Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? cheats Charles and Diana Ingram have been thrust into the spotlight since ITV drama Quiz debuted on Monday.
And while their infamous cheating scandal is hitting headlines, Twitter users have been left in shock as their thirst for fame in their Noughties’ heyday has resurfaced on Twitter – including turns on Wife Swap and The Weakest Link.
In 2003, just two years after their cheating scandal, the couple appeared on Wife Swap opposite the late Jade Goody and her then-partner Jeff Brazier, while they went on to star on The Weakest Link in 2006.
Way back when: Quiz fans have marvelled at Millionaire cheats Charles and Diana Ingram’s fame-hungry past (Charles pictured on Celebrity Wife Swap with the late Jade Goody)
Quiz – starring Matthew Macfadyen and Sian Clifford as the couple – finally aired it’s long-awaited first episode on Monday night, and sent fans into a tailspin with its depiction of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? coughing scandal.
The first episode set the stage for how Charles and his wife Diana Ingram formed their sinister plot to try and cheat the show out of £1m, while Tuesday night’s show depicted the actual filming of the infamous episode and deception.
After a four-week crown court trial in 2003, Charles and Diana were convicted of deception, and Ingram was given a 20-month suspended prison sentence. Diana was given an 18-month suspended sentence for their part in the scam.
Far from disappearing from the spotlight after the shocking deception, the Ingrams seemed to thoroughly enjoy their notoriety.
Shocker: And while their infamous cheating scandal is hitting headlines, Twitter users have been left in shock as their thirst for fame in their Noughties’ heyday has resurfaced on Twitter – including turns on Wife Swap and The Weakest Link (pictured in 2006)
Sweet: The first stop on their fame train was Wife Swap with then-21-year-old Jade, who was pregnant with her and Jeff’s eldest son Bobby, now 16, at the time
The first stop on their fame train was Wife Swap with then-21-year-old Jade, who was pregnant with her and Jeff’s eldest son Bobby, now 16, at the time.
Before being separated, a peek into their home sees Diana ironing, as he said: ‘That is the shirt I wore on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? This is how it should be. The wife doing the ironing while the man has a beer.’
When Jade heard one of the prospective swaps was the Ingrams, she insisted: ‘I cannot stand liars, so that would irritate me’, before arriving in Wiltshire and instantly confronting the former army major for his conviction – which he denies.
Busted: The ‘Coughing Major’ scandal was nationwide headlines in 2001 when Ingram (picture right in real life) was exposed for cheating his way to the top prize
Shocker: Throughout their trial and in its build-up Charles and Diana repeatedly insisted they hadn’t cheated, even when they were convicted of deception
Jeff, in Essex with Diana meanwhile, tells her she is the same age as his mum, at 39, and overhauls her wardrobe for a night of clubbing – which leaves her infuriated.
The duo also go to Jeff’s local pub, where they play a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? quiz game and fellow patrons begin coughing at Diana, while Jade took out the board game version of the show to taunt Charles.
After the show, Jade branded Diana a snob while she insisted the noise in their home was ‘intolerable’. Jade insisted the Ingram house is run like the military.
In 2006, they went on to star of The Weakest Link Celebrity Couples, alongside stars including John McCririck, his wife Jenny McCririck, Strictly’s Anton Du Beke, Will Mellor and Ralf Little.
Fans soon flooded Twitter when the clips surfaced on Twitter, with Quiz viewers penning: ‘Omg guys charles Ingram was on celebrity wife swap and the weakest link!… I’m going to spend the next few weeks of isolation obsessing over them!
Shocker: Fans were stunned by the resurfaced clips on the show
‘Who knew there was so much Ingram content out there other than #Quiz… Believe it or not, after the whole scandal, they both appeared together on an episode of Celebrity Weakest Link, with Mr Ingram identifying as an “author” (as he had just published a book) rather than the guy who stole £1 million in front of the nation…
‘We’re watching the Jade Goody and Charles Ingram Wife Swap episode on YouTube and he’s wearing the iconic polo shirt in one scene!! #TheQuiz…
‘anyone who is enjoying #Quiz PLEASE watch diana and charles ingram on celebrity wife swap with jade goody and jeff brazier (one of the best episodes of all time – truly iconic) someone has blessed us all and put the entire episode on youtube… enjoy x’.
While Charles could have been left red-faced or angry over the documentary, his tweets indicated he was more flattered by the depiction, after branding ITV bosses ‘gutsy’ and stating ‘well done’ to the network.
Giving the game away? In the first episode of the series Diana Ingram (played by Sian Clifford left) puts forward husband Charles to appear on the show (pictured right in real life)
On Matthew’s critically-acclaimed performance, Charles was seen to put himself down as he insisted the actor was ‘too good-looking’ to play him.
He added: ‘Totally. Matthew is so damn good-looking I can’t sleep. Trying to kid myself I looked like that 19 years ago but failing miserably. Diana called me ‘Matthew’ as I was brushing my teeth. #Quiz @ITV’.
He also commented on the finer details of the show – even pointing out how similar the bed used on the set is to the Ingram’s bed at the time.
Convincing: Michael Sheen has won praise for his incredible portrayal of host Chris Tarrant