We bet you can remember exactly where you were when you heard ITV’s entertaining quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? had crowned the first winner.
Back in September 2001, Army Major Charles Ingram took his place in the hot seat opposite host Chris Tarrant.
Slowly (but not so surely) he answered the 15 questions to bag the biggest prize ever handed out on our screens – a must-see, event television moment.
But it wasn’t long before cheating allegations were raised about a system of coughing signals, which also implicated his wife Diana and would-be conspirator Tecwen Whittock (Michael Jibson).
Charles was nicknamed the Coughing Major and the trio were tried, found guilty and given suspended prison sentences.
This three-part drama, adapted from a play by James Graham, shows what happened before Ingram’s now infamous appearance, as well as the media storm and court case that followed.
An all-star cast breathes humour into the events, with a surprising tongue-in-cheek take throughout.
Succession actor Matthew Macfadyen and Fleabag’s Sian Clifford star as the forever-tarnished Ingrams, while Michael Sheen takes on the role as host Chris Tarrant – complete with his habit of tearing up cheques and bellowing ‘We don’t want to give you that!’.
The ensemble is completed by Mark Bonnar as TV producer Paul Smith, who came up with the idea, and Helen McCrory as Ingram’s razor-sharp defence lawyer Sonia Woodley.
‘People may think they know this story but there is so much more to be discovered from this drama,’ leading man Matthew explains.
‘Everyone will have a different opinion as to what happened and whether they did it or not.’
The engrossing drama also details how the idea for the hit show came about and the lengths people went to to be in with a chance of competing.
It introduces us to an underground community of obsessed quizzers called The Syndicate, who managed to infiltrate the series.
‘They cracked how to get on the show and more,’ Matthew explains.
‘We also see Diana’s brother Adrian practising on a Fastest Finger machine in his garage to increase his speed of reaction for when he got a place among the real studio contestants competing to get in the chair.’
Sian adds: ‘I had no idea about any of that. I’m sure if any of us had, we all would have wanted to be members!’
And while the drama relives the events, it will be up to viewers at home to decide whether they think the Ingrams are guilty or innocent.
‘Like most people I assumed there was no question about the convictions,’ says Michael.
'‘Then I read the scripts for Quiz, which are not saying one way or another. But they certainly open up questions. By the end of it, I certainly didn’t feel as sure they were guilty.’
It’s a 50/50 question after all...
Michael Sheen's transformation into Chris Tarrant
Michael Sheen’s turn as Chris Tarrant is spot on – and a challenge he couldn’t wait to get his teeth stuck into.
‘He’s someone who is incredibly familiar with a very particular kind of voice,’ Michael says. ‘I watched as much Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? as I possibly could.’
But he didn’t meet Chris until after the shoot: ‘I was at the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards walking down the red carpet. I heard a voice behind me saying, “Nothing like me!” I turned around and there’s Chris Tarrant.’
– The Quiz is on ITV at 9pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (April 13-15)
