Millionaire Contestant Loses £1m Question – Show History
- A recent episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire saw a contestant experience a significant loss after incorrectly answering the £1 million question, despite utilizing two lifelines.
- Jeremy Clarkson, the former Top Gear host and current presenter of the UK show, posed the ultimate question: "Which of these words, each coined by a famous writer,...
- He used his "Ask Jeremy" lifeline, but Clarkson was unable to provide an answer.
A data analyst’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire run took a dramatic turn when he lost a staggering £375,000 on the £1 million question. Nicholas Bennett, after confidently navigating most of the quiz, stumbled on a question about the origin of a word, ultimately choosing the wrong answer. Hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, the UK version of the show saw Bennett incorrectly claim his answer was “Yahoo,” when “serendipity” was correct. He had used two lifelines, but still failed to secure the £1 million prize. Discover the specific question and how his misstep compares to the show’s history, as we unpack the contestant experience on News Directory 3. Could this be the biggest loss ever? Discover what’s next for this iconic quiz show.
‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ Contestant Suffers Costly Serendipity Blunder
Updated May 26, 2025
A recent episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire saw a contestant experience a significant loss after incorrectly answering the £1 million question, despite utilizing two lifelines. nicholas Bennett, a data analyst from West Hampstead, London, navigated the quiz show with ease, securing a £125,000 safety net before facing the final, crucial question.
Jeremy Clarkson, the former Top Gear host and current presenter of the UK show, posed the ultimate question: “Which of these words, each coined by a famous writer, was derived from the tale of a fairytale about three princes?” The choices were Pandemonium, Serendipity, Utopia, and Yahoo.
Bennett,an alumnus of University Challenge,felt uncertain. He used his “Ask Jeremy” lifeline, but Clarkson was unable to provide an answer. He then phoned a friend, his roommate, who also couldn’t offer a definitive response. Despite his initial hesitation, Bennett locked in “Yahoo” as his final answer.
The audience gasped as Clarkson revealed the answer was incorrect. Bennett’s choice cost him £375,000. Had he chosen to walk away, he would have secured £500,000. A correct answer would have added £875,000 to his existing £125,000.
Despite the setback, Bennett remained optimistic, stating, “Still get £125,000.”
clarkson responded to Bennett’s reaction, “What a reaction,” and added that he would be “sobbing” if he had lost that much money. ”I am so sorry Nicholas, the answer is serendipity,” Clarkson said.
Bennett had dismissed “serendipity” early on, believing it sounded derived from another word.This process of elimination led him to the incorrect “Yahoo.”
Clarkson exclaimed, “Oh my giddy aunt. Is that the biggest loss in Millionaire history?”
“Serendipity was coined by horace Walpole of The Three Princes of Serendip,” Clarkson revealed.
Clarkson consoled Bennett,stating,”I don’t think I’ve ever had a contestant I’ve enjoyed more than you.”
What’s next
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire continues to be a popular show, with future contestants hoping to achieve the £1 million jackpot. The show has been running since 1998 and was revived in 2018 with Clarkson as host.