Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? to crown first jackpot winner in 14 years

  • Video report by ITV News Correspondent Neil Connery

The next series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? will see a contestant go all the way to become the show’s first winner in 14 years.

The currently unnamed contestant will answer 15 questions correctly from the ITV quiz show’s famous hot seat to become the sixth champion.

Host Jeremy Clarkson said he was “in awe” and believed them to be the best entrant in the programme’s 22-year history.

This series was filmed without a studio audience due to Covid-19 and Government guidelines around social distancing.

Each contestant will still have four lifelines but they will be 50:50, Ask The Host and two opportunities to Phone A Friend.

Clarkson said: “Well, I’m absolutely thrilled and delighted that we’ve found someone who seems to know just about everything.

“I can’t wait for the viewers to see it and I want to watch it back too.

“I was just in awe of this contestant and think they are probably the best the show has ever had in its 22-year history.

“It was a joy to sit and watch it unfold.”

Jeremy Clarkson says the winner 'whizzed' through the questions. Credit: PA

The Grand Tour host said the contestant “whizzed through the 15 questions and all of a sudden, confetti was falling from the ceiling and I was saying ‘You’ve just won £1 million’.

“I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to utter those immortal six words and I’m not embarrassed to say, it was a little emotional but boy did it feel good.”

In May, retired doctor Andrew Townsley, from Glasgow, nearly became the sixth £1 million winner but walked away with £500,000.

When faced with a final question on motorsport, he decided to play it safe and stick with half a million pounds.

Ingram Wilcox was the most recent winner of the top prize, going all the way in 2006.

In all, five contestants have previously won the £1 million prize on the UK version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.

The first was Judith Keppel in November 2000.

For her final question, then-host Chris Tarrant asked: “Which king was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine?”

Ms Keppel correctly answered Henry II.

Perhaps the most famous contestant in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire history, Major Charles Ingram, was back in the news recently thanks to ITV drama Quiz.

Ingram “won” the grand prize but it was never paid out after he was accused of cheating in an infamous coughing scam.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? returns to ITV in September.