience had arrived and were seated. Martin Dent and Eva Crane, two of our wheelchair members, had courageously got up at 5am to be driven to Bristol to support us and they were positioned on either side in the front row.

Then it was time for us to enter the studio. The coloured lights were on and our stomachs were fluttering. We got into the positions we had been in the previous day and each drew a numbered ping pong ball out of a bag. This number corresponded to the box we would stand behind. There was a chap there who was warming up the audience and making everyone clap hard or look nervous. After about 10 minutes Noel Edmonds came in, and shortly thereafter the five second countdown to going "on air" began................"

"Well, as far as MSTG fundraising events go, this has to be one of the most bizarre but enjoyable ones! Back in September, I visited my mother in Truro and, while I was tucking into my pasty and cream tea, she introduced me to the "joys" of late afternoon quizzes and game shows. Having worked full-time for the last 25 years, I must admit that "Deal Or No Deal" (DOND) was entirely alien to me and it took one or two shows to get into it. Who would have thought that less than 2 months later Marion & I, together with "Team Samson", would be embarking on a three day jolly in Bristol to appear on one of DOND’s Christmas Star Specials!

I must point out that the whole adventure only came about because our friend, Amanda Bentley, thought our story worthy of a nomination to Channel 4 back in October. Imagine our surprise in getting a call from DOND’s production team a few weeks later to say that we were in the running for the show – and all this out of 15,000 nominees. What an acknowledgment of the extraordinary efforts put in by everyone at the Samson Centre!

There was a surreal feel to the morning of the show. In fact, I remarked to Marion that it felt like a dream: thirty much-loved friends and family from all parts of the country, sitting on a coach at 8:30am on the way to shoot a primetime Christmas show.

The studio turned out to be a ramshackle ex-paint factory which couldn’t have been further from the plush TV set that people see from day to day. The make-up team worked flat out for an hour to get everyone into shape although it should be borne in mind that 45 minutes was spent disguising Glenn’s vast array of scar tissue (off camera, Noel Edmonds actually said to Glenn that "he looked like he’d kill for thrupence"!).

The studio itself was surprisingly tiny but very inviting and cosy. It was a shame, therefore, that they shipped me out the back whilst a local comedian warmed up "Team Samson" and the audience. At this point Noel introduced himself and, seeing me shaking, told me not to be nervous. "I’m not. I’m blinking freezing!" I retorted, which prompted much flapping by the studio crew in locating a heater and a winter coat. Oh, to be a celebrity!

My box-openers – how could I go wrong with a motley crew like this?

As the filming started, I was kept off screen to enable Noel to do the intro, but I was still able to view a monitor showing the video of us at home, the rugby clips and the work at the Centre. I must admit that I had a lump in my throat as I walked out of the shadows and saw everyone screaming and clapping – so much so that they made me retake my entrance three times!

Those of you who watched the show (and understand the rules!) will know by now that the opening six boxes were an unmitigated disaster, but oddly enough there were none of those awful stomach-turning sensations that often occur when important things begin to go wrong. I could sense the disappointment of the audience and my "boxers", but there was still a lot of big money in the game so all seemed well. However, boxes 7 and 9 brought more misery, prompting Noel to say that it was "one of the unluckiest games" he’d ever presided over. The banker seemed to concur by offering a miserly £80!

I did manage to achieve some semblance of respectability with eight boxes still to go with an offer from the banker of £7,500 but with £50,000 still out there and Marion now by my side sharing the decision-making, we chose to press on.

Another "blue" and all seemed fine until our Claire revealed the £50,000. This was followed by another "blue", so by my reckoning the ensuing banker’s offer of £5,000 was about £2,000 light. However, with so few of the big "reds" left on offer, I felt there was too much at risk for us as a family, and for the charity – it would have been difficult facing everyone afterwards had we won a measly £10! So, reluctantly, we "Dealt". Not a bad call, as it turned out, given that my box (number 21) contained just £250, so we had, in effect, beaten the banker.

It’s all over – and nobody’s going to take my trophy from me!

The conclusion of the show was just wonderful. Those that know me well will appreciate what Jonny Wilkinson’s message and gift means to a rugger nut like me. I was also delighted that DOND recognised Marion’s and the girls’ parts in all of this by sorting out a long weekend away and "High School Musical On Ice" tickets respectively.

The girls and me at "High School Musical on Ice"

And it didn’t end there. Dave Duff, Club Captain at Actonians RFC during my tenure as 1st XV skipper, brought his sparkling Irish grin onto the set to present me with my very own Christmas Star Award. The two of us go back a long way and have been through many personal highs and lows so, by the end of it all, there wasn’t a dry eye between us.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience for us as a family and, I hope, for the MSTG too. The general consensus after the screening at the Centre last Saturday was that "Deal or No Deal" had hit all the right notes in their editing of the show. The charity came across as an extremely focussed and caring group and who knows, there may still be doors opening as a result of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Finally, and contrary to popular opinion, I will not be available for "The Weakest Link" or "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" this year!"

"Well, how about "I’m a celebrity - get me out of here!"?

Just kidding – although I have to say that I can vouch for John’s new-found status from personal experience: John was generously sharing his winnings with me by buying me a coffee at Secrett’s Tea Room in Milford when the lady behind the counter asked him "Do I know you?" "Deal or No Deal?" said John, hopefully. "That’s it!" exclaimed the lady happily. John tells me this has been happening amazingly often in the last few days."