Yahoo News Fans divided over Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 'ask the host' lifeline
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? returned to ITV this week and along with it a new host and new rules – but what did people at home think about it?
Opinion was somewhat divided on the new host – former Top Gear presenter and controversially-sacked-for-punching-a-producer Jeremy Clarkson – with Chris Tarrant’s replacement taking the role in his stride, as he impressed and infuriated in equal measure.
But it’s one of the programme’s newest features that has got people talking. The ‘ask the host’ option is divided opinion and proven something of an interesting addition to the standard three lifelines of 50/50, phone a friend, and ask the audience.
On the first night of the new series (last Saturday), Clarkson was called upon for a cricket question – a subject he admitted to having no knowledge on or remote interest in. But despite his alleged clueless nature he gave the contestant the right answer through the powers of logic.
Night two saw him struggle with a motoring question of all things, when he failed to identify the shape of a ‘Stop’ sign and required the contestant to use his 50/50 as well.
Just last night the host was asked again by a stumped contestant, this time about art – a subject he also knows little about. To his credit, he didn’t say he definitively knew the answer, but gave it a go regardless. So instead of contender Sarah reaching £16,000, she gambled with a wrong answer and dropped back down to £1,000.
People expressed their thoughts on how useful the new lifeline was on Twitter. The response were mixed, to say the least…
@JeremyClarkson Now you know why Chris Tarrant didn't do 'ask the host'.
— Daniel Victor (@AlanJenkins2) May 8, 2018
ITV rethinking Jeremy Clarkson after every ‘ask the host’ question… #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire pic.twitter.com/8u7GNMuG5K
— Dean McCullough (@thedeanlife) May 7, 2018
Not @JeremyClarkson fault at all – think ask the host is a stupid idea – she should have tried phone a friend! #whowantstobeamillionaire
— anne hewson (@AnneHewson) May 7, 2018
‘Ask the host’ is utter genius and so ballsy from @JeremyClarkson #whowantstobeamillionaire
— Emma Cousins (@louisatimotei) May 7, 2018
@MillionaireUK – please make this a permanent fixture? @JeremyClarkson brilliant. Format changes brilliant. Ask the host and Clarkson’s reactions brilliant.
— Alex Edwards (@Alex_Edwards_UK) May 7, 2018
#WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire @JeremyClarkson pls dont ask the host unless is about cars, engines or something like that… to be safe lol
— Marlyn Guzmán ® (@Marlynguzman) May 7, 2018
Who was the brain who decided to introduce that "ask the host" in #MillionaireUK when the host is @JeremyClarkson who obviously has no general knowledge whatsoever?
— Monica Martin (@monmartin) May 6, 2018
So there's a new lifeline on #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire 'ask the host' and the new host is Jeremy Clarkson. The guy gets a question on driving and decides to phone a friend instead??!!
— Ian Hyde (@IanHyde1) May 6, 2018
It appears opinion on the new feature pleases, infuriates, and baffles everybody watching.
The other addition is setting one’s own safety net past the £1,000 mark, meaning constants get the option before each question (and prior to seeing it) whether they wish to set their net so they’re guaranteed to walk away with the figure they’re currently on.
The new series of WWTBAM? continues tonight, at 9pm, on ITV1, until this Friday.
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Everything you need to know about the new series of WWTBAM?
