Who Wants to be a Millionaire

[terrygee]

Is there anyone out there who has been in the audience on the show and can answer this for me. When a contestant 'asks the audience', does every member of the audience have to supply an answer? I'm thinking of a particularly hard question when only a few would have a clue as to whether the correct answer is A,B,C or D. Do those who haven't the remotest idea have to opt for one of the answers, and if they do, how can a contestant rely on the answer given? Terrygee.

[dzug]

There are occasions when the audience seem evenly divided and therefore the contestant can't rely on the answers. That's part of the point of the contest.

Whether every audience member has to guess I've no idea.

[Consie]

terrygee - what you may think of as a particularly hard question may be easy for others. Tonight, for instance, I caught the last half of the programme. I could answer the �250,000 question without having any options on the screen, but an earlier question on monarchical history had me stumped. However, I think the trick is to use the audience for a 'popular' subject like soaps, pop stars, TV programmes etc and have lots of erudite friends at the end of the phone...

[huggles]

Only 100 selected people have a machine to give the answer to the audience questions

[terrygee]

Thanks for your replies, but the answer isn't any clearer. If only 100people have the machines, and of that 100, 40 don't know a particular answer and don't answer, and the other 60 are split evenly 30 for one option and 30 for the other, does Chris say' 50% of the audience say such and such, or 30% say such and such? I'm trying to establish if the 'ask the audience' is a help or a guess!

Terrygee

[BazLegg]

Every member of the audience gets a handheld machine on which to vote. But voting is not obligatory - and you're told that when first taking your seat.... I am in the audience of the show due to be shown on 4th Feb....

[Dkeyse]

Which proves that Chris Tarrant's phone calls are fixed, and the date on the cheque he keeps pushing in front of the camera has been post-dated. The whole show is heavily edited and recorded weeks in advance! In other words one big con!

[BazLegg]

The show's not that heavily edited just a few re-takes for camera angles, make up etc. The phone calls are real but dont take place on the actual night the show is aired - just the night the show is recorded (usually a Wednesday by the way)

[Melbur]

I think if the question is very hard you wouldn't ask the audience, you would phone a friend who you know is clever that's why you/ve chosen them to help you.

Dkeyse, As part of my metal picture of you Who wants to be a millionaire isn't your type of programme, I think you're more Mastermind! the cheques are dated the day the show is tranmitted

[Dkeyse]

How have you got a METAL picture of me, Melbur?

[terrygee]

Many thanks for all the replies, but especially that from BazLegg who has settled the matter.

Terrygee

[toecrusher]

we were in the audience a couple of years ago, everyone gets a keypad, but its not obligatory to vote. it certainly is not a con!, just isnt live on the night its transmitted. its a great night, we were lucky, 2 contestants got to 250,000, very exciting to be a part of it. have a great night!

[Melbur]

Dkeyse, I'm really sorry, that I didn't run my "thread" through my spellchecker, I'm sure you know I meant MENTAL, but you seem very hard, meaning strict, so perhaps METAL was correct.

[Donnamp]

I was on the show about a year ago - not successful however, my finger wasnt fast enough! None of it is fixed even though it is pre-recorded. Chris told us on the night to use ask the audience wisely as even if they didnt know the answer, most were likely to guess or copy their neighbour just to take part! He also advised that we did not share our own thoughts/hunches before using that lifeline as the audience could be swayed! It was a great experience and one I will repeat if lucky

[Top Cat2]

Interesting. The programme format is identical I think in whichever country it is made, even down to the music. In the French version, the hostess will say something like, audience only press the button if you know the answer.