The 1% Club contestant says 'I won £99,000 but what happened next blew my mind'

A lucky contestant on The 1% Club has scooped a staggering £99,000 prize, describing the win as beyond his wildest dreams.

Daniel O'Halloran, a 24 year old from Rock Ferry on the Wirral, outshone his rivals to claim victory on the ITV quiz show, which aired last in May 2023. The series, hosted by comedian Lee Mack, challenges contestants with tests of logic and maths.

Intriguingly, it was Daniel's mum who signed him up for the show, which is a firm favourite with his family. When he set off for filming in Manchester in July 2022, he didn't seriously consider the possibility of winning the top prize.

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The 1% Club begins with 100 hopefuls who compete to reach the final round. Here, they must solve a question that only 1% of Brits can answer correctly, with the chance to win a whopping £100,000 jackpot.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Daniel said: "I was quite confident in getting to the latter stages of the show, but I never in my wildest dreams imagined taking home that much money. I thought if I got to £10,000 with no money to fall back on, I'd take the £10,000 and wouldn't gamble.In the initial plan, he had decided to stick to the safe limit of £10,000, a decision also supported by the audience and fellow players. However, he took a daring turn and went ahead to opt for the question that clinched the £99,000 deal.When this maths whizz found his answer was spot-on, he was over the moon. He exclaimed: ", reports the Daily Star.

Originally, he planned to play it safe and stick with £10,000 - a decision backed by the audience and other players. But in a bold move, he chose to answer the question that secured him the £99,000 prize.

When this maths mastermind realised he had the correct sum, his joy knew no bounds. He enthusiastically stated: "I lost control of my body. I was running around celebrating on stage in total shock. I never thought I'd be standing there on the show, let alone winning it."

Daniel shared the magnitude of difficulty keeping his momentous game show triumph under lock and key, admitting: "It was very difficult, there were some moments I nearly blurted it out or my family would ask me and I couldn't keep the smile on my face. I only told my grandma and a few friends."

He did reveal his secret to his granny while making his parents believe that the £10,000 he had gained from the quiz host was all he walked away with.

The exhilaration of revealing his win to his family while they gathered to watch his crowning glory on TV was unmatched. Daniel narrated, "When they were watching it, they couldn't believe I'd done it. It was the best thing to see."

His family's reactions could have been an entertaining show in itself, as Daniel recalled: "They were in total shock - they said some things you probably couldn't print in the paper! They couldn't believe I'd kept it secret."

Post-broadcast, Daniel has been basking in unexpected celebrity status within his neighbourhood: "It's been crazy. People in shops and in the streets have been asking me about it. I'm overwhelmed by how kind everyone has been."

He also showed gratitude to his fellow contestants and the show, stating: "All the other contestants were great and probably got me through it! Lee Mack was lovely too."

Despite the victory, Daniel is keen on being pragmatic about his winnings, suggesting: "I've got to be sensible, maybe look towards the house, pay the mortgage off. But I've got to enjoy it as well. I can't take this for granted."