The player had spent most of the show taking huge risks
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Player Loses £93,000 on Tricky US Capitals Question – Could You Have Got It Right?
A Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? contestant who had spent much of the show taking bold risks was left devastated after a wrong answer cost him a chance to win another £93,000.
Paul Sharpe, a self-confessed adrenaline junkie from Finsbury Park, North London, had impressed host Jeremy Clarkson with his fearless approach throughout Sunday night’s episode.
Paul repeatedly made guesses with little certainty behind them, yet Lady Luck appeared to be on his side for most of his time in the hot seat.
Even Clarkson was struck by his unusual playing style.
“I can’t remember ever having a contestant like you,” the presenter told him.
Paul eventually reached £64,000, with £32,000 secured as his safety net.
But his next major challenge would prove to be the one that ended his run.
The £125,000 Question
Paul was asked:
“Which of these is not the name of a US state capital?”
The options were:
A) Lincoln
B) Richmond
C) Cambridge
D) Dover
Paul immediately began working through the possibilities.
“I’m pretty sure that Cambridge is the state capital of Massachusetts,” he told Clarkson.
He was less certain about the other options, saying: “I think Dover is in the Mid West somewhere, so my gut feeling says Richmond.”
With two lifelines already gone, Paul decided to call his father, Dennis, for help.
Dennis sounded confident that the answer was Dover.
When Paul asked whether he was sure, his father replied: “Pretty sure.”
Clarkson joked about the confidence of the phone-a-friend.
“That’s the kind of person you want on the other end of the phone – clear, decisive, possibly wrong but who knows,” he said.
Paul Takes the Gamble
Given his history of taking chances, Paul decided to trust his father’s answer.
“I’ve been guessing stuff based on less than that before. Dover, final answer,” he said.
But almost immediately, Clarkson’s reaction revealed that something had gone badly wrong.
“Oh you’ve done it again, and you’ve just lost £32,000,” he told him.
The correct answer was Cambridge.
Paul had therefore correctly identified the answer himself before being persuaded otherwise.
“I’m so sorry. Lady Luck has ridden off,” Clarkson said.
Paul accepted the result, replying: “No problem at all. I’d never have guessed Cambridge in a million years.”
Although he missed out on the chance to climb from £32,000 to the £125,000 question’s prize level, Clarkson reminded him that he was still walking away with a substantial amount.
“Look at it this way, you’re winning £32,000,” he said.
The dramatic finish prompted a reaction from viewers, with one writing on X: “Who wants to be a millionaire and the guys doing brilliant until his phone a friend, rings his Dad, uses his answer and loses £32k.”
For Paul, the painful twist was that his own first instinct had actually been closer to the truth — but his final decision to trust the wrong answer cost him £32,000.