Ahead of Quiz’s premiere, we re-visit Martin Bashir’s documentary Major Fraud, which goes behind-the-scenes of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? coughing major scandal.
The three-part drama stars Spooks star Matthew MacFayden as Major Charles Ingram, who won the jackpot on the popular ITV gameshow before being charged, alongside his wife Diana (Fleabag’s Sian Clifford) for cheating their way to the top.
But before the fictional adaption airs, we took a chance to stroll down memory lane as investigative journalist (and future X Factor: Celebrity contestant) Martin Bashir attempted to uncover just exactly what happened…
Follow our re-cap of all the big moments and revelations included in the documentary.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? had become a family affair for the Ingrams
It really was a family affair for the Ingrams, as Major Charles wasn’t the first of his clan to appear on the quiz show in a bid to win big.
Previously, Diana and her brother had appeared on the programme, both managing to walk away with exactly £32,000 after crashing out getting questions wrong.
Speaking to Bashir, host Chris Tarrant (who will be portrayed by Michael Sheen in Quiz) explained: ‘They seemed to be quite obsessed with the show and getting on there and doing well.
‘[Diana] went away very disappointed. I remember seeing her in the bar after [the show] and I said congratulations, and she said “oh, only £32,000.’
Some staff were concerned as soon as the Major took to the hotseat
Major Fraud took a very analytical approach at the scandal, taking viewers through Charles’ time in the hot seat, question by question.
But it seemed that some staff were concerned as soon as the Major had sat in the hot seat, as they soon became aware that Diana’s younger brother was in the audience watching the taping, and actually went outside to use his phone twice, something that was banned.
A researcher on the episode was so concerned, she even alerted production co-ordinator Chris Burke to the man’s movement.
Two police detectives interviewed by the journalist revealed an early theory about the first taping (Charles’ episode was shot over two days), where they believed four vibrating phones may have been used to signal the correct answer, which were controlled and transmitted via a signal on the younger brother’s phone.
After his first day of taping, Chris Tarrant thought Charles Ingram wouldn’t last long
However, it seemed that the Major’s quizzing knowledge left a lot to be desired. At the end of the first taping, he had got to £4,000 but had already used two of his three life-lines.
Tarrant commented: ‘I remember saying “that poor bloody Major, he’s got as much change of getting £32,000 as going to the moon in a rocket.”‘
However, with filming paused for the night, Charles would have to come back the next day to complete his stint on the show – and display a turn-around performance like none Tarrant had ever seen.
The documentary purports that it was during this gap between filming episodes that the Ingrams first made contact with co-conspirator Tecwen Whittok, who was a Fastest Finger First contestant waiting in the wings for his chance in the hot seat. It would be Whittock’s well-timed coughs that would alert the Major to the correct answer to a question.
The famous Anthony Eden question formed part of the prosecution’s case against the Ingrams
Bashir learns through the course of the programme that it was in the second taping, where Charles gave the biggest hint yet that he was in-fact cheating his way to the top.
Footage of his now famous Anthony Eden question was used as part of the prosecution’s case in court.
Ingram was asked what member of clothing was often called ‘Anthony Eden,’ after the former Prime Minister.
Audio taken from the 21 microphones dotted around the studio picked up Whittock asking a fellow contestant if the answer to the question was a hat.
The documentary that showed that three strategically-placed coughs were apparently used in the question, which was for £250,000.
‘Everybody was uncomfortable’ after the £1 million win
Seemingly against all the odds, Charles Ingram became that rare contestant to win the jackpot prize on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
But it seemed that the jig was already up for the Major. Production Manager Helen Wood remembered discussing the possibility of Ingram cheating during the last question and she remembered that ‘everyone was uncomfortable’ during filming.
After it wrapped and the triumphant Major walked away, the TV team listened back to the footage and, after isolating the coughs, realised that they were systematic and strategically placed.
The show’s creator, Paul Smith, then rang up the Ingrams to inform them the episode was to be pulled – Bashir’s documentary was the first to feature the footage – and the winnings would not be paid and details passed on to the police.
Following a lengthy trial, Charles and Diana were eventually convicted on a single count of procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception.
They both served a two-year suspended prison sentence alongside co-defendant Whittock and ordered to pay around £115,000.
Quiz’s writer James Graham has also revealed that the Ingrams were involved during production of the show, and that the couple were ‘happy’ the three-part drama helps to raise new questions over the scandal.
Quiz airs Monday 13 April at 9pm on ITV.
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