Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a high-profile television quiz show format that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1990s and was produced by Celador. The program places a single contestant under intense studio lighting and recorded tension as they attempt a series of multiple-choice questions with a top prize commonly framed as one million units of local currency.
Format and gameplay
The structure is a stepped prize ladder: each correct answer moves the contestant to a higher cash level while incorrect answers can end the run or drop the player back to a guaranteed safety level. Questions typically increase in difficulty and are presented as four-option multiple choice. Contestants are required to confirm their choice before the answer is locked.
- Common lifelines include: 50:50, Phone a Friend, and Ask the Audience.
- Some editions add or replace lifelines, introduce time limits, or offer safety nets at certain milestones.
Contestants often face a choice between risking progress for higher rewards or walking away with accumulated winnings. The show is known for its dramatic music, close-up camera work, and the host’s role in heightening suspense.
History and international reach
After finding success in the UK, the format was sold worldwide and adapted into many local versions. In May 2008 the Dutch company 2waytraffic acquired the licence for the show's international format, enabling further distribution and management of local adaptations. Different countries have varied the maximum prize, production style, and rules to suit local audiences and broadcasting standards.
The programme has had a measurable cultural impact: catchphrases and stylistic elements have entered popular culture, parodies and spin-offs have appeared, and the format influenced subsequent high-stakes quiz shows. Its combination of simple rules with high tension helped create a globally recognisable television brand and inspired many international versions of the international format.