Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host Jeremy Clarkson was left astonished after a contestant lost the second largest sum of money in the show's history. The ITV game show returned to screens just one week after retired IT analyst Roman Dubowski claimed the £1,000,000 jackpot. However, in a stark contrast, participant Jen Essery Lillikakis suffered a crushing defeat when she failed to answer a £500,000 question that continues to baffle fans.
Contestant's Journey to the £500,000 Question
The product manager from Stratford took the host seat hoping to fund an exotic honeymoon with her newlywed husband Kyri, who watched from the audience. After navigating early questions with ease, Jen secured a safety net of £64,000 by correctly identifying the ukulele as the musical instrument closely associated with Hawaii since the 1880s. For her £125,000 question, she used her 50/50 and Ask The Host lifelines before advancing past the £250,000 mark.
The Fateful £500,000 Question
Jen's luck turned when she faced the question: 'According to Guinness World Records, which of these has travelled at over 260 miles per hour during a competitive game or match? Tennis ball, ice hockey puck, badminton shuttlecock or table tennis ball.' With only her Phone A Friend lifeline remaining, she called her dad Chris, but he did not know the answer.
Host Jeremy Clarkson issued a stern warning: 'You are now completely on your own and have no more lifelines. If you get this wrong, if you go for it and get it wrong, you lose £186,000.' He also reminded her she could walk away with £250,000. Despite the warning, Jen chose the ice hockey puck, only to discover the correct answer was the badminton shuttlecock.
Reaction and Aftermath
Reacting to her loss, Jeremy said: 'Oh my god you have just lost £186,000! It is unbelievable you took a punt on that. You need a bravery award for that.' Jen responded: 'Well, that's fine. I have won £64,000.' The loss makes Jen the show's second-biggest loser, surpassed only by Nicholas Bennett, who answered the £1 million question incorrectly last year and lost £375,000.
On social media, X user David wrote: 'Still staggered at this £500,000 question. I'd have been all in on ice puck and shown to be clueless.' Jeremy commented: 'Me too.' Liam added: 'Cannot believe the answer, hit with stringed racket, feathered, can't see how with its weight and velocity it could possibly reach a speed of 260mph.' Josh questioned: 'Who in their right mind throws £250k away for £64k?' Chris similarly asked why she didn't take the £250,000.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire continues on Sundays at 8pm on ITV and ITVX.
