A FATHER has used his appearance on a prime-time gameshow to announce his candidacy in next year’s local elections.

John Hart found out he had been selected by the Labour party to stand for the Tow Law ward in the Durham County Council elections two days before he and partner Suzanne, 29, were due to appear on BBC 1’s Pointless.

The show, which is due to be aired tonight (NOV 26) at 5.15pm, was recorded in June and Mr Hart, 30, who lives in Stanley Crook with his teacher wife and their 13-month-old son Noah, said it was the first time he publicly announced his candidacy.

Mr Hart said: “I was very excited about being selected and when the host Alexander Armstrong asked me what I did in my spare time it just sprang into mind.

“If elected one of my main aims would be to raise the profile of Tow Law and the neighbouring hilltop villages and I can’t think of a better start then giving them a name check on a prime-time TV Show.”

Mr Hart, who previously helped to start a cinema club in his village, said a graffitied street sign made him want to stand for election.

He said: “I want to stand up for this area and be a strong voice for my community.

“A few months ago I saw a street sign in Stanley Crook that had graffiti on it but nothing was done about it for a long time.

“It made me realise that this area needs to be better represented and that’s what I want to do.”

In the gameshow Mr Hart and wife had to provide correct answers to questions that few other people had thought of, one of which was the area’s former MP Hilary Armstrong.