Quiz [ITV]

JP Liz V1

ITV’s three-part factual drama Quiz will premiere on Monday April 13th at 9pm and will then air daily in the same time-slot, it has been announced.

Quiz tells the story of Major Ingram, his wife Diana and an accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, who was sitting in the audience, who were accused of cheating their way to a million pounds on the most popular game show on earth in 2001. The couple stood trial for conspiring by coughing during the recording to signify the correct answers to the multiple choice questions posed by Chris Tarrant.

The three-part drama, which was penned by James Graham and directed by Stephen Frears, is produced by Left Bank Pictures and stars Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) as Major Charles Ingram, Michael Sheen (Masters Of Sex) as Chris Tarrant, Sian Clifford (Fleabag) as Diana Ingram, Mark Bonnar (Line Of Duty) as Celador Television Chairman Paul Smith, Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders) as Sonia Woodley QC, Michael Jibson (The Thirteenth Tale) as Tecwen Whittock, and Aisling Bea (This Way Up) as ITV Entertainment Commissioner Claudia Rosencrantz.

https://www.tvwise.co.uk/2020/04/itv-sets-premiere-date-for-quiz/

S.M.B.

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

ITV’s three-part factual drama Quiz.... [/url]

Had never heard of this before but after reading these opening words I knew exactly what this was going to be about.

Skid X

Looking forward to this one, trailer here

Harry Palmr

bump for quiz tonight 9 PM and tomorrow

icdg

Unfortunately doesn’t appear to have been picked up by any Irish station (yet).

Amazing to think of the impact of WWTBAM - it has already been central to the plot of a feature film (Slumdog Millionaire) and now a three part mini series.

Shakyfan

S.M.B. wrote: »

Had never heard of this before

Lucky you! They've been trailing it to death on ITV. Must be in every commercial break for the last couple of months...

Lisha

It will surely be on virgin media 3 at some stage.. can’t record itv currently

icdg

Very good, though felt odd to watch a drama on its first run broadcast with commercial breaks these days. Ashling Bea has a bit part as ITV executive Claudia Rosencratz in episode 1, so there’s a bit of Irish interest there too.

Harry Palmr

Michael Sheen was so good as Tarrant it took me a while to realise it was him (which is not to say I thought Chris was playing himself!).

Skid X

This was very enjoyable

I wasn't expecting to see the guy from Apres Match running ITV! The underground Millionaire resistance is fascinating, I didn't know anything about that.

Surprised Virgin Media are not showing this at the same time as ITV, maybe ITV want to keep it for themselves for now. I'm sure it will make it to one of the Irish Channels soon.

S.M.B.

Shakyfan wrote: »

Lucky you! They've been trailing it to death on ITV. Must be in every commercial break for the last couple of months...

Luckily I don't have any reason to ever watch ITV. Found it a challenge to do so tonight.

Enjoyed the show. They really did create something so unique that 20 years later we are still watching a dramatisation of an episode of a quiz show.

extra gravy

That was enjoyable, helped by a great cast. If forgotten how much of a cultural phenomenon it was.

Wow im shocked at how nationwide, elaborate and underground the whole con was. It wasnt just a case of some random guy ending up in the chair and being helped by some randomer he barely knew.

I actually felt sorry for the major in one way who was an unwilling participant to many extents. I dont think the punishment seemed to fit the crime in the end. He was kicked out of the army, and eventually had to sell his house, etc. Their children got bullied in school. I read an article from the ever so classy Sun Newspaper where they roasted him and took great pleasure in his bad luck.... a paper who accused the Liverpool fans at Hillsborough of all sorts without any real proof.

On top of this ITV are making probably far more money from this story than he ever could have conned out of them.

maudgonner

Entertaining so far, liked the look to camera at the end :pac:


Just reading an article about the event, I didn't realise the dates of his appearances - 9th and 10th of September, 2001.

Harry Palmr

So what are you saying?!

maudgonner

Obviously it was all part of an Al Quaeda plot that used 5G and Manchurian Candidates to pull it off!


(No, but it is just an aspect of the story I had never heard before - he won the night before the world changed)

Harry Palmr

Charles Ingram was actually a MOSSAD agent!

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Charles Ingram was actually a MOSSAD agent!

Final answer? :pac:

maudgonner

maudgonner wrote: »

Entertaining so far, liked the look to camera at the end :pac:


Just reading an article about the event, I didn't realise the dates of his appearances - 9th and 10th of September, 2001.

He done that also at the end of tonights episode too i noticed

Skid X

The ITV Continuity announcer had a mare tonight, he said Quiz would be coming up "starring Martin Sheen and James MacFadyen"


Michael Sheen posted this in response, (and changed his twitter name)


https://twitter.com/michaelsheen/status/1250151620148674562



https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a32147339/quiz-michael-sheen-slams-itv-continuity-error-name/

Skid X

Skid X wrote: »

The ITV Continuity announcer had a mare tonight, he said Quiz would be coming up "starring Martin Sheen and James MacFadyen"


Michael Sheen posted this in response, (and changed his twitter name)


https://twitter.com/michaelsheen/status/1250151620148674562



https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a32147339/quiz-michael-sheen-slams-itv-continuity-error-name/

One hell of an actor.... Both Michael and Martin of course (but Michael in this particular example)

maudgonner

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Charles Ingram was actually a MOSSAD agent!

Was that before or after Harry Pearce threw him out of MI:5?

Also, the writer tweeted this just now, so I'm not the only one who remarked on the timing:

https://twitter.com/mrJamesGraham/status/1250164836350275584

freshpopcorn

I never knew that there was so much cheating going on in the show.

Skid X

This was the best line in it, you just know there is someone in ITV thinking "Celebrity Crime Squad? ... that has potential"


https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1250163977423917057

dark crystal

This is just so enjoyable!

Just one thing...in tonight's episode, they said they weren't going to air the episode, but I remember watching the episode where he won the million.

At least I think I did..am I going mad??

freshpopcorn

dark crystal wrote: »

This is just so enjoyable!

Just one thing...in tonight's episode, they said they weren't going to air the episode, but I remember watching the episode where he won the million.

At least I think I did..am I going mad??

I saw Chris Tarrant on something lately and he said lots of people think they saw the episode but they showed it a documentary sometime later.(I think).

dark crystal

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I saw Chris Tarrant on something lately and he said lots of people think they saw the episode but they showed it a documentary sometime later.(I think).

Ah that would make sense then. Weird how your memory plays tricks on you!

I still remember when Judith Keppell won it - such a great TV moment of it's day.

extra gravy

dark crystal wrote: »

This is just so enjoyable!

Just one thing...in tonight's episode, they said they weren't going to air the episode, but I remember watching the episode where he won the million.

At least I think I did..am I going mad??

I was just thinking the same. Remembered Judith Keppel winning but couldn't remember this...now I know why!

2smiggy

remembering back I was full sure I had seen the episode on TV as normal too !! the mind is a funny thing

icdg

They did air it, just once, long after it had been made and the criminal proceedings had concluded, on ITV2 directly after the Tonight special about the case.

freshpopcorn

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I saw Chris Tarrant on something lately and he said lots of people think they saw the episode but they showed it a documentary sometime later.(I think).

its on youtube...or highlights of it at least

dark crystal

I really enjoyed that - that last episode was definitely veering towards the fact they were innocent. Their barrister was very convincing!

rapul

dark crystal wrote: »

I really enjoyed that - that last episode was definitely veering towards the fact they were innocent. Their barrister was very convincing!

Yeah definitely portraying them as moreso innocent, sad about the dog wonder is that true but very enjoyable all round

I thought the defence presented some solid arguments... Could it actually be beyond reasonable doubt??? I think ITV wanted to make an example of the Major and his wife in order to send a strong message to the syndicate (who was on their radar).

I think two things didnt work in their favour. 1, Diana's brother in the studio. 2, the sudden change of mind on Craig David (so suddenly after the cough) and this is what ultimately convicted them.

Harry Palmr

I've gone from hanging Judge to give them a hug! I think they were sunk by circumstances and group think.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I've gone from hanging Judge to give them a hug! I think they were sunk by circumstances and group think.

Yes, same here. If i was in a jury and heard that evidence, there is no way I would say they were guilty. Jury's sometimes get things wrong....Ched Evans being a strong example.

dark crystal

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought the defence presented some solid arguments... Could it actually be beyond reasonable doubt??? I think ITV wanted to make an example of the Major and his wife in order to send a strong message to the syndicate (who was on their radar).

I think two things didnt work in their favour. 1, Diana's brother in the studio. 2, the sudden change of mind on Craig David (so suddenly after the cough) and this is what ultimately convicted them.

I watched the episode on youtube a few nights back and his strategy was definitely...odd. Although like his barrister said, that could well be confirmation bias at play on my part.

The thing with WWTBAM is that even the most ardent gambler would balk at risking so much money on questions they didn't seem to know in the first instance - I mean, you either know something or you don't. That was the whole concept of the show - how much would you be willing to risk on your general knowledge, or lack thereof.

Ok, so, he didn't know where in the UK the river Foyle was or who Audrey's daughter in Corrie was (although over 80% of the audience knew that one), but as the money and the risk got bigger, he just seem to wing it. He initially gave the wrong answer to almost every question from then on before changing his mind at the last minute and with huge money at stake. Very strange.

The coughing thing is a puzzler though. I mean the Whittock guy played straight after him and only managed to win £1,000. Hardly an egghead! Maybe they agreed to split the winnings, so he wasn't overly motivated to win big that night knowing he was already sitting on a pile of cash. But for the fact Celador withheld Ingram's money, would there have been a money trail between the pair? We'll never know.

It's a very interesting case!

Zaph

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes, same here. If i was in a jury and heard that evidence, there is no way I would say they were guilty. Jury's sometimes get things wrong....Ched Evans being a strong example.

They were convicted on a majority verdict, so at least one juror wasn't convinced that they were guilty.

Harry Palmr

Although this wasn't explored maybe the fact Ingram wasn't really a quizzer and was quite comfortable as a Commissioned Officer (about 60k in today's terms) so wasn't himself that worried about blowing 468k of what he "had" even if his wife would have been.

That said there was this later on which sounds pretty bad. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ingram#Insurance_fraud_case

dark crystal

dark crystal wrote: »

I watched the episode on youtube a few nights back and his strategy was definitely...odd. Although like his barrister said, that could well be confirmation bias at play on my part.

The thing with WWTBAM is that even the most ardent gambler would balk at risking so much money on questions they didn't seem to know in the first instance - I mean, you either know something or you don't. That was the whole concept of the show - how much would you be willing to risk on your general knowledge, or lack thereof.

Ok, so, he didn't know where in the UK the river Foyle was or who Audrey's daughter in Corrie was (although over 80% of the audience knew that one), but as the money and the risk got bigger, he just seem to wing it. He initially gave the wrong answer to almost every question from then on before changing his mind at the last minute and with huge money at stake. Very strange.

The coughing thing is a puzzler though. I mean the Whittock guy played straight after him and only managed to win £1,000. Maybe they agreed to split the winnings, so he wasn't overly motivated to win big that night knowing he was already sitting on a pile of cash. But for the fact Celador withheld Ingram's money, would there have been a money trail between the pair? We'll never know.

It's a very interesting case!

ITV/Celador failed to provide any real solid evidence to support any real collusion other than the telephone calls from Diana to Whittock the night before which could have been to say anything really.

Im bemused with Chris Tarrant in particular who was a pretty poor witness for the prosecution and yet he is contionusly adamant in the media that they are 'guilty as hell' in spite of being of any use in terms of supporting the prosecutions argument. He is even adamant he copped nothing but yet asserts they are guilty as hell :rolleyes: This is based on the confirmation bias in the ITV studios

I really dont think that not knowing the Coronation St was in anyway unusual. Plenty of smart people detest soaps. Hardly makes him a thicko. The river foyle is also in the North of Ireland. While in the same 'country' technically speaking, it is not on the same island. The Craig David 'u-turn' i admit i did find strange.

I think what the evidence proved is that the coughing was a really weak argument. In a dry studio with a bit of dry ice for effect im sure it would be hard for anyone to intake, especially with Whittocks condition.

Skid X

Very enjoyable show, I have sympathy for Charles and Diana and Tecwen - I suspect there might be at least 'reasonable doubt' on their convictions


I would recommend the 1994 Oscar Nominated movie 'Quiz Show' if anyone is looking for similar viewing material

I don't know where you could watch it legally *cough*

Zaph

Zaph wrote: »

They were convicted on a majority verdict, so at least one juror wasn't convinced that they were guilty.

Which given the evidence i find strange. id have been at least split on it.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Although this wasn't explored maybe the fact Ingram wasn't really a quizzer and was quite comfortable as a Commissioned Officer (about 60k in today's terms) so wasn't himself that worried about blowing 468k of what he "had" even if his wife would have been.

That said there was this later on which sounds pretty bad. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ingram#Insurance_fraud_case

The false claims were before he went on Millionaire.. He might have told lies to keep his premium down but it came back to haunt him

dark crystal

Skid X wrote: »

Very enjoyable show, I have sympathy for Charles and Diana and Tecwen - I suspect there might be at least 'reasonable doubt' on their convictions


I would recommend the 1994 Oscar Nominated movie 'Quiz Show' if anyone is looking for similar viewing material

I don't know where you could watch it legally *cough*

Brilliant film!

freshpopcorn

It did make me wonder would they pick up more people cheating if they put other episodes under the microscope!

Harry Palmr

Well the whole show was "gamed" by the invisible quiz army, about 10% of winnings went to that cohort.
Which maybe helped to explain what I commented upon myself when WWTBAM was on air in its early days* (*and I was still watching it) - that it was very very white middle class and "home counties" biased. An observation enhanced by the fact the set was dark coloured and the audience was usually dressed in dark hues so the racial profile was rather obvious.

freshpopcorn

freshpopcorn wrote: »

It did make me wonder would they pick up more people cheating if they put other episodes under the microscope!

Evidence for the defence as part of the ingram trial pointed to Judith Keppell (the first UK millionaire winner) and there was coughs just as the options were being called out to her also on that. not suggesting any wrong doing (or either was the defence) but establishing the like for like situation

Morgans

I know that the drama was to cast doubt on the whole thing but guilty as sin, for me Clive. The Judith Keppel argument is moot really. a) She wasnt changing her mind - not to rule out whether she was getting secondary confirmation from a 'syndicate' member in the audience b) has proven herself an established quizzer since.

Edit: Having watcher her back, Judith doesnt read out all the options to give an accomplice the opportunity in the version currently on yputube. When stuck she uses her lifelines intelligently. Any coughs would have been incidental (using that version as evidence).

By far and away the most likely scenario was that Charles was a stooge for his wide/brother in law who knew that the quiz could be gamed for a large pay off. The Craig David change-up where its clear that wife coughs was inexplicable. I think the video is damning. He was as was mentioned Tim Nice But Dim and wasn't good enough as an actor to be non-committal while reading out the options. Less than 1% chance of being innocent in my mind. Whether I could prove it I dont know. But Id bet there hasnt been a millionaire who has won the million having inexplicably changed his mind correctly as often as he did. I looked at some youtube clips after the programme and the gasp that he talks about with the A1 answer is very faint (if it can be heard at all). Maybe edited out.

I feel a bit sorry for the Tecwin lad who may have just got a phone call out of the blue and ended up going down for something he may not have seen as serious.

S.M.B.

Morgans wrote: »

By far and away the most likely scenario was that Charles was a stooge for his wide/brother in law who knew that the quiz could be gamed for a large pay off. The Craig David change-up where its clear that wife coughs was inexplicable. I think the video is damning. He was as was mentioned Tim Nice But Dim and wasn't good enough as an actor to be non-committal while reading out the options. Less than 1% chance of being innocent in my mind. Whether I could prove it I dont know. But Id bet there hasnt been a millionaire who has won the million having inexplicably changed his mind correctly as often as he did. I looked at some youtube clips after the programme and the gasp that he talks about with the A1 answer is very faint (if it can be heard at all). Maybe edited out.

Not only was he not good enough as an actor, he completely self sabotaged the whole plan by saying things like "I don't know who Craig David is". Surely anyone with any degree of sense would not be as reckless by throwing out statements like this when trying to cheat their way to £1 million.

Mehaffey1

Watched the 3 episodes all last night and really enjoyed it. You'd swear Michael Sheen was Chris Tarrant's brother, one high quality actor.

As to the case itself I'd say guilty as sin but did feel for the family in terms of how badly they were treated nationwide and in their community. The temptation for a 'sure thing' is always great not taking into consideration it was a million pounds involved!

All that fandango

Brilliant series, and Michael Sheen..wow. More like Chris Tarrant than Chris Tarrant himself. One thing I didnt really get though if someone could explain. The guy who was head of ITV, tall slim grey hair northern Irish accent...why did he look quite guilty or nervous about something towards the end like he knew something everyone else didnt?