I was on Who Wants to be a Millionaire – a life-changing event helped me win a huge amount on the ITV show
A Who Wants to be a Millionaire? contestant shocked viewers and host Jeremy Clarkson when he admitted a life-changing accident was the reason he knew the answer to a tricky question.
A repeat episode of the popular ITV quiz show from 2018 has caught the attention of fans.
Gareth Kendall appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2018 and worked his way through some difficult questions until he was faced with the chance to bag £125,000.
He appeared pretty confident, telling presenter Jeremy he knew the answer because of a life-changing injury.
Jeremy asked: “The ruins of the Urquhart Castle stand on the banks of which loch?”
But Gareth wasn’t phased by the tricky question. The contestant has already discussed the fact he was involved in a serious car crash in 2012 that resulted in a leg amputation.
Gareth said this accident was the reason he knew the answer because, in a strange twist of fate, it happened near the castle.
His terrifying ordeal ended up helping him out years after his crash as he responded to that £125,000 question by saying: “I know this, and I know this because I lost my leg there.”
While the audience gasped in response, he reassured: “Not in the castle! In Inverness.
“If I remember rightly, on the loch, there’s a little inlet with a castle ruins there, so I’ll go Loch Ness.”
Gareth’s answer was correct, as he knew it would be, and he secured his £125,000 jackpot.
Viewers were so impressed with Gareth that they quickly took to X, formerly Twitter, to praise him.
One viewer called him a “legend,” while another gushed: “What a great contestant Gareth on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? And to get that question on Loch Ness based on his own experience has changed his life for a second time.”
“Well done, Gareth, you deserved to win on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Especially when the answer was where you had your accident,” another praised.
Gareth won a life-changing sum on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
After securing his £125,000, Gareth faced the quarter-million pound question.
One again, Jeremy asked: “The collection of Hans Sloane formed the basis of which of these London museums, founded in 1753?”
Gareth was close to making a guess, leaning toward the British Museum as his answer. However, he was not willing to risk losing so much money, so 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.
Kidding back, Jeremy responded: “I’ve only got the one car. It’s alright, because I’m going home in a helicopter, using the prize money that nobody else has won!”
Unfortunately, Gareth’s guess would have been correct, meaning he narrowly missed out on the £250,000. But he did go home with the life-changing sum of £125,000.
Who has won the jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has offered hundreds of hopeful contestants the chance to become millionaires, but there has only been a handful of lucky winners.
There have only been five real winners so far on the show as Charles Ingram, who was the third winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in 2001, had his claim to the prize thrown out because of cheating allegations.
The official winners are…
Judith Keppel
- In 2000, garden designer Judith Keppel made quiz show history as she became the first ever winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Judith is also the only woman ever to have won the million-pound prize.
David Edwards
- Former physics teacher David became the second contestant to win the top prize in April 2001. Following his success, Edwards went on to compete in both series of Are You an Egghead? in 2008 and 2009.
Robert Brydges
- Oxford-educated banker Robert became the third Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? champion when he won the quiz show several moths after David in 2001. Robert has stayed out of the limelight since his win.
Pat Gibson
- World champion Irish quiz player Pat won the show in 2004. Amazingly Pat had TWO of his lifelines still available for his final question, something no other winner has managed.
Ingram Wilcox
- Ingram came close to losing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2006 as he had used all his lifelines up at the £32,000 mark, but in a shocking twist he went on to scoop the jackpot.