Judith Keppel made history in 2000 as the first contestant to win the £1million jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? After over 50 attempts to secure a spot on the show, the former garden designer finally got her chance, investing more than £100 despite financial struggles at the time.
Today, 24 years later, Judith still holds onto her original million-pound prize, choosing to reinvest rather than spend extravagantly. Three years after her win, she joined BBC Two’s Eggheads, a quiz show she remained a part of for 19 years before stepping down in 2022.
Judith continues to watch Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, now hosted by former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson since 2018. However, she doesn’t shy away from expressing her doubts about his knowledge. “Frankly, he knows nothing,” she quipped. “Ask him a geography question or something about cars and he might know, but there’s no point asking him anything else.”
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Despite this, Jeremy often acts as a vital lifeline for contestants in difficult moments. Yet, the host admits supporting players on the show is still nerve-wracking. Speaking to Heatworld, Clarkson said, “No, it’s still terrifying. I was doing reasonably well on average getting them right, but this series, I have been really useless.”
Jeremy views the show as a test of memory rather than a way to expand one’s general knowledge. “I don’t think the show improves anyone’s general knowledge, it just tests it. It’s very useful because I can never remember where I put my spectacles, but somehow I know the national beer of Sri Lanka is Lion. You think, ‘How is that in my head?’”
Despite hosting the quiz show, Jeremy confessed it hasn’t made him a popular choice for pub quizzes. He recalls an amusing incident when he answered “Edelweiss” as the original name of New York’s JFK Airport, only to discover it was “Idlewild.” Feeling proud but disappointed, he said, “They wouldn’t let me have it. It was ridiculous. I’ve vowed never to do a pub quiz again.”
Meanwhile, Judith’s winning moment was marked by a mix of knowledge and gut instinct. She correctly answered all 15 questions, including the final one: which king was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine? The choices were Henry I, Henry II, Richard I, or Henry V. Despite not being 100% certain, an “insane gambling-instinct urge” guided her to the right answer, Henry II, earning her the million.
Since Judith’s historic win, five others have claimed the jackpot, the most recent being Donald Fear in 2020.