UK Millionaire - September 7
Iain Weaver
Series 8, Episode 1
Eyes down, but only for a short run this time. We're here for just five
consecutive nights, and 155 minutes of screen time. Then two nights off,
and a triumphant return next Thursday night at eight. These posts cover
the questions, answers, and everything in between on the show everyone's
calling "better than 'The People Versus'." ITV2 airs this episode at
2200, and some people might have videos set, so here comes some spoiler
space...
Last time, you may recall, Carol Vorderman and Kirsty Young combined to
net £375,000 for their chosen charities. Vorderman has continued her
work on Channel 4's Countdown, now just two months away from its 18th
birthday. Young got her game show last month, and after a very poor
start, the show picked up pace, added a little tension, and turned into
rather decent viewing. I'd still like to see more audience reaction,
they just sit there and do nothing. And part of the reason for watching
is in case all three contestants get knocked out by the half-way mark,
and what would Kirsty entertain us with then? A display of synchronised
desk-perching? I think we should be told! Anyway, The People Versus has
its own website - www.thepeopleversus.com - which contains all the
questions and answers from the show. Lines to register a question for
the comeback edition close midday tomorrow, Friday.
They also close midday Friday for this series of Millionaire, so no more
plugs for 09002 44 44 44 after tonight. But that's enough spoiler space,
here's Chris. Dark grey-blue suit, brown-grey shirt, brown with black
spots tie. WWTBAM has been sold to 77 countries, according to Chris. Ten
gents, no visible minorities.
The Fastest Finger First question: From the earliest, order these events
in the life of Queen Elizabeth II
A Married B Crowned
C Edward VIII abdicated D Prince Charles born
C - 1936 A - 1947 D - 1948 B - 1953
Fastest of one, Roger Neuberg, 12.32 seconds.
Contestant 185 is wearing a light green shirt, no tie, receding grey
hair, no more than 40. He’s a gynaecologist from Leicester, wife Ruth at
home, women come up and say “you’re the man who made me pregnant.” He’s
also had recurring nightmares about WWTBAM, not knowing a single
question in that chair. Is his nightmare about to come true?
£100 - Which city is the capital of Arkansas?
A) Little Rock.
Not Blackpool Rock.
£200 - What is the name of Scrooge’s underpaid clerk in Dickens’ “A
Christmas Carol”?
A) Bob Cratchit
Agh! Subtitles are off. Not over the question, please!
£300 - What was Bing Crosby dreaming of in his famous song?
B) White Christmas
Not Tax Rebate, though it does kinda scan...
£500 - In the Bible, which is the first book of the Old Testament? B)
Genesis
Quick glug of water.
£1000 - What is normally carried in a hod?
B) Bricks
Five up, five down. The thousand cannot be lost.
£2000 - In which park would you find London Zoo?
He knows it.
D) Regent’s Park.
£4000 - Ogen and cantaloupe are types of which fruit?
D) Melon
Straight out, confident. Right.
£8000 - Dan Maskell was famous for his commentaries on which sport?
Roger asks the audience.
A) Boxing 12% B) Tennis 54%
C) Cricket 22% D) Wrestling 12%
Only 54%. It’s not the 70% that is never wrong. Roger is not convinced.
But he’s going to trust these people. Is this wise?
Dan Maskell, known as the Voice of Wimbledon. It’s tennis.
Roger is clasping the air, saying “I love this!”
£16,000 - In which European city is Tempelhof Airport?
He knows this one, too.
D) Berlin
Chris asks. Roger nods, and grins strangely. He’s been there. He’s read
the airport signs.
£32,000 - Which of these novels was not written by H G Wells?
50/50 leaves
A) The History of Mr Polly B) The Martian Chronicles
War of the Worlds and Time Machine went.
“The Martian Chronicles” - Roger remembers doing Mr Polly at school.
B) The Martian Chronicles.
“Roger... you’ve just won £32,000.”
That much is safe, and he has PAF left.
This is The Free Shot. He can’t lose anything by answering this.
£64,000 - Chlorine, bromine and iodine belong to which group of the
periodic table?
A) Inert gases B) Metals
C) Metalloids D) Halogens
Roger thinks. Inert gases or halogens. He thinks some more.
Halogens. Sure? Phone a friend.
Kim, his son. No pressure there.
Kim sounds distracted, and not over-impressed by 32K.
Though he’s eliminated B and C, Roger reads them out.
“Halogens - 99% sure.”
D) Halogens
Someone’s earned his pocket money... it’s right.
Someone made a really obvious edit, cutting a half-heard comment from
Roger.
How much further will Roger go? After the break...
[fish, grey clothes, broom, Our Sponsor’s Message, ugly windows]
A British Film Institute poll of great UK television shows this week
placed Millionaire at #23. It's the top game / quiz show, ahead of
University Challenge (Granada for ITV, now BBC, 34), Mastermind (BBC,
37), and Have I Got News For You (Hat Trick for BBC, 70). Lurking at 47,
meanwhile, is "Tiswas," the show that launched Chris Tarrant onto an
unsuspecting nation in the late 70s.
That was then, this is now. Roger Neuberg is in the middle feeling a
little calmer than he did before, and 09002 44 44 44 closes at midday
tomorrow. No lifelines remain, but the Diamond Dozen beckons.
£125,000 - Which of these space shuttles was launched first by the USA?
A) Atlantis B) Endeavour
C) Columbia D) Discovery
Roger thinks. He’d be guessing.
He’s sticking with £64,000, and no more nightmares.
The right answer, as all eager young space cadets (and Porky Pig) know,
was Columbia.
FFF: From the lowest number, order these sums by their answers
A) 10 + 2 B) 10 - 2
C) 10 x 2 D) 10 / 2
Answers.
D) 5 B) 8 A) 12 C) 20
Six right, fastest is Edd Oliver in 7.50 seconds. He’s 17, light blue
shirt, blond hair, floppy fringe, really tall, posh accent, terrified.
Think Hugh Grant in “Four Weddings...” Or Prince William. From
Worcester, mother Sarah and brother Mitch in the audience. Cats Biggles
and Top Cat in the audience. He’s taking A-levels at King’s School,
Bristol, and has played for Worcestershire Under 17s. Another old boy of
that school is Chris Tarrant, who ekes out that admitting girls is a
good move. With a million, Edd would emigrate to Barbados, and buy a
cricket pitch and yacht. He’s already the youngest contestant to make
the centre circle.
“If you keep your cool, you keep the money.”
£100 - Which musical instrument is also a word meaning “to cook the
books”? B) Fiddle
£200 - A Liverpudlian is a native of which city?
D) Liverpool
£300 - What does the abbreviation IQ stand for?
B) Intelligence quotient.
Not irritating question. Or intellectual quack. We have both of those on
this show (:
£500 - Which of these words means a group of stars?
C) Constellation.
£1000 - Who played Inspector Clouseau in the “Pink Panther” films?
A) Peter Sellers
Mother is doing quietly proud applause. The grand is safe.
£2000 - Which of these actors starred in the tv sitcoms “The Good Life”
and “To The Manor Born”?
C) Penelope Keith
I’m very surprised to find neither show on the BFI 100.
£4000 - In which country did the Boer War take place?
D) South Africa
He’s confident, though doesn’t remember it.
Chris does, being around in 1900... Right answer.
Edd wouldn’t mind going home with a thousand. Bit late for that...
£8000 - Which tv gardener wrote the novel “Mr MacGregor”?
50/50 leaves
C) Alan Titchmarsh D) Geoff Hamilton
It’s made it worse, removing Percy Thrower and Charlie Dimmock.
“I think I’m going to have to ask the audience.” Condescending? Perhaps.
C) 77% D) 23%
He’ll go with the audience.
The Audience This Series: 1.000 (2/2), 65.5% correct.
£16,000 - “Vermicelli” is the Italian name for a type of pasta. What
does it mean in English?
Little...
A) Strands B) Ribbons
C) Worms D) Threads
He has an idea for a guess, but this isn’t the time to guess.
Let’s call Simon, a friend of his dad’s.
A clear cut into the PAF hum, as heard on the soundtrack. The editing’s
not up to much tonight...
Neither’s the PAF tactic. Simon asks for the question twice, Edd gives
his opinion, Simon never gives his.
“I think I’ll go with little threads.” Why? “Celli is close to cello, I
thought strings in cello.”
The thought processes haven’t changed much, notices Chris.
He’s going with it.
D) Little threads.
Chris stares intently.
“Edd, you had £8000.”
He has his head in his hands.
“You’ve just lost £7000.”
C) Little worms is correct.
Another break looms, the honour of the school is intact. I understand
“Blockbusters” is auditioning again, but Edd’s a year too old.
[australia, yoghurt, sauce, thunderbirds (#60) on video]
FFF: From the shortest, order these four measurements
A) Chain B) Furlong
C) Fathom D) Mile
C) 2 yds A) 22 yds
B) 220 yds D) 1760 yds
Patrick Lidierth, 8.77 seconds the fastest of 6. He’s 40, black hair,
yellow shirt. Nervous. From Colchester, Gail, Sophie, Matthew at home.
He’s another cricket fan, and would love a trip to see England lose in
Sri Lanka this winter. £32,000 would be nice...
£100 - Which of these is a character in the pantomime “Cinderella”?
C) Buttons
£200 - Which footballer is popularly known as Gazza?
C) Paul Gascoigne
£300 - The RSPB is the Royal Society for the Protection of what?
B) Birds
Not bugs.
Patrick may *look* calm, but...
£500 - What was the original title of the tv soap “Emmerdale”?
A) Emmerdale Farm
£1000 - The name of which item of footwear also refers to starting up a
computer?
A) Boot
It’s safe, it is. Everyone goes phew.
£2000 - What is the name of the salad made from apples, celery and
walnuts.
B) Waldorf salad
As seen in Fawlty Towers (BPI #1)
£4000 - With which occupation is Arthur Scargill most associated?
B) Mining.
Leader of a miner’s union during a period of industrial action in the
early 80s.
£8000 - Which of these is not one of the Three Musketeers?
A) Porthos B) Aramis
C) Andros D) Athos
C) Andros
Correct, though Chris builds a little superfluous tension.
“Good here, isn’t it.”
£16,000 - In which country was the jeweller and designer Rene Lalique
born?
Let’s ask the audience.
A) Netherlands 4% B) Belgium 36%
C) Switzerland 30% D) France 30%
“Wow! That’s handy!”
Time to Phone a Friend. Doug in Colchester.
“Not 100%, but 98% sure France.”
Doug sounded confident.
Patrick will go 50-50 to leave...
B) Belgium D) France
Is the audience right, or Doug. What will Patrick do?
Take a chance, go for France.
Final answer.
D) France
Chris pulls faces. “You used all three lifelines. It was worth it.”
The Audience This Series: 0.666 (2/3), 53.7% correct.
Time expires! We return 2100 tomorrow on ITV, 2230 on ITV2.
To play, call 09002 44 44 44 by noon tomorrow. Voice Over Man reminds us
to check eligibility before calling.
For UK Millionaire:
Written by: Iain Weaver
From a format by Jeremy Soria and Chris M Dickinson
For Who Wants To Be A Millionaire:
Creators: David Briggs, Steve Knight, Chris Whitehill
Director: Patricia Mordecai
Executive Producer: Coleman Hutchinson
Producer: David Briggs
A Celador Production for ITV, 2000.
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