Was it fixed?
21 November 2000, 09:48 AM
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The buzz question of this morning is:
"Was 'who wants to be a millionaire' fixed?"
So, what do you think?
Personally I think it was. It's simply a ratings war, and whoever has the biggest show wins. Lets take two examples:
"Ho hum, what's on TV, oh it's WWTBAM, maybe watch that. Blimey! Last ever One foot in the grave, Victor dies! Gotta watch that!"
OFITG 1, WWTBAM nil
Example two
"Ho hum, what's on TV, oh it's WWTBAM, wow! someone is going to win the million! wonder what the questions will be like, best watch that. Oh no! ! Last ever One foot in the grave, Victor dies! Gotta watch that! But which one do I choose to watch 'live' and which one do I record for later viewing?"
No disrepect to the lady who won, but the rest of my family got most of them, and we're not the brightest stars in the sky, but we ain't black holes either.
Could be coincidence, but come on! you're talking about Victore getting the chop after 10 years, how on earth are you going to counter that.
the last morse got huge figures, so ITV knew that one foot was probably going to get big figures, so they needed to pull out all the stops.
Wonder if we'll see another millionare on a 'normal' night, if there ever is a normal night in the ratings war.
"Was 'who wants to be a millionaire' fixed?"
So, what do you think?
Personally I think it was. It's simply a ratings war, and whoever has the biggest show wins. Lets take two examples:
"Ho hum, what's on TV, oh it's WWTBAM, maybe watch that. Blimey! Last ever One foot in the grave, Victor dies! Gotta watch that!"
OFITG 1, WWTBAM nil
Example two
"Ho hum, what's on TV, oh it's WWTBAM, wow! someone is going to win the million! wonder what the questions will be like, best watch that. Oh no! ! Last ever One foot in the grave, Victor dies! Gotta watch that! But which one do I choose to watch 'live' and which one do I record for later viewing?"
No disrepect to the lady who won, but the rest of my family got most of them, and we're not the brightest stars in the sky, but we ain't black holes either.
Could be coincidence, but come on! you're talking about Victore getting the chop after 10 years, how on earth are you going to counter that.
the last morse got huge figures, so ITV knew that one foot was probably going to get big figures, so they needed to pull out all the stops.
Wonder if we'll see another millionare on a 'normal' night, if there ever is a normal night in the ratings war.
21 November 2000, 10:30 AM
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Markus,
I got to agree with you here. I don't know if it was because I knew she was going to win the big one or what, but I deffo. thought something was up. She seemed rather too cool and came up with the answers too quickly.
I guess we will never know.
One thing is for sure. Now it is known that it can be done, millions more phone calls to the phone number will be made and at about 1.20 pounds a go, should be a good earner
Cheers
Ian
I got to agree with you here. I don't know if it was because I knew she was going to win the big one or what, but I deffo. thought something was up. She seemed rather too cool and came up with the answers too quickly.
I guess we will never know.
One thing is for sure. Now it is known that it can be done, millions more phone calls to the phone number will be made and at about 1.20 pounds a go, should be a good earner
Cheers
Ian
21 November 2000, 10:41 AM
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To be honest, I can't believe that ITV would be that bothered about a 10 year old'comedy' that was past its sell-by date after series two. I don't think so..
I was listening to an interview with the lady that won this morning and if it was a fix, she's the best damn actress I've ever heard.
Chris
[This message has been edited by Chris L (edited 21 November 2000).]
I was listening to an interview with the lady that won this morning and if it was a fix, she's the best damn actress I've ever heard.
Chris
[This message has been edited by Chris L (edited 21 November 2000).]
21 November 2000, 10:52 AM
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I heard that they specifically made Millionaire go over until after 10pm just to make it clash with the BBC's 10 o'clock news.
It's all about ratings.... they don't care about much else
21 November 2000, 10:55 AM
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One thing about the lady who won - We don't know what her normal character is like so we can't really say if she came out with the answers too quickly or not.
Just because she wasn't like the "ooh what should I do Chris, ooh I'm so happy to be here and get £1000, A, no C, no B, no F" type doesn't mean that it was necessarily fixed.
I'm not saying that it wasn't fixed, or that they didn't save this episode to be broadcast especially against "One foot in the Grave" but all I'm saying is that she may not have been a fake.
I'm sure she'll get plenty of press attention now, so who knows what we'll be seeing in the tabloids.
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21 November 2000, 11:15 AM
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I have been on the show myself (not fast enough with the initial question)
"Saving" a good episode is impossible due to the continuity of the way the show is run.
Shows are recorded during the afternoon of the day before they go out - therefore there is obviously time for the press to learn of any big wins & inform the public.
I dont think it was fixed - but my gut reaction was that the person who won the 1million was the "wrong" person - she was loaded & didn't need the money.
If it was fixed - whats the betting that they would have chose an unemployed guy/gal with 6 kids who would have been happy with £16k......
Brew.
"Saving" a good episode is impossible due to the continuity of the way the show is run.
Shows are recorded during the afternoon of the day before they go out - therefore there is obviously time for the press to learn of any big wins & inform the public.
I dont think it was fixed - but my gut reaction was that the person who won the 1million was the "wrong" person - she was loaded & didn't need the money.
If it was fixed - whats the betting that they would have chose an unemployed guy/gal with 6 kids who would have been happy with £16k......
Brew.
21 November 2000, 11:27 AM
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I saw the 'making of millionaire' when it was on a month or so ago.
So, did they really record the show on sunday afternoon then?
Pretty good press blackout. I did not know about the millionaire until I got home from work, but then I had been on scoobynet all day
I do agree with BrewandBake about the 'why noy unemployed person with hoard of ankle biters' Guess that if that had happened then I would have even more reason to suspect a fix, eg; they're just going for the sympathy vote.
If it is a fix then the woman is not going to say so, they'd have to take the cash back, and the whole show would be discredited, and Celador's reputation would be in tatters.
So, did they really record the show on sunday afternoon then?
Pretty good press blackout. I did not know about the millionaire until I got home from work, but then I had been on scoobynet all day
I do agree with BrewandBake about the 'why noy unemployed person with hoard of ankle biters' Guess that if that had happened then I would have even more reason to suspect a fix, eg; they're just going for the sympathy vote.
If it is a fix then the woman is not going to say so, they'd have to take the cash back, and the whole show would be discredited, and Celador's reputation would be in tatters.
21 November 2000, 11:58 AM
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I was on a Monday show & they indeed recorded it on the Sunday afternoon.
Great day actually. Got picked up in the morning by Limo - whisked up to London. Pampered all day - met CT. Started recording around 2pm - finished around 4pm.
Party in the evening - Put up in posh hotel overnight then dropped back home next day.
Great experience.
Everyone in the audience knows the result at around 4pm ish so there is time - although limited - for the word to get out before the show is screened the next day.
Brew.
Great day actually. Got picked up in the morning by Limo - whisked up to London. Pampered all day - met CT. Started recording around 2pm - finished around 4pm.
Party in the evening - Put up in posh hotel overnight then dropped back home next day.
Great experience.
Everyone in the audience knows the result at around 4pm ish so there is time - although limited - for the word to get out before the show is screened the next day.
Brew.
21 November 2000, 01:27 PM
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It was "What is a Gigabyte"
This was series 2 or 3 where there was just a question rather than putting 4 answers in order like now.
I was the 3rd fastest - a bit of a bugger when you think you were half a second away from loads a dosh......
The guy who was fastest went on to win $64k, & it was great because he was not that well off & you could tell $64k to him was an absolute fortune.
You just got the impression last night that the lady was loaded & $1m was "nice" to win for her.
Brew.
This was series 2 or 3 where there was just a question rather than putting 4 answers in order like now.
I was the 3rd fastest - a bit of a bugger when you think you were half a second away from loads a dosh......
The guy who was fastest went on to win $64k, & it was great because he was not that well off & you could tell $64k to him was an absolute fortune.
You just got the impression last night that the lady was loaded & $1m was "nice" to win for her.
Brew.
21 November 2000, 01:31 PM
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On the radio today they said that she was not rich, and that she had been considering moving out of London as it was too expensive.
Her daughter had a very plummy accent though - much more so than her mum.
21 November 2000, 01:52 PM
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I think that allowing a guest to call a friend who works in the TV industry was a tad risky (they could have been sent that day's questions & answers), but I don't think the woman herself was a "plant".
As for her being too rich, should we means-test game show contestants? How about intelligence testing them too, to stop anyone too clever being allowed on. Like they do with the audiences.
As for her being too rich, should we means-test game show contestants? How about intelligence testing them too, to stop anyone too clever being allowed on. Like they do with the audiences.
21 November 2000, 02:29 PM
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Intelegence test contentants? I'm of the opinion that they *do* this anyway.
Classic example is 'Family Fortunes'
I don't mean disrespect to anyone who's been on there, but sometimes you have to wonder if they do screen calls to prevent the super brain family from coming on.
Classic example is 'Family Fortunes'
I don't mean disrespect to anyone who's been on there, but sometimes you have to wonder if they do screen calls to prevent the super brain family from coming on.
21 November 2000, 02:46 PM
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Which reminds me of one of my favourite e-mails. These are old, but still make me laugh:
The following are ACTUAL answers given by contestants on "The Family Fortunes" in the UK.
Name something a blind person might use - A sword
Name a song with moon in the title - Blue Suede Moon
Name a bird with a long neck - Naomi Campbell
Name an occupation where you need a torch - A burglar
Name a famous brother and sister - Bonnie & Clyde
Name a dangerous race - The Arabs
Name an item of clothing worn by the Three Musketeers - A horse
Name something that floats in the bath - Water
Name something you wear on the beach - A deckchair
Name something Red - My cardigan
Name a famous cowboy - Buck Rogers
Name a famous royal - Mail
Name a number you have to memorize - 7
Name something you do before going to bed - Sleep
Name something you put on walls - Roofs
Name something in the garden that's green - Shed
Name something that flies that doesn't have an engine - A bicycle with wings
Name something you might be allergic to - Skiing
Name a famous bridge - The bridge over troubled waters
Name something a cat does - Goes to the toilet
Name something you do in the bathroom - Decorate
Name an animal you might see at the zoo - A dog
Name something associated with the police - Pigs
Name a sign of the zodiac - April
Name something slippery - A conman
Name a food that can be brown or white - Potato
Name a jacket potato topping - Jam
Name a famous Scotsman - Jock
Name another famous Scotsman - Vinnie Jones
Name something with a hole in it - Window
Name a non-living object with legs - Plant
Name a domestic animal - Leopard
Name a part of the body beginning with 'N' - Knee
Name a way of cooking fish - Cod
Name something you open other than a door - Your bowels
The following are ACTUAL answers given by contestants on "The Family Fortunes" in the UK.
Name something a blind person might use - A sword
Name a song with moon in the title - Blue Suede Moon
Name a bird with a long neck - Naomi Campbell
Name an occupation where you need a torch - A burglar
Name a famous brother and sister - Bonnie & Clyde
Name a dangerous race - The Arabs
Name an item of clothing worn by the Three Musketeers - A horse
Name something that floats in the bath - Water
Name something you wear on the beach - A deckchair
Name something Red - My cardigan
Name a famous cowboy - Buck Rogers
Name a famous royal - Mail
Name a number you have to memorize - 7
Name something you do before going to bed - Sleep
Name something you put on walls - Roofs
Name something in the garden that's green - Shed
Name something that flies that doesn't have an engine - A bicycle with wings
Name something you might be allergic to - Skiing
Name a famous bridge - The bridge over troubled waters
Name something a cat does - Goes to the toilet
Name something you do in the bathroom - Decorate
Name an animal you might see at the zoo - A dog
Name something associated with the police - Pigs
Name a sign of the zodiac - April
Name something slippery - A conman
Name a food that can be brown or white - Potato
Name a jacket potato topping - Jam
Name a famous Scotsman - Jock
Name another famous Scotsman - Vinnie Jones
Name something with a hole in it - Window
Name a non-living object with legs - Plant
Name a domestic animal - Leopard
Name a part of the body beginning with 'N' - Knee
Name a way of cooking fish - Cod
Name something you open other than a door - Your bowels
21 November 2000, 03:22 PM
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AWD.
I heard that the winning 'babe' lives in a house in Fulham that is worth £500,000.
I imagine from this that she is quite well off. Maybe not fantastically well off, but she's not shopping at Kwikie Mart.
The plummy daughter didn't look too shabby either
Snake.
I heard that the winning 'babe'
lives in a house in Fulham that is worth £500,000.I imagine from this that she is quite well off. Maybe not fantastically well off, but she's not shopping at Kwikie Mart.
The plummy daughter didn't look too shabby either
Snake.
21 November 2000, 03:24 PM
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Snake
The lying bu66ers. On the radio this morning they said that she was not at all well off.
If she is not well off and lives in a £500k house in Fulham, what does that make the rest of us?
21 November 2000, 04:28 PM
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James
I can't remember who it was but there have been a few offers for webspace in the last couple of weeks. Have a look at the 'general questions' forum and have a search under the last 30 days.
I can't remember who it was but there have been a few offers for webspace in the last couple of weeks. Have a look at the 'general questions' forum and have a search under the last 30 days.
21 November 2000, 06:28 PM
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I don't think she knew the questions beforehand, but I suspect one of the production crew had been researching her background & tailored the questions to suit. It was just too big a coincidence that she won on the night victor was killed off.