Who wants to play a millionaire?
Star-studded TV drama about Coughing Major
THE Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? cheating scandal is being turned into a television drama starring Michael Sheen and Matthew Macfadyen.
Spooks actor Macfadyen will play Charles Ingram, the former Army major who conned his way to the top prize in the ITV quiz show in 2001, while Sheen is host Chris Tarrant.
Ingram was accused of conspiring with his wife Diana, played by Fleabag’s Sian
‘It’s a very English heist’
Clifford, and another contestant, who would apparently cough when the correct answer was mentioned. Ingram listened for coughs from college lecturer Tecwen Whittock to steer him to the correct answers.
In 2003 the Ingrams and Whittock were found guilty of deception and received suspended prison sentences.
The three-part drama, called Quiz, will air on ITV, which yesterday issued the first image from the production, showing Macfadyen and Miss Clifford as the Ingrams in court.
It is directed by Stephen Frears, whose credits include A Very English Scandal and The Queen, and is based on the play Quiz by Jamie Graham. The playwright said: ‘I was gripped by this story over 15 years ago, and I’m still gripped now. It’s a very English heist.’
Tarrant has previously described the notorious incident as ‘a very cynical plan, motivated by sheer greed’.
Ingram’s £1million question was: ‘A number 1 followed by 100 zeros is known by what name?’ The options were a googol, which was the correct answer, a megatron, a gigabit or a nanomol.
Sheen’s role as Tarrant adds to the lengthy list of real-life figures the 50-yearold Welsh actor has played, including Tony Blair, Kenneth Williams, David Frost and Brian Clough.