Who Wants To Be a Millionaire: New lifeline to place host Jeremy Clarkson under the ITV quiz show pressure

The show returns for seven new episodes to celebrate its 20th anniversary

(ITV / Sony Pictures Television)

Quiz show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? returns to ITV tonight (5 May) with Jeremy Clarkson in the presenter's chair.

The former Top Gear host takes over from original presenter Chris Tarrant for seven new episodes to mark twenty years since the series began, however, these episodes - which will air across one week - come with some revamped rules.

An additional lifeline - alongside classics 'Ask the Audience,' '50/50' and 'Phone a Friend' - will see contestants able to 'Ask the Host' placing Clarkson himself in the spotlight to help them go home with a hefty cash prize.

“If the contestant chooses that lifeline, they get to ask me if I know the answer,” Clarkson said. “God help them.“

He continued: “Anyone who doesn’t win £1,000,000 is bound, at some point, to ask me if I know the answer. And if it’s 1970’s prog rock music, I probably will. If it’s anything other than that, I probably won’t.”

This time around, each contestant will be able to set a personal “second safety net” which was usually £32,000 - they can pick any amount ranging from £2,000 to £500,000.

“They can choose where it goes. So they choose how much they are going to lose at any given moment, which is a very clever idea,“ Clarkson said. ”That requires balls of steel. To go beyond, say £32,000 when you’re going to drop back to £1,000 if you get it wrong.“

The long-running ratings hit, which aired its final episode in 2014, was one of the most popular game shows across the world.

It became a cultural phenomenon, with its catchphrases and lifelines of 50/50, ask the audience and phone a friends. The series hit the headlines in 2001 after a 'coughing' scandal which saw Charles Ingram cheat his way to the jackpot.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? begins tonight (5 May) at 9.15pm on ITV and will air nightly across the week at 9pm.