"2016 needed Hacker in the Mastermind chair!" CBBC dog wins over viewers - and nearly wins Celebrity Mastermind

The BBC quiz show reached new highs (or maybe lows, depending on your outlook) when the puppet dog came nose to nose with John Humphrys in the famous black chair.

CBBC star Hacker scored nine points on his specialist subject of The Pet Shop Boys and managed to take a further nine in the general knowledge. Yep, this really happened.

Humphrys looked mildly unamused as he introduced Hacker, and his first question to him was “What’s it like being a dog?” while Hacker in turn asked if he could come on the Today programme. Humphrys chose not to answer that one.

After answering questions on motorways, tennis, Madness and Marie Antoinette, Hacker finished just one point behind chef Paul Rankin with a final score of 18 to Rankin’s winning 19. And Omid Djallili finished last with 11.

Yep, a full seven points less than a puppet dog.

Everyone on Twitter couldn't get enough of Hacker:

https://twitter.com/gracedent/status/810928800791986177

That has got to be the best & most entertaining episode of Mastermind I have ever seen. Genius! @CBBC_Hacker @BBCOne #celebritymastermind ?

— Gr8 Giddy Aunt (@AnnaCrowhurst) December 19, 2016

https://twitter.com/TedRobbins55/status/810929182880493568
https://twitter.com/CameronYardeJnr/status/810928317352333312

Here's hoping 2017 is the year we finally get to see a puppet dog on Strictly...