Who Wants To Be A Millionaire's infamous coughing scandal is back on primetime TV this week thanks to hour-long documentary A Very Major Scandal.
Fresh from being the subject of much watched ITV drama Quiz last year, one of the biggest TV debacles of all time will be thrust back into the spotlight on Tuesday night in the final part of a series of specials on the world renowned game show.
Back in 2001, Major Charles Ingram, his wife Diana and accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, who was sitting in the audience, cheated their way to a million pounds on what was, the most popular game show in the world and viewers are watching the drama unfold all over again in Quiz, which kicked off on Easter Monday.
Charles won the coveted £1million prize thanks to coughs made during the recording to signify the correct answers to the multiple choice questions posed to the Major by Millionaire host Chris Tarrant.
The million pound question was 'a number one followed by one hundred zeros is known by what name?' the correct answer was googol and, after after initially telling Chris he'd never even heard the word, Ingram gave the right answer to claim the prize.
Recordings showed that coughs were given at key times during the show, including at the crucial moment, when Whittock, sitting among potential contestants in the 'fastest finger first' seats, gave an indication with a telling cough.
What happened to Charles and Diana Ingram?
Charles and Diana Ingram stood trial for conspiring by coughing during the recording to signify the correct answers to the questions posed by Chris Tarrant.
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Following a trial at Southwark Crown Court in 2003, lasting four weeks, Ingram, his wife and Whittock were convicted by a majority verdict of "procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception".
Both the Ingrams and Whittock were each given suspended prison sentences - the Ingrams were sentenced to 18 months and Whittock was sentenced to 12 months.
They were each fined £15,000, and each ordered to pay £10,000 towards prosecution costs.
Charles Ingram was also stripped of his Major title as a result of the trial.
The Ingrams didn't let the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire furore get in the way of further fame. Charles appeared on series 2 of The Games, alongside Boyzone's Shane Lynch and Fun House host Pat Sharp and The Weakest Link and then with wife Diana on Wife Swap, where he 'swapped' her for Jade Goody.
Charles took to Twitter last year to heap praise on Quiz, the ITV drama about their cheating, posting: "WOW.The cast, the story, the scenes, simply brilliant. Terrifyingly accurate and oh yes, horribly cringeworthy. Floored by the pure talent on show tonight. Well done too to @ITV. Gutsy."
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FAQs
Whittock and Ingram's wife, Diana were both given 18-month suspended sentences for their part in the scam. But Ingram's bad luck didn't improve following his conviction.
Where is Charles Ingram now? ›
After the trial the Ingrams' were vilified and soon stepped out of the limelight with their three daughters. Charles was last spotted selling jewellery in a Christmas market stall in Bath in 2019, he had declared himself as bankrupt for the fourth time just months before.
Is Charles Ingram still married? ›
Personal life. Ingram met his wife, Diana, while she was training to be a teacher at Barry College in Wales. The two became engaged during his first posting with the Royal Engineers in Germany. They were married in November 1989 and have three children.
What happened to Diana Ingram? ›
The saga ended with Charles and Diana Ingram standing trial alongside Whittock and they were each given suspended prison sentences - the Ingrams were sentenced to 18 months and Whittock was sentenced to 12 months.
Did Charles Ingram appeal? ›
Appeal. The Ingrams appealed the fines. The appellate court denied Charles' appeal as not being justified and refused him leave to appeal further; Diana's was permitted as she had no financial independence. An appeal drawing on the human rights allowed Charles to challenge their costs.
How did Tecwen Whittock know the answers? ›
It is thought that Tecwen genuinely knew the answers himself, but he was helped by Ingram's wife Diana. On one question when Tecwen did not know the answer, Diana coughed instead.
Where is Charles Ingram A9 now? ›
Mr Ingram has since spent the last two years drifting between locations, most recently in the Rannoch area. Mr Ingram is back in 'his' layby, living from a car at the side of the A9.
Was Charles Ingram the first Millionaire? ›
By taking brazen risks and playing the game in an unusual manner, Ingram correctly answered fifteen questions to win the show's top prize of £1 million, becoming the third contestant to do so. However he was denied the winnings due to due to being suspected of cheating throughout most of his run.
Are Colin Ingram and Charles Ingram related? ›
I am no relation to Charles Ingram.
How does phone a friend work? ›
Phone a Friend: the contestant is connected with a friend over a phone line and is given 30 seconds to read the question and answers and solicit assistance. The time begins as soon as the contestant starts reading the question.
After Charles Ingram won the £1million, the cheque was held for eight days to be processed, but after Smith discovered blatant cheating had taken place, he called the police and de-authorised payment of the cheque to Ingram.
Did the guy who cheated on Millionaire go to jail? ›
He and Diana were given an 18 month prison sentence suspended for two years for cheating and fined £15,000 apiece. In the same year, Ingram was convicted of an unrelated insurance fraud, which took before the recording of the episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, when he made.
Who was the journalist lying to Diana? ›
In Sept. 1995, Bashir presented fake bank statements to Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, showing payments by a newspaper group to a former member of his staff to gain his confidence and get closer to the royal. He cemented this by showing payments made to Diana and Charles' private secretaries.
Were the Ingrams innocent? ›
His alleged accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, was found to have guided him by coughing after Major Ingram mentioned the right answer of the four options. Whittock, along with Ingram's attendant wife, Diana, were also found guilty of cheating. All three were given suspended sentences and heavy fines.
Did Charles Ingram get into Mensa? ›
Academically, he had a degree in civil engineering and a master's from Cranfield. He was also a member of Mensa. After his conviction, he had to resign his commission – it was imperative, he knew, that the military should not be tainted by any scandal – and his life was in ruins.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Larry Whitehurst? ›
Larry Whitehurst, from London, was a Fastest Finger First contestant on the night of Charles Ingram's infamous appearance. Whitehurst was one of the witnesses of Tecwen Whittock's coughing. He never got into the Hot Seat.
How many people have won Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ›
Over the course of the programme's broadcast history, six contestants have received its top prize of £1 million: Judith Keppel, a former garden designer. On 20 November 2000, she became the first contestant to win the top prize.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Adrian Pollock? ›
Adrian Pollock is a supporting character in the ITV drama series Quiz, based on the real life contestant of the same name. He was played by Trystan Gravelle. Adrian is the brother of Diana Ingram and brother-in-law of Charles Ingram.
