Is Who Wants to be a Millionaire in Its Best Era Ever with Clarkson as Host?

27th September 2022

Who Wants to be a Millionaire is back on screens in the UK for a brand new season, and once again Jeremy Clarkson is hosting the legendary quiz show. Fans will be delighted to see that there’s a new twist regarding how contestants are chosen, which should shake up the formula. This era of the millionaire-making offering could be its greatest ever, and there’s an argument to suggest that Clarkson is part of the reason why.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire Returns with New Concept

For those who’ve missed tuning into Who Wants to be a Millionaire on ITV during its annual hiatus, you’ll be glad to know that it’s back. Clarkson has been hosting the popular game show since it was rebooted in 2018, and the much-loved car enthusiast seems right at home in the chair. However, he has stated that he always feels uncomfortable when the contestants opt for the “ask the host” lifeline.

The new twist that will shake up the show’s current formula is that there will no longer be the fastest finger first round to determine who the contestants will be. Instead, the people will be chosen from the new sister show, Fastest Finger First. This has been running on weekday afternoons, and it’s hosted by Anita Rani. It should hopefully bring about a higher calibre of the player with a better chance of winning the million.

Legacy of the Series Has Spread Around the World

When Who Wants to be a Millionaire finished airing in the UK in 2014, it came as quite a shock to many. This series had been on air since 1998, and it was ingrained in British culture. The format had already earned a legacy around the world, with countless international variants of it cropping up in different countries.

Along with the television series, there have also been innumerable games created that use the format. Mobile users have the most abundant choice when it comes to quizzes based on the show, with versions of the game coming in a range of languages. The title is also one of the standout options on UK online casino list pages where slots are shown. Its iconic logo instantly attracts the eye in saturated game lists where players also have the chance to choose from titles like Wild Swarm and Irish Luck. The fact that the title has been at the top of the slots market for many years is a testament to the enduring popularity of the franchise.

Is Clarkson a Better Host than Chris Tarrant?

ITV clearly made the right decision to resurrect Who Wants to be a Millionaire after its four-year departure from our screens. Now, it’s a question of how long it will continue in its current format. Chris Tarrant was a national treasure thanks to his role on the show, but Clarkson has been a mainstay of our screens even longer and a lot of the British public may prefer the latter in the chair.

There are some aspects of Clarkson’s hosting that are clearly better than Tarrant’s. For example, the former Top Gear presenter has a great sense of humour and there seem to have been more comic occasions in the series since he took over. However, Clarkson would have to present for a much longer time to become a legend of the series like Tarrant.

It will be great to see Who Wants to be a Millionaire back on screens this autumn, and the new twist should help to freshen it up a bit as well. This era of the show has been incredible so far, and it may be about to get even better.