Quiz: Michael Sheen is unrecognisable as Chris Tarrant in drama about Millionaire cheating scandal

A new drama about the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? cheating scandal is coming to ITV next year, and a first-look photo shows Michael Sheen looking almost unrecognisable as he transforms into host Chris Tarrant.

Sheen is playing the presenter in Quiz, a three-parter about the coughing trick that rocked the game show in 2001.

The image depicts Sheen in character as Tarrant, grinning at the paparazzi as he makes his way into court to give evidence against Charles and Diana Ingram, who were alleged to have conspired with accomplice Tecwen Whittock to cheat their way to winning £1m.

Whittock, who was seated in the audience with Diana while Charles was a contestant, was accused of coughing to signal when a correct quiz answer was read out by Tarrant.

The scandal and subsequent trial was adapted into a play by James Graham, who is now adapting it for television with director Stephen Frears.

Matthew Macfadyen and Sian Clifford will play the Ingrams, while Helen McCrory has been cast as Ingram’s defence counsel Sonia Woodley QC.

Mark Bonnar also stars as Celador Television Chairman Paul Smith, Michael Jibson as Tecwen Whittock and Aisling Bea as ITV Entertainment Commissioner Claudia Rosencrantz.

Quiz will air on ITV in 2020.