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There were agonising scenes during Tuesday’s edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? as a contestant missed out on the show’s top prize despite knowing the right answer to the £1 million question.
Retired doctor Andrew Townsley got through to the final question on the ITV quiz show after correctly answering the proceeding 14.
As he became the only the sixth-ever contestant to reach the milestone in the show’s 22-year history, he was presented with a question about motorsport.
He was asked, “Which of these iconic races was held first?” before being given the options of A. Le Mans 24 Hours, B. Monaco Grand Prix, C. Indy 500 or D. Isle Of Man TT.
Andrew, from Glasgow, admitted he was unsure of the answer and used his final lifeline, phone a friend, but his chosen pal did not know either.
Not willing to risk his £500,000 prize, Andrew said: “I don’t know the answer and it’s just too much money to lose.
“Having got so far and to go on a whim I think would be foolish and Niagara Falls is looking very nice at this time.”
Agonisingly, after bowing out of the competition, Andrew then said he would have guessed Isle Of Man TT, which turned out to be the correct answer.
Host Jeremy Clarkson hailed him as being a “truly fabulous contender”.
In all, five contestants have won the £1m prize on the UK version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
The first was Judith Keppel in November 2000, while the most recent was Ingram Wilcox in 2006.
Major Charles Ingram famously scooped the top prize in 2001, but was never given his prize money – nor his winning episode shown – after he and his wife Diana were accused of using an elaborate coughing scheme to cheat on the show.
They were later found guilty in court and their story was the subject of recent ITV drama Quiz.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? continues on Wednesday at 9pm on ITV.