Crawley woman who is oldest contestant ever on BBC's Blankety Blank to celebrate 100th birthday

Joan Izzard appeared on the popular game show hosted by Bradley Walsh in November 2023 at the age of 99 - and she hits the century next Thursday (February 7).

The Pound Hill resident was a huge hit on the show and went viral on social media with one comment even suggesting ‘Joan for the jungle, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!’.

Joan told us: “Bradley was great with a lovely personality and sense of humour. He made me feel very welcome and put me at ease. He kissed my hand at the end of the programme and asked me to invite him to my birthday on February 7.”

But Joan wasn’t sure she wanted to appear on the show: “I was a bit apprehensive at first but once I got to the studio, I was fine,” she said. “They gave me my own dressing room with my name on the door plus a large STAR. They put me into hair and makeup before the show. It was a very lovely and memorable day. I am the oldest person ever to have appeared on the show.”

Not being social media. She had to rely on her grandchildren to show her how popular she was on social media. When we asked her if she was on social media, she said: “Of course not, I haven’t even got a smart phone. My grandchildren showed me all the comments on their phones.”

Joan moved to Crawley from London in 1951 and has lived here since. She has two daughters - Jackie and Marilyn - five grandchildren - Lee, Scott, Jade, Kyle and Makennja - and seven great grandchildren - Josh, Louie, Finley, Kye, Sol, Mya and Leo. Her husband Bob passed away 27 years ago.

And she has seen a lot of change in the town. “When I first arrived in the fifties there were not many people around,” she said. “Now there seems to be thousands of people everywhere and It is generally much busier with many different nationalities. The shops have changed dramatically too. All the old big shops like Woolworth and British Home stores have disappeared. Sachem really!.”

But what is Joan’s secret to a long life? “Lucky to have good genes,” she said. “A happy disposition. Exercise, I danced into my nineties, and a loving and caring family who include me in most things they do, like weekly family dinners.”

Joan’s family have a couple of surprises in store for her birthday.