A retired GP from Rutherglen made it to the final question on last night’s hit TV show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - but walked away with £500,000.
Andrew Townsley, 53, who practised at a surgery in Easterhouse, came within a hair’s width of becoming the sixth contestant to scoop the maximum prize on the ITV quiz show after correctly answering the first 14 questions.
Faced with a question on motorsport, however, he decided to play it safe and walk away with half a million pounds.
The options were A. Le Mans 24 Hours B. Monaco Grand Prix C. Indy 500 or D. Isle Of Man TT.
Andrew, who said he will spend his winnings on a trip to Niagara Falls, used his final lifeline to phone friend, Ailsa – but his chosen helper did not know the answer either.
Explaining his decision to walk away, he said: “I don’t know the answer and it’s just too much money to lose.
“Having got so far and to go on a whim I think would be foolish and Niagara Falls is looking very nice at this time.”
Had he chosen to go on, Andrew said he’d have answered Isle Of Man TT, which was the correct answer.
Host Jeremy Clarkson congratulated him on being a “truly fabulous contender”.
Andrew asked the audience for help when host Clarkson posed the £500,000 question: “Who was Beethoven’s 1804 Eroica Symphony originally dedicated to?”
Andrew, who appeared on the show in a wheelchair and has progressive MS, correctly answered Napoleon Bonaparte.
He also answered the £250,000 question correctly, identifying The Twelve Apostles peaks as being connected to Table Mountain.
Speaking about his win, Andrew said: “I felt excited and hopeful when I reached the million pound question. I was obviously disappointed that neither of us felt confident enough to give a definite, and winning answer.
“I said on the show my wife and I fancied seeing Niagara Falls. So, I’d like to plan to visit sights like that where you could get to, in a big old wheelchair. Machu Picchu and Angkor Wat would be fantastic but no longer on our personal list.”
Referring to his own condition, which has seen his condition deteriorate over time, he added: “I would also like to continue to support charities for example young carers, MS research and The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation, a vasculitis charity.
“Unfortunately my condition means I have to make future plans for my care and this will certainly make planning more straightforward.”
Andrew, who was hugged by his family as he left the stage, also made the point that if he risked it all, the episode would have ended with “tinsel landing on your head” and a million pound prize.
