Jeremy Clarkson has suffered his first disaster with the ‘Ask The Host’ lifeline on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? – costing one unlucky contestant £7,000.
The ITV gameshow has introduced Ask The Host as a new twist for its revival, sitting alongside classic lifelines ’50:50′, ‘Phone-A-Friend’ and ‘Ask The Audience’.
It enables participants to ask Jeremy if he knows, or can help with an answer they’re struggling on.
Viewers have already teased The Grand Tour star after he revealed he didn’t know what shape a stop sign is, despite his passion for motoring.
However, things took a more serious turn last night when he talked one person out of a correct answer.
The latest edition saw Sarah Wilkinson successfully make it past the £8,000 mark, with two lifelines remaining.
She was unsure about her £16,000 question: “In René Magritte’s portrait ‘The Son of Man’, the subject wears what type of hat?”
The four possible answers were ‘Bobble’, ‘Beret’, ‘Bowler’ and ‘Boater’.
Sarah decided to use Ask The Host – but it proved futile, as Jeremy immediately said: “The only thing I know less about than golf is art.”
Sharing his thought process, he continued: “There’s the famous Bowler hat painting with the apple, and I don’t think that’s The Son of Man. I can’t think of another Bowler hat in art.
“If it’s Magritte, I can’t imagine it’s Boater – this is just me vomiting thoughts out – and I don’t think a Bobble hat was invented then.
“But then, you have to think, we’re at the £16,000 question. It seems a bit obvious it’s Beret, somehow.”
Jeremy failed to give Sarah a definitive opinion, but did remind her she could walk away with £8,000.
Nonetheless, Sarah took the gamble, guessing Beret – only to find out the correct answer is Bowler.
A sheepish Jeremy immediately realised the “painting with the apple” he referred to is indeed The Son of Man.
“That’s sort of my fault, isn’t it?” he mused. “The answer’s bowler, which is the one I said, the one with the apple.
“I have just cost you seven grand. There’s a horrible, horrible, cold atmosphere. I am so sorry Sarah, I really am.”
As Sarah hadn’t set her second safety net, she fell back to the first, leaving with a £1,000 prize. Therefore, Jeremy’s blunder cost her a sizeable £7,000.
Nonetheless, she seemed upbeat, claiming: “It doesn’t matter, my phone-a-friends wouldn’t have known that either.”
Jeremy does not know the questions in advance, and does not wear an earpiece.
Normally, producers would give him the solution as soon as the contestant submits their ‘Final Answer’.
However, when Ask The Host is in play, Jeremy and the player find out the correct answer at the same time.
Earlier in the episode, contestant Tom Holmes fared better, winning £32,000 – the largest amount given away so far this series.
Millionaire’s 20th anniversary special continues every night until Friday at 9.00pm on ITV.
