"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (1998)TV series 1998-????

Creator:

Steven Knight

Seasons:

unknown

Release Date:

4 September 1998 (UK)

Genre:

Game-Show

Plot:

The original British version of the quiz show that's become a worldwide hit. Host Chris Tarrant asks hopeful contestants a series of questions...

Plot Keywords:

Cash Prize | General Knowledge | Money | Quiz Show | Quiz

Awards:

16 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Chris Tarrant

...

Himself - Host (14 episodes, 2003-2008)

Also Known As:

Cash Mountain (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (including commercials)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

2Waytraffic

Trivia:

Was the object of a fraud attempt by Charles Ingram, his wife Diana Ingram, and former college lecturer Tecwen Whittock. After the trial the episode was shown as Who Wants to Steal a Million? (2003) (TV), and a documentary Millionaire: A Major Fraud (2003) (TV) was made.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters (2003) (V)

This Show Needs No Introduction

I'm not going to talk about what the rules are for this show. Everyone knows it's about answering fifteen questions correctly to win £1,000,000.

This has been going in the UK since 1998 and it has spread all over the world. It is presented by the charismatic Chris Tarrant who has a great rapport with the contestants and provides plenty of entertainment. There have been some wonderful contestants over time. Some of them have been reckless gamblers, some of them have been cautious and some of them have just been damn strange.

I like the show because it's not easy. People really have to work for their money. The first few questions are easy but after, that, they are really hard.

There's several puzzling things about the show though. Why are the audience so stupid when a contestant 'Asks The Audience?' Why does 50/50 always leave the least obvious answers? And, why when Chris Tarrant phones the contestants friend, is the phone never engaged?

It is now 2003 and the show has been running for nearly five years. And it's set to get bigger thanks to the notorious 'Millionaire Fraud Trial' where British Army Major Charles Ingram, his wife and another contestant were found by a jury to be guilty of cheating to get to the million. Whether they did cheat or not will be debated for years to come? What we can be certain of is that the publicity arising from the trial will ensure Millionaire's continued success for years.