Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Creator Reveals What He'd Say To The Ingrams Now

David Briggs stood firm on his belief the pair are guilty of cheating on the show, calling the evidence "compelling".

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? creator David Briggs still wants to hear Charles Ingram admit he cheated on the quiz show.

The TV producer has spoken out against the former army major and his wife Diana following the ITV drama, Quiz

The real-life story saw Charles accused of cheating his way to the jackpot on Millionaire with a supposed scheme involving a series of coughs from Diana and an accomplice.

And while the Ingrams have always maintained their innocence after being found guilty of deception at a 2003 trial, David – who was played by Elliot Levey in Quiz – still believes they cheated, calling the evidence “compelling”. 

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Diana and Charles Ingram pictured during their trial in 2003
PA

Speaking to The Sun, he said: “What I’d say to anyone uncertain of their guilt now is simple - go back and watch the programme.

“I was there in the studio on the night it happened, and the evidence is compelling. I’m very protective of ‘Millionaire’. This is the show that I created. It was my little baby.

“But it was a show that was important to the viewing public of Britain. The Ingrams did their evil deed then I think the public got behind us and thought, ‘These disgusting little guys tried to cheat.’

“If I ever met them in the street, I’d ask them, ’If my lips would be sealed for the rest of my life, tell me, ‘Did you do it?’ I’d just like to hear him admit it.”

It was revealed earlier this week that the Ingrams are still planning to appeal the case, with their defence lawyer Rhona Friedman explaining there has been “changes and advances in science that weren’t available at the trial” that have the “ability to properly discern the many coughs” that were seen as suspicious at the time. 

However, Millionaire host Chris Tarrant is also still convinced the couple are guilty as charged. 

He told Radio X earlier this week: “I mean the bottom line is he’s a rotter and a cad and a bandit and he was guilty. No question in my mind at all that he was guilty!”

Quiz is available to stream on the ITV Hub now.