Cough up Â£1 million

11 April 2012

Dressed casually in a rugby shirt, Major Charles Ingram easily passed the early rounds of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Ingram, who is on trial accused of cheating in the quiz, stumbled on the £2,000 question: 'In Coronation Street, who is Audrey's daughter?'

Having used a lifeline to ask the audience, he went with their answer: Gail. Next he struggled on the question: 'The River Foyle is found in which part of the UK?' He phoned a friend who told him Northern Ireland.

At the start of the next day's recording he told Chris Tarrant he would be more assertive: 'This time I'm going on a counter-attack. I'm going to be a bit more positive. I'm going to show a bit more self-commitment.'

£8,000 Question: Who was the second husband of Jacqueline Kennedy - Adnan Khashoggi, Ronald Reagan, Aristotle Onassis or Rupert Murdoch?

Twice, when he said the name Aristotle Onassis, a cough was heard from one of the contestants waiting for their turn at the 'fastest finger' round. Ingram correctly selected Onassis.

£16,000 Question: Emmental is a cheese from which country - France, Italy, Netherlands or Switzerland?

No coughing could be heard. Ingram said: 'Counter-attack! I would like to say Switzerland but I am not sure. When you're up here, your doubts multiply tenfold.' It was the right answer.

£32,000 Question: Who made the album Born To Do It in 2000 - Coldplay, Toploader, A1 or Craig David?

Ingram used his '50-50' lifeline, leaving him Craig David or A1. He said he thought it was A1, drawing gasps from the audience. He changed his mind to Craig David - the correct answer. Again, there was no coughing.

£64,000 Question: Gentlemen versus players was an annual match between amateurs and professionals of which sport - lawn tennis, rugby union, polo or cricket?

Ingram: 'I think it is cricket.' Two coughs.

Told he had won, he jumped up and shouted 'yes' before returning to his seat, saying 'no more risks'.

£125,000 Question: The Ambassadors in the National Gallery is a painting by which artist - Van Eyck, Holbein, Michaelangelo or Rembrandt?

Ingram: 'I think I'm going to go for Holbein.'

Cough. Tarrant: 'Final answer?' Ingram: 'Yes.'

£250,000 Question: What kind of garment is an Anthony Eden - an overcoat, hat, shoe or tie?

Ingram: 'I think it is a hat.' Cough.

Ingram: 'Again I'm not sure. I think it is...'

Coughing. Ingram: 'I am sure it is a hat. Am I sure?'

Cough. Ingram: 'Yes, hat, it's a hat.'

Ingram: 'I think it is Berlin.' A cough was then heard, which the prosecution claims sounded like someone saying the word 'no'.

Ingram: 'I do not think it's Paris.' Cough.

Ingram: 'I do not think it's Athens, I am sure it is not Rome. I would have thought it's Berlin but there's a chance it is Paris but I am not sure. Think, think, think! I know I have read this, I think it is Berlin, it could be Paris. I think it is Paris.'

Cough. 'It is either Berlin or Paris. I think it is Paris.'

Cough. Ingram: 'I am going to play Paris.' Tarrant: 'You were convinced it was Berlin.'

Ingram: 'I know. I think it's Paris.'

Tarrant: 'He thought it was Berlin, Berlin, Berlin. You changed your answer to Paris. That brought you £500,000. What a man! What a man! Quite an amazing man!'

£1Million Question: A number one followed by 100 zeros is known by what name - a googol, a megatron, a gigabit or a nanomol?

Ingram: 'I am not sure.'

Tarrant: 'Charles, you've not been sure since question number two.'

Ingram: 'The doubt is multiplied. I think it is nanomol but it could be a gigabit, but I am not sure. I do not think I can do this one. I do not think it is a megatron. I do not think I have heard of a googol.'

Cough. Ingram: 'Googol, googol, googol. By a process of elimination I have to think it's a googol but I do not know what a googol is. I really do think it's a googol.'

Tarrant: 'But you think it's a nanomol, you have never heard of a googol.'

Ingram: 'It has to be a googol.' Tarrant: 'It's also the only chance you will have to lose £468,000. You are going for the one you have never heard of.'

Ingram: 'I do not mind taking the odd risk. I am sure it's a googol.'

Cough. Ingram: 'Surely, surely.' He then teased the audience, saying: 'I'm going to play. No, I'm not. Yes, I am.'

Tarrant: 'You lose £468,000 if you are wrong.'

Ingram: 'No, it's a googol. God, is it a googol? Yes, it's a googol. Yes, yes, it's a googol.'

Cough. Ingram: 'I am going to play googol.'

Tarrant: 'Final answer?'

Ingram: 'Please do not go for a break, please do not go for a break.'

Tarrant: 'I am going for a break.' After several excruciating minutes, the cameras were back on Tarrant but he fluffed his lines, forcing Ingram to wait even longer as he did a retake.

Tarrant: 'He initially went for nanomol, he then went through the various options again. He then went for googol because he had never heard of it. You've just won £1million!'

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