Who Wants To Be A Millionaire contestant Andrew Townsley has admitted ‘doubts in his mind’ forced him to back out of the show’s coveted final question.
After his appearance on Tuesday’s show gripped viewers, the retired doctor, 53, said on This Morning he couldn’t afford to take a ‘£400,000 bet,’ and instead opted to leave with a staggering £500,000.
Andrew also told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby he is yet to decide what he’ll spend the money, as he is currently holed up at home with multiple sclerosis (MS) during the coronavirus pandemic.
Stepping away: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire contestant Andrew Townsley has admitted ‘doubts in his mind’ forced him to back out of the show’s coveted final question
After an incredible run to £500,000, only a question about motor sport stood between Andrew and £1 million.
But the former medical professional admitted he wasn’t sure of the right answer, even after using a Phone-A-Friend, and chose to take his winnings.
Andrew also justified the decision not to tell his Phone-A-Friend that the question was worth £1 million, admitting it would have put even more pressure on the,
Dramatic: The retired doctor from Glasgow said he opted to take his £500,000 winnings rather than gamble the money, despite later revealing he would have guessed the right answer
Speaking live from his home in Glasgow, he told Phil and Holly: ‘I think if I’d been on the end of the telephone, knowing it was a million pound question would have made me more anxious.’
Talking about his decision not to play the final question he added: ‘In hindsight it’s a lovely thing but in my own mind there was a choice between two, and fate as it usually happens to me is you choose one and the other is the answer, I just felt the security this win gives me I couldn’t take a £400,000 bet.’
‘Sitting in the hot seat you question questions that you’re very certain of the answer so on such a big question the doubts were certainly in my mind.’
Exciting: Andrew also told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby he is yet to decide what he’ll spend the money
Andrew – who said on the show he’d spend his winnings on a trip to Niagara Falls – added he is yet to completely decide how to spend the money.
He added: ‘I think once the world recovers I can have a think about it but with the MS I’ll be stuck in the house until this time next year earliest.’
‘I have progressive MS and it’s small deteriorations over time, I’ve gone to being a rugby player to having to stay in a chair so I have noticed.’
Hard: He added he is currently holed up at home during the coronavirus lockdown, as he has multiple sclerosis (MS)
On Tuesday night viewers saw Andrew reach the coveted final question on Millionaire, before deciding to walk away with £500,000.
He could have been the sixth contestant in the show’s UK history to scoop the top prize, and the first to be awarded the £1 million cheque since 2006.
But instead Andrew opted to walk away after his Phone-A-Friend failed to offer the correct answer, despite later admitting he would have guessed the right answer.
Tense: On Tuesday night viewers saw Andrew reach the coveted final question on Millionaire, before deciding to walk away with £500,000 (picture with host Jeremy Clarkson)
The crucial final question asked: ‘Which of these iconic races was held first?’
The options were A. Le Mans 24 Hours B. Monaco Grand Prix C. Indy 500 or D. Isle Of Man TT.
Andrew used his final lifeline, phone a friend, but his chosen helper did not know the answer either.
Explaining his decision to pocket the money, he said: ‘I don’t know the answer and it’s just too much money to lose.
Sweet: After exiting the stage, Andrew was hugged by his wife, Paddy and son, Angus after winning £500,000
‘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, Andrew said he would have said Isle Of Man TT, which was the correct answer.
Host Jeremy Clarkson congratulated him on being a ‘truly fabulous contender’.
The £500,000 question asked who Beethoven’s 1804 Eroica Symphony was originally dedicated to.
Andrew, who appeared on the show in a wheelchair and has progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), asked the audience before correctly answering Napoleon Bonaparte.
He also answered the £250,000 question, correctly identifying The Twelve Apostles peaks as being connected to Table Mountain.
On how tempted he was to answer the million-pounds question, he told The Sun: ‘I was actually 50/50. If I still had the 50/50 lifeline I would have.
‘I thought it probably was the TT. But was I prepared to risk it?’
He added: ‘The show went very quick. That was my abiding memory of it. I found myself suddenly running out of questions in no time at all.’
Social media users reacted to the nail-biting episode, with one posting: ‘Nooooo the guy on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire could’ve won the whole thing if he had guessed.’
You can breathe! Andrew breathed a sigh of relief after deciding not to risk his winnings
Another tweeted: ‘A guy almost won on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, that was so tense.’
A third added: ‘Incredible episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Andrew did incredible winning £500,000. Fantastic contestant.’
A fourth wrote: ‘What a show tonight!’
Sensational: Speaking after the show, he said: ‘The show went very quick. That was my abiding memory of it. I found myself suddenly running out of questions in no time at all’
Ingram Wilcox was the most recent winner of the million pounds, going all the way in 2006.
In all, five contestants have won the one million prize on the UK version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. The first was Judith Keppel in November 2000.
For her final question, then host Chris Tarrant asked: ‘Which king was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine?’ Judith corrected answered Henry II.
Perhaps the most famous contestant in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire history, Major Charles Ingram, has been back in the news thanks to ITV drama Quiz.
Ingram ‘won’ the grand prize but it was never paid out after he was accused of cheating in an infamous coughing scam.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire continues tonight at 9pm on ITV.
WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE – THE BIG WINNERS
Amazing: Judith Keppel is to date UK Millionaire’s only female winner
Judith Keppel – November 2000
Judith is to date UK Millionaire’s only female winner, and made history when she was the first contestant to scoop the top prize.
She went onto return to the show in 2003 for a winners special and with the help of David Seaman won £32,000 for charity.
Iconic: Physics teacher David Edwards stunned viewers in April 2001
David Edwards – April 2001
Former physics teacher David Edwards stunned viewers when he reached the coveted final question.
He also appeared on a winners special with Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, winning £32,000 for charity.
Shocking: Robert Brydges appeared on Millionaire in September 2001
Robert Brydges – September 2001
Robert – a former banker – appeared on Millionaire just 11 days after Charles Ingram’s infamous stint, and had even been sat in Winners Row while the show was being filmed.
He reached the final question with relative ease, and with the help of a 50:50 received the famous seven-figure cheque.
Pat Gibson – April 2004
Winner: Pat Gibson scooped the top prize in April 2004
Pat proved to be one of Millionaire’s best-equipped contestants by the time he reached the £1 million question, as he still had two lifelines to use.
With the help of a 50:50 and Phone-A-Friend, he was crowned winner, and is now a regular in the world of professional quizzing and on BBC’s Eggheads
Huge: Ingram was the last contestant to win the top prize on Millionaire in 2006
Ingram Wilcox – September 2006
Ingram was the most recent contestant to win Millionaire, and shared his winnings among his five children.
The retired civil servant from Bath moved into a new home in France a year after appearing on the show.