Iron Maiden feature as a specialist subject on Mastermind – can you beat the score?
There are some tricky questions
Last updated 21st Aug 2026
Iron Maiden were the specialist subject for contestant Fernanda Partridge on the BBC’s long running game show Mastermind earlier this week.
Keen Maiden aficionado Partridge, who works as an investment advisor, was given two minutes to answer quick-fire questions about Iron Maiden from host Clive Myrie on Monday night’s (17th August) show.
Despite the immense pressure of sitting in the famous black leather chair, Partridge did pretty well scoring 9 correct answers. She got 2 tricky questions wrong and also made one pass.
The whole episode is available to watch on BBC iPlayer right here (UK viewers only), and you can test your Iron Maiden knowledge by answering the questions below. No cheating!
The answers are also below the photo at the very bottom of the page.
The 12 Iron Maiden questions on Mastermind:
1 - Which singer performed on lead vocals on Iron Maiden’s 1979 debut EP ‘The Soundhouse Tapes’ and remained the band’s lead singer until he was replaced by Bruce Dickinson in 1981?
2 - What’s the name of the politician who was depicted along with the band’s mascot Eddie on the cover art of Iron Maiden’s early singles ‘Sanctuary’ and ‘Women in Uniform’?
3 - During their 1988 tour, Iron Maiden played a number of secret warm-up gigs, including one at Queen Mary College in London, under what false name?
4 - The band had a UK hit single in 1983 with ‘The Trooper’, a song partially inspired by what 19th Century poem?
5 - Iron Maiden toured the UK with Judas Priest in 1980 before touring mainland Europe later that year as a support act for which American rock group?
6 - What song, a B-side on the 12-inch version of the 1986 single ‘Wasted Years’, is an affectionate sendup of the band’s manager Rod Smallwood with lyrics such as ‘a custom-made wallet that stays in his pocket’?
7 - In 1982, the band were interviewed on what children’s television programme where viewers were given the opportunity to win a leather jacket worn by Eddie?
8 - The band’s 2012 live album ‘En Vivo!’ is a recording of a concert in which country the previous year?
9 - Bassist Steve Harris says he was inspired to write the song ‘The Clairvoyant’ when he read a newspaper article about the death of which famous spiritualist and professional medium?
10 - The 1995 single ‘Man on the Edge’ features the lyrics ‘Across the city, he leaves in his wake, a glimpse of the future a…’ what?
11 - The cover art of which Iron Maiden album depicts Eddie fused with a tree, the first of the band’s studio album covers not to be designed by Derek Riggs?
12 - The writing of which song on Iron Maiden’s 2003 album ‘Dance of Death’ is unusually co-credited to the band’s drummer Nicko McBrain and has lyrics that reflect his concerns about human cloning?
Here are the correct answers:
1 - Paul Di’Anno
2 - Margaret Thatcher
3 - Charlotte and the Harlots (Partridge passed on this question)
4 - The Charge of the Light Brigade
5 - KISS
6 - The Sheriff of Huddersfield
7 - Tiswas
8 - Chile
9 - Doris Stokes (Partridge incorrectly answered 'Aleister Crowley')
10 - Cannibal State (Partridge incorrectly answered 'Chemical State')
11 - Fear of the Dark
12 - New Frontier