The revived Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? has FINALLY found a big-money winner in Gareth Kendall – although he could have doubled his prize to £250,000.
ITV’s iconic gameshow has been airing every night this week to mark its 20th anniversary, but bosses aren’t giving away much dosh.
Viewers have torn their hair out in frustration after SIX consecutive contestants crashed out and left with just £1,000.
The unlucky spell finally ended in tonight’s episode, when one player took home a six-figure sum.
Gareth Kendall set and reached his ‘second safety net’ at £32,000, therefore guaranteeing he’d leave with at least that amount.
Host Jeremy Clarkson then asked the £64,000 question: ‘Which of these is a common name for the enclosed compartment suspended from an airship?’
Realising his dad Alan would know, he elected to use his last remaining lifeline, ‘Phone-a-Friend’.
With Alan’s guidance, he submitted the correct answer, ‘Gondola’.
In a weird coincidence, a horrific event from Gareth’s past came back to help with the £125,000 question.
He was asked: ‘The ruins of Urquhart Castle stand on the banks of which loch?’
The café owner had a leg amputated after becoming involved in a car crash – which happened to occur near said castle.
“I know this, because I lost my leg there, in Inverness,” he explained, to gasps from the audience.
“If I remember rightly, on the loch, there’s a little inlet with castle ruins there.”
He gave ‘Loch Ness’ as his final answer – and it was indeed correct.
Luck was again on Gareth’s side for the quarter-million pound question: ‘The collection of Hans Sloane formed the basis of which of these London museums, founded in 1753?’
He leant towards the British Museum, but, unwilling to risk losing so much money, he chose to leave with £125,000.
“I think I’m gonna have to take the money Jeremy, and one of your cars if that’s okay,” he joked.
“I’ve only got the one car,” Jeremy replied. “It’s alright, because I’m going home in a helicopter, using the prize money that nobody else has won!”
However, it soon emerged that Gareth had just missed out on the larger prize.
When Jeremy asked which option he’d have gone for if play had continued, he confirmed ‘British Museum’.
It turned out to be the right answer – meaning he would have won the £250,000.
Nonetheless, Gareth’s decision instantly made him the biggest winner of the series so far, beating the previous record of £32,000.
The last episode in the current series of Millionaire airs tomorrow night at 9.00pm on ITV.
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