Game Show

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show and the original version of the international franchise based on the format. It was created by David Briggs, Steven Knight and Mike Whitehill for the ITV network. The format has contestants answering multiple-choice general knowledge questions, winning a cash prize for each correct answer, with the prize increasing as the questions become increasingly difficult. With an incorrect answer the contestant leaves with whatever prize is guaranteed by the last safety net they passed, unless they opt to walk away before answering with the money they have so far acquired. Contestants are granted a limited number of "lifelines" to help answer questions. The series originally aired from 4 September 1998 to 11 February 2014 and was presented by Chris Tarrant, airing a total of 592 episodes across 30 series. The original format was tweaked in later years, including changing the number of questions asked, altering the payout structure, incorporating a time limit, and increasing the number of lifelines. ITV commemorated the 20th anniversary of the programme with a special series of episodes in 2018, produced by Stellify Media and hosted by Jeremy Clarkson. This proved a success with viewers and led to a revival of the programme, with new series commissioned by the broadcaster. Two spin-offs have subsequently been aired, Fastest Finger First, which ran for one series in 2022 and a British version of Millionaire Hot Seat which began in 2026. The programme has seen a number of contestants achieve the jackpot, but has also been involved in controversies, including an attempt by a contestant to defraud the show of its top prize. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? became a significant show in British popular culture, ranking 23rd in a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute. Its success led to the formation of an international franchise, with other versions featuring the same general format with variations in gameplay and lifelines.