Abbeyfield teacher Peter Wharmby will be putting himself in the hot seat later this month for long-running TV series Mastermind.

The 29-year-old English teacher at the school in Chippenham has chosen the Titanic as his specialist subject.

Mr Wharmby is heading for Manchester to film the BBC episode on Wednesday.

He also has specialist subjects of Lewis Carroll and REM lined up if he gets through the first round.

It is not yet known when the episode will be screened, but it is likely to hit TV screens in October.

Already pupils from the school, especially in his tutor group 8PRW, are excited about watching him on screen.

Mr Wharmby says his interest in the doomed ship was sparked by the eerie photos of the wreck, discovered in 1985, that he found in a library book as a child.

He said: “I’m very nervous, but think it is important that pupils see teachers who are willing to put themselves to the test.

“After all, we put them to the test all the time. I’m looking forward to meeting John Humphrys but might have something to say to him about his attitude to teenagers’ language.”

Humphrys famously disapproves of ‘text speak’, and believes that although teenagers will eventually grow out of it, they may still speak in jargon – which he claims is “dangerous”.

Colleagues in the English department are spending lunchtimes quizzing Mr Wharmby to get him up to speed on the Titanic and on general knowledge.

Colleague Helen Lawrence said: “Peter’s intelligence is legendary and we are all wishing him well.”