Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestant accidently reveals behind-the-scenes filming secret

Host Jeremy Clarkson saw the funny side of the slip-up

A contestant on the latest instalment of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? accidentally revealed a little-known behind-the-scenes secret.

Last weekend’s episode of the hit ITV quiz show featured a contestant called Maria King.

The episode finished partway through Maria’s run of questions, with the end being signalled by a loud sound effect.

As Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? viewers no doubt are aware, the show’s format allows Maria to resume her quiz at the beginning of the next episode.

When the klaxon sounded, host Jeremy Clarkson asked the contestant: “Do you know what that means?”

To which Maria unexpectedly replied: “I’ll have to go and get changed.”

She then hurriedly added: “I’m not supposed to say that, am I?”

Rather than film each episode separately, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in fact shoots multiple episodes at once.

Contestants leave the set at the end of each epiosde and return an hour later wearing different clothes, to give the illusion of time passing.

Clarkson saw the funny side of the slip-up, laughing before acknowledging the discrepancy for the benefit of the audience at home.

Loose-lipped ‘Millionaire’ contestant Maria King (ITV)

“That’s exactly what it means,” he said. “You’re absolutely right, I will be seeing you in about an hour’s time – but as far as the viewers are concerned, you are going home. You are going to be panicking ‘oh no’ and then we will see you next week.

“So you are absolutely right, that is the end of the show, you do have to go and get changed, and Maria will be back ‘next time’, it says on the autocue, to see if she can get further than £4,000.”

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? airs on Saturday at 9.30pm on ITV.