Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has hailed the “greatest jackpot winner” in its 22-year history.
The contestant, believed to be male, managed the feat in record time without using all the available lifelines.
They become the sixth UK jackpot winner – and the first in 14 years.
ITV bosses are not revealing the player’s identity but say viewers will be blown away by the performance.
Host Jeremy Clarkson said having his first millionaire winner filmed during lockdown with no audience had been “emotional”.
The show was recorded last month under strict social distancing with only the production team and presenter in the studio.
Because players lost one of their four lifelines by being unable to ask the audience they were instead given two opportunities to phone a friend.
Clarkson, 60, said: “I’m thrilled and delighted we've found someone who seems to know just about everything. I can't wait for the viewers to see it and I want to watch it back too.
“I was just in awe of this contestant and think they are probably the best the show has ever had in its 22-year history. It was a joy to sit and watch it unfold.”
Revealing how quickly the contestant got through the rounds without faltering, he added: “It felt like we whizzed through the 15 questions and all of a sudden confetti was falling from the ceiling and I was saying ‘You’ve just won one million pounds’.
“I wasn't sure I’d ever get to utter those immortal six words and I’m not embarrassed to say it was a little emotional but boy did it feel good.”
The game show with the biggest prize in TV history launched in 1998 with Chris Tarrant as host and has now run for 630 episodes.
It became an instant world-wide hit and versions have now been seen in more than 90 countries.
The first UK millionaire winner was Judith Keppel in 2000. She remains the only woman to take the top prize. Now 78, she spent £100 phoning the show more than 50 times to secure a place.
Former physics teacher David Edwards and Oxford-educated banker Robert Brydges both followed her to the jackpot in 2001.
Pat Gibson, a multiple world champion Irish quiz player, became the fourth person to win the UK top prize in 2004. He was followed by civil servant Ingram Wilcox in 2006.
Major Charles Ingram also won the million pounds in 2001 – at the height of the show’s popularity.
But the episode was never shown and he was stripped of his prize after being found guilty of cheating in 2003.
Quiz – a three-part ITV dramatisation of the scandal – was broadcast in April with Michael Sheen playing Chris Tarrant.
The latest hour-long episodes of the fifth series under Clarkson are set to be broadcast across one week early next month.
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