Who Wants to be a Millionaire back with Jeremy Clarkson as host – and a twist
CONTESTANTS on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? have relied on phoning their brainy friends for nearly 600 episodes.
But bosses have decided that in this modern age, they want their pals where they can see them.
When the show returns later this year, hosted by Sun columnist JEREMY CLARKSON, the lifeline will be ditched and instead contestants will be forced to video call their mates on Skype.
Rebranded Ask a Friend, it will stop helpers being tempted to Google an answer away from the eyes of producers.
A source said: “The familiar lifelines Ask the Audience and 50:50 will remain but bosses have decided to bring Phone a Friend up to date.
“The option they’re looking at will see contestants Skype their mates. The risk of a pal using the internet to find out an answer is too great now, and with £1million in play bosses aren’t taking any chances.
“But they also want everyone to be involved, even your nan who might not have Skype, so are trying to work out how to do that.”
Contestants’ cheating pals became such a big issue on the US version that the show was axed in 2009.
The UK series, which ended in 2014 after being presented by CHRIS TARRANT since 1998, returns this spring for its 20th anniversary.
Jeremy, host of The Grand Tour, will ask the questions, as revealed by The Sun, and ITV plans to air seven episodes in a week.
That could be an expensive seven days for them if the contestants’ luck is in.
Alesha's Miss-Chic
ALESHA DIXON may not be used to an early morning breakfast TV wake-up call, but it didn’t show.
The former MIS-TEEQ singer looked chic on her way to see my ITV colleague and pal LORRAINE KELLY yesterday.
And after spending months travelling up and down the country, she revealed Britain’s Got Talent is just around the corner – starting on April 14.
Alesha also talked about her mission to end period poverty, after research showed 140,000 girls in the UK skipped school because they couldn’t afford sanitary products.
Ainsley keen to peel off
HE’S become an unlikely sex icon with some besotted women viewers even dubbing him “the oily lord”.
And now AINSLEY HARRIOTT’s fans will finally get their fill of the chef, as he has signed up to star in ITV’s The Real Full Monty.
The telly cook will be seen stripping off alongside the likes of Towie star JAMES ARGENT, EastEnders actor JOHN PARTRIDGE and THE WANTED singer TOM PARKER to raise awareness of testicular and prostate cancer.
But Ainsley is not a bit nervous.
In an exclusive interview, he said: “I’m not getting in shape for it. My mate said to me, ‘Aren’t you worried about it?’ and I said, ‘When you get to 60, you don’t worry, your body’s your body, you’re not hiding anything any more.
“You’re not trying to prove anything anymore, this is what you’ve got’.”
The cook, who is an ambassador for The Big Lunch, which encourages neighbours to have street parties on June 3, had a second hip op last May.
By the sounds of it he’s more than ready to throw some shapes on stage.
Soapbox
AFTER breaking into Home Farm as her confusion continues to linger, Rebecca is arrested in EMMERDALE.
Elsewhere, David faces the consequences and Faith is desperate.
In CORONATION STREET Tim is stunned when Eileen says she wants him to keep quiet about what Phelan did.
Eva comes up with a plan to get Billy back home, and Tyrone springs into action when Hope and Ruby slip into the factory.
The battle between Mick and Aidan intensifies in EASTENDERS and the Queen Vic landlord does all he can to get rid of his enemy once and for all.
The ex-con won’t give up without a fight, however, and the two enemies have a stand-off.
Chris and Liv look so cosy
CHRIS HUGHES and OLIVIA ATTWOOD seem to be hanging out more now they’ve split up than they did when they were together.
Despite a bitter break-up after months of childish bickering, the pair reunited to watch the debut episode of their reality show Crackin’ On, above, despite refusing to do interviews together.
Their former Love Island co-star AMBER DAVIES revealed they had spent the night cosying up to each other on the sofa after she posted and deleted a snap of them.
An insider said: “Most people suspect they will get back together.”
They will do anything possible to stay in the limelight.
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