Revealed: Richard and Judy quiz scam

Channel 4 has launched an investigation into claims that one of its flagship programmes has been cheating its viewers to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds.

Every day, an average of 15,000 viewers pay £1 a time to enter The Richard & Judy Show's You Say, We Pay competition. But it emerged yesterday that viewers were allegedly being encouraged to call a premium-rate number long after the day's competitors had already been selected.

According to emails leaked to The Mail on Sunday, 24 contestants are selected randomly by computer within minutes of the show going on air at 5pm. Yet long after the telephone service provider has informed the programme maker of the shortlist, the competition number appears on screen enticing the audience to call in.

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 - which shares the profits from the game equally with the programme maker Cactus TV - said "something had obviously gone awry" but they could not believe that anyone had deliberately set out to deceive the public.

"We take these claims seriously and will be investigating them fully," said the broadcaster. "Channel 4 is committed to ensuring all our on-air competitions are conducted fairly and transparently and we reject any suggestion that we would knowingly mislead our viewers in any way."

Thousands of people phone the show every day for the chance to compete in the charades-style game, in which the husband-and-wife duo try to guess the names of objects or celebrities from clues provided by the viewer.

But the competition was pulled from the show on Friday - with its makers claiming that there was a "technical problem with our telephone supplier"- after the newspaper approached the television company with the allegations. Yesterday, the broadcaster said the competition would remain off air until a full investigation had taken place.

The leak suggested that as many as 32,000 people telephoned the premium-rate competition line run by service provider Eckoh, which is contracted by Channel 4, in one week this month with no chance of winning.

According to The Mail on Sunday, winners are selected by computer within the first five to seven minutes of the telephone line details appearing when the show begins at 5pm. The newspaper said it had obtained a copy of an email sent by Eckoh to Cactus TV timed at 5.09pm last Wednesday listing the names and numbers of 24 potential winners. An email acknowledging receipt was reportedly sent by Cactus four minutes later, yet at 5.19pm, a second "solicit" was broadcast on the show inviting viewers to try their luck.

There was no evidence to suggest that the hosts of the show, Judy Finnegan and Richard Madeley, had any knowledge of the problem.

The Labour MP Rosemary McKenna, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said the panel would look into the issue. The committee recently investigated dedicated quiz television channels and issued a stern report that such games must be transparent and inform viewers of the cost of taking part. What was different about the current allegations, Ms McKenna added, was that they suggested the programmers had continued to ask people call in after potential winners were chosen.

"That, of course, is extremely concerning. That could be considered fraud. I was shocked that Channel 4 could be potentially involved in this," she added.

Channel 4 said: "Our contract with the provider clearly states they must comply fully with the codes that govern competitions of this nature drawn up by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS)."

A spokesman for Cactus TV said they were taking the matter very seriously and investigating it fully.

The phone line provider Eckoh said it provided a service to broadcasters "in accordance with all regulations and codes of conduct. So when it came to the attention of our staff that, in their view, the You Say, We Pay service on the Richard & Judy show was not operating in a fully compliant way, we raised this with Cactus. We also proposed changes to the way the competition operates, in writing to Cactus to ensure that it was in our view able to run in a compliant manner."

Rules of the game

According to leaked emails, this is how the competition works:

* 5.01pm Viewers are invited to call a premium rate number for a chance to become a contestant.

* 5.06pm-5.08pm The 24 potential winners are selected randomly by computer.

* 5.09pm Service provider Eckoh informs programme producers Cactus of the list of 24 by email.

* 5.13pm Cactus acknowledges receipt of email.

* 5.19pm The premium rate number appears on screen again, encouraging viewers to continue to call, despite the fact contestants have already been selected.

* 5.38pm It is announced on air that a contestant has been chosen.