Exclusive: First look at Who Wants to be a Millionaire cough scandal drama Quiz
Michael Sheen pulls off a scarily good Chris Tarrant in this sneak peek
Your next question: Do you want to watch an exclusive first-look clip at Quiz, the new ITV drama based on the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire infamous Major Charles Ingram scandal? Is the answer A) Yes * cough cough *, or B) nah, I’m too busy with outside activities at the moment.
A is your final answer? Congrats: you’ve won yourself that clip, which you can see in full below. And it not only features Michael Sheen pulling off an impressive impression of TV host Chris Tarrant in the nail-biting first ever episode of the ground-breaking gameshow, but also Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen as the cheating major watching at home.
The sneak peek also shows how the first episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, broadcast in 1998, played out behind the scenes. Looks like producers of the show, including Paul Smith (played by Mark Bonnar), were initially unsure the quiz brought enough tension to the screen.
However, all fears are allayed after one contestant is forced to bail out the show after a disastrous Phone A Friend helpline.
The three-part drama is set to tell the story of Major Charles Ingram, his wife Diana (Fleabag’s Sian Clifford) and accomplice Tecwen Whittock (Michael Jibson), who were accused of cheating their way to a million pounds on the show.
The three were charged with fraud, with the prosecution arguing the prize money was secured through a coughing system that pointed out correct answers.
The show also stars Helen McCrory as defence lawyer Sonia Woodley QC and Aisling Bea as ITV’s former Entertainment Commissioner Claudia Rosencrantz.
Quiz is written by James Graham, who wrote the stage version of the scandal (Cheat) in 2017. A Very English Scandal’s Stephen Frears serves as director.
Quiz will air on ITV on 13th April at 9pm. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide.
Authors
Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.