"IS THE vicar thicker?" asked notorious quiz show host Anne Robinson, but Blandford's Tim Storey proved he's no weak link when he stole the show last night.

The rector of the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul endured a grilling from the icy host of The Weakest Link and beat eight other contenders to become the strongest link.

And, despite her teasing him for failing to get a university degree, he seemed to develop a soft spot for Anne Robinson who he later described as "a pussycat".

He told the Daily Echo: "She's not as nasty as all that, I think I got off quite lightly.

"She had a go at me but I managed to get a comment back and she backed off."

Mr Storey returned to Dorset with a cheque for just over £1,000.

But he was modest about his success.

"It was a fantastic day out and to win was even better," he said.

"It may have not been an enormous total but if it had been a better team, I probably wouldn't have won.

"We only won £20 in the first round.

"There was no tactical voting that I was aware of and no nastiness."

It was the vicar's children who urged him to enter the quiz. He said: "My kids said I knew a lot of the answers and they felt I should have a go so I stuck in an application form and never thought I'd hear any more."

But after a successful audition he was called to Pinewood Studios in London in May to film the show.

And after his success was broadcast to millions on last night's show he added: "I will expect a certain level of abuse in church on Sunday but not half as much as I would expect if I hadn't won it."

First published: November 5