Despite the numerous contestants who have appeared on the international versions of the popular show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, only a few have managed to win the grand prize and become millionaires. Some achieved this through their high level of general knowledge, while others were lucky with questions that aligned with their areas of expertise. However, a third category used deceitful methods, like Charles Ingram, who became the third person in the show’s history to win the top prize. His suspicious behavior during the contest led to his disqualification, legal consequences, and the forfeiture of his winnings.
The story began when Charles Ingram, a British Army major, was selected to appear on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2001. He was the third member of his family to participate, following his wife, Diana, and her brother, Adrian Pollock, both of whom won £32,000 before withdrawing from the game. Ingram prepared for the show by practicing daily with a “speed answering” machine, similar to the one used in the program. On September 9, he successfully passed the initial question and began answering the subsequent ones. By the end of the first day of filming, Ingram had won only £4,000 and had used two of his three lifelines.
The next day, the production team was skeptical about Ingram’s ability to progress far in the game. To their surprise, he answered every question smoothly and reached the final question, which he also answered correctly, winning the grand prize of £1 million. It was evident to everyone that there was a significant difference between the hesitant contestant of the previous day and the confident one who answered questions with ease. Suspicion arose among the production team, as host Chris Tarrant usually discussed questions with contestants, allowing viewers to gauge their knowledge. However, Ingram seemed to have no real understanding of the answers he selected.
As suspicions grew, the production company suspended Ingram’s winnings, accusing him of cheating. They alleged that Teeswin Whiteoak, who was seated among the other waiting contestants, had been visibly coughing at each answer Ingram gave, as though signaling the correct response. Phil Davies, the show’s producer, confirmed these observations, stating he was sure Whiteoak was coughing in response to the correct answer, and noted that this pattern continued throughout the episode’s filming.
Following the scandal’s exposure, Charles Ingram, his wife Diana, and Teeswin Whiteoak were arrested. During the four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court, all three maintained their innocence. Despite their claims, they were convicted of conspiring to defraud. Charles Ingram was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, fined £15,000, and ordered to pay an additional £10,000 in costs. He was also forced to resign from the army. Diana Ingram was fined £15,000 and had to pay an additional £10,000, while Whiteoak was fined £10,000, with an additional £7,500 in costs and sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.
In the years following the trial, Charles Ingram faced ongoing public ridicule but continued to appear on various entertainment programs with his wife. Both maintained their innocence. Nearly two decades later, the scandal was revisited in a British miniseries titled Quiz, starring Matthew Macfadyen, Sian Clifford, and Michael Sheen. The show presented a somewhat sympathetic portrayal of Ingram and attempted to exonerate him, but Phil Davies remained critical. He argued that, based on his extensive experience with the show, even the most intelligent contestants often failed to win substantial amounts if they did not know the answer. In Ingram’s case, Davies found it puzzling that he continued to progress smoothly despite apparently lacking genuine knowledge.
