Who Wants to be a Millionaire? to return in 2019 with Jeremy Clarkson
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? will return to ITV next year, with Jeremy Clarkson back as host.
The former Top Gear presenter quizzed contestants this May in a limited one-week series to mark the game show's 20th anniversary.
It proved a hit with audiences and critics alike, drawing more than 6 million viewers, with Telegraph reviewer Michael Hogan praising Clarkson from bringing "an edge and frisson of risk [that] the quiz show genre has been sorely lacking of late."
Clarkson will return for a 10-episode series early next year, broadcast on consecutive days. The presenter joked that the new series would be a welcome chance to avoid his Grand Tour co-hosts. “I absolutely loved hosting the anniversary shows and cannot wait to spend a few precious hours away from James May and Richard Hammond, making the new ones,” he said.
The original Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, presented by Chris Tarrant from 1998-2013, was one of the most-watched shows on British television, drawing more than 19 million viewers at its peak.
The revived version has the same rules, but adds an additional "lifeline" to help contestants answer its multiple choice trivia questions. As well as asking the audience, phoning a friend or asking for a "50/50" (removing two incorrect answers), players can now also ask Clarkson – though his own general knowledge may be unreliable.
Matthew Worthy, of the show's production company Stellify Media said: “Ask The Host is back! And a quick tip for future contestants: don’t use it on questions about fine art, haute cuisine or the scouting association.”
