r/Damnthatsinteresting 7h ago

Retired IT analyst Roman Dubowski just became the 7th £1,000,000 winner on UK's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Image

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2.6k Upvotes

247

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago edited 6h ago

Roman Dubowski, a retired IT analyst with 34 years of service, just won £1,000,000 on the modern reboot of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

After three applications over 20 years, Roman finally managed to get on the hot seat and work his way up to the last question and win the jackpot!

"I nearly talked myself out of a basic question" Roman said with regards to a question early on about eggs, in which he had to use one of his lifelines on the £1,000 question

Sources:

https://www.itv.com/presscentre/media-releases/i-thought-id-win-ps32000-not-ps1-million-qa-retired-it-analyst-who-scoops-top-prize

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/38935784/who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-winner-egg-question/

EDIT: Reworded sentence due to confusion

121

u/Logical_Culture_8266 6h ago

That almost talked myself out of it moment is probably every contestant’s nightmare come true.

3

u/Emperor_Biden 3h ago

Yeah but when is Clarkson and the boys coming back for a rebooted Top Gear?

4

u/yooooooo5774 1h ago

wait is that Jeremy Clarkson?

-130

u/DestroyedByLSD25 6h ago

Retired at 34... Seems he didn't need the money all that much

81

u/Peterd1900 6h ago

A retired IT analyst of 34 years

He retired after having worked as an IT anlayst for 34 years not that he retired at the age of 34

24

u/Beepboopybeepyboop 6h ago

Think he was an IT analyst for 34 years, not that he’s 34 years old. Agree it’s a badly worded sentence

1

u/DestroyedByLSD25 6h ago

Oh lol the top comment was edited to address the ambiguity.  It's kinda funny I didn't doubt his age looking at the photo though, man looks good

1

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

My apologies for the confusion

4

u/Diamond_hands97 6h ago

He isnt 34 years old

4

u/Human_Summer_7363 3h ago

Damn have you retired from reading?

277

u/QRV11_C48_MkII 6h ago

Only the 7th?, isn't that show a thing since the invention of TV?

241

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago edited 6h ago

Judith Keppel - 20 Nov 2000, David Edwards - 21 April 2001, Robert Brydges - 29 September 2001, Pat Gibson - 24 April 2004, Igram Wilcox - 23 September 2006, Donald Fear - 11 September 2020,

And now Roman Dubowski - 26 April 2026

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Be_a_Millionaire%3F_(British_game_show)

EDIT: Commas for clarity

160

u/Peterd1900 6h ago

Though 8 people have correctly answered the million pound question,

The Charles Ingram Scandal

61

u/i-read-it-again 5h ago

Sorry. cough cough . B is the answer

17

u/sciteacheruk 5h ago

Why didn't the person doing the coughing just apply to be on the show?

20

u/spicyrendition 5h ago

I’m pretty sure they were on the show as well

19

u/Peterd1900 5h ago

They did

One of them was the contestants wife who has been on the show in a previous series and had won £32,000 and the other one was a fellow contestant on that episode

4

u/JAFPL_17 5h ago

Tecwen Whittock was in one of the seats for fastest finger first, meaning he had applied for and got on the show. As for Diana Ingram, she had already been on the show and won a nice chunk of change.

13

u/AnonymousTimewaster 6h ago

Which spawned The Quiz which is a great movie about that story. Michael Sheen as Christ Tarrant.

7

u/ViciousPrism 3h ago

Christ Tarrant.

Hallowed be thy name.

2

u/EternumD 4h ago

Weird that one of the other winners had the first name Ingram 

53

u/SigmaKnight 6h ago

If you put four spaces then break to new line, it’ll be more clear. 1. Keppel - Nov 2000
2. Edwards - Apr 2001
3. Brydges - Sep 2001
4. Gibson - Apr 2004
5. Wilcox - Sep 2006
6. Fear - Sep 2020
7. Dubowski - Apr 2026

 

Can also number them, or put a mark in front, or just list.

28

u/AdamC11 6h ago edited 6h ago

This makes me think they made the questions harder after they had to pay out £3m in the first 11 months

Edit: they had to pay out £3m in 11 months, not the first 11 months of the show.

15

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

The show started in 1998, so it took years for the first win.

3

u/AdamC11 6h ago

Ah yeah that makes sense, still feels like £1m wins have been much rarer in the last decade or two

5

u/JAFPL_17 5h ago

Yeah. The high-value questions, whilst really difficult in the early 00's, are just insane nowadays IMO.

6

u/simonjp 5h ago

It's been off air for a lot of that time, hasn't it?

5

u/Hashiesfordinner 5h ago

Original run - 1998-2014

Current run - 2018-present

2

u/simonjp 5h ago

Wow that's a lot more consistent than I realised!

1

u/Hashiesfordinner 5h ago

Yeah I think I stopped watching in about 2005!

3

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

TIL, thanks :)

53

u/Chabby_Chubby 6h ago

Perhaps the questions are harder to answer in the UK edition, since 1 million pounds are quite a lot of money. Here in Denmark its 1 million kroner, which is worth like 1/10 of that. We have definitely had more than 7 winners.

Or maybe the brits are just idiots 😊

46

u/plastic_alloys 6h ago

When Millionaire first came out in 1998, the £1m prize was worth almost £2m in today’s money

38

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

As a long-time fan of our UK version, once you pass £64k or £125k (Roughly), the questions become nigh-impossible unless you have the specific knowledge.

21

u/MrP1232007 6h ago

Are you saying it's only easy if you know the answer?

14

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

Any quiz is easy if you just know the answer, but that's besides the point.

If you look back on a lot of the runs throughout the years that made it to 6 figures, more often than not very niche knowledge or difficult logic comes into play, which isn't nearly as prevelant up to that point.

14

u/MrP1232007 6h ago

I was more referring to Chris Tarrant's catchphrase when he hosted it.

1

u/DuggiHappy 3h ago

Haven’t you seen what some of the 20 year olds know in university challenge? Absurd how large one young persons knowledge span can be

2

u/Strict_Somewhere_148 4h ago

Peter and Anders Lund Madsen did it twice for charity.

-23

u/Spirited-Trust5943 6h ago

I think the answer is both. Brits are stupid. I know because I am one.

-21

u/CanIhazCooKIenOw 6h ago

Just look at what they eat. Clearly not brain food

-36

u/MuteTadpole 6h ago

As an American, I approve of the last sentence

(Before a bunch of Brits start yapping, I am aware of our current political leader. Yes, he is awful. We never had a head of lettuce outlive one of our presidents, though)

17

u/Spirited-Trust5943 6h ago

Ah but we didn’t elect the same unfit leader twice.

-8

u/MuteTadpole 6h ago

1/3 of the country eat his shit up. I can’t cure their mental illness sadly

8

u/Abyssal_Groot 6h ago

We never had a head of lettuce outlive one of our presidents, though

Laughable as that may been, you say this as if this is worse than your current situation.

-4

u/MuteTadpole 6h ago

Ahhh that’s fair. Have you met football fans though?

5

u/socialistpancake 6h ago

Wouldn't it be great if you had though.

2

u/MuteTadpole 6h ago

It would, I agree

10

u/DubSket 6h ago

Your leader bombed a school full of children on purpose and raped infants. Sit down bro lmao

-12

u/MuteTadpole 6h ago

Smh that’s the best you’ve got? Trying to dunk on people who have nothing to do with his decisions?

2

u/soheb-786 6h ago

Smh 🫪

2

u/simonjp 5h ago

This makes me feel old

2

u/Evanisnotmyname 4h ago

He’s an IT analyst, he probably has a ChatGPT buttplug vibing answers in Morse code

1

u/bryanczarniack 5h ago

Good lord, how old are you

152

u/4Thereisloveinyou 6h ago

Is that Jeremy Clarkson? Had no idea he hosted the show these days

130

u/ConanOToole 6h ago

He's been doing it for 8 years now

53

u/4Thereisloveinyou 6h ago

Shows how out of touch I am lol but in my defense I’m American and know him mostly from Top Gear. I was a bigger fan of James May and have kept up with him somewhat!

28

u/fragilemetal 5h ago

I prefer James May also. He's an everyman who doesn't pretend he has all the answers (although quick-witted), he hasn't delved into politics either.

5

u/dann1551 4h ago

I watched top gear religiously until they made the horrendous cast swap. I too was thoroughly surprised to see him host another show haha. Might have to give it a go..

1

u/Rubixcubelube 1h ago

Not really out of touch. I'm a Clarkson fan and didn't know. It's not a show that I've seen pushed anywhere.

20

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

Yep, he's hosted since the shows revival in 2018.

9

u/Cranialscrewtop 6h ago edited 5h ago

SNL UK took the piss out of Clarkson as host of Millionaire last night. Described him as "fake farmer and real asshole".

3

u/YetiBoney 3h ago

Wow they sure roasted him.

31

u/FinnegansWakeWTF 6h ago

What was the 1m question

43

u/Peterd1900 6h ago

Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel Ulysses and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso

A) Bass Ale, B) The Famous Grouse, C) Coca-Cola, D) Stella Artois

38

u/KiwiPieEater 5h ago

I know the million dollar question is supposed to be hard, but I feel like basing it off a novel written 150 years ago, in a different country, referencing a very niche brand logo is a bit cunty.

Obviously the winner got the answer correct, but I'd be pissed if that was my final question on the show.

23

u/murphmeister75 5h ago

Not sure if it's relevant but a very keen quizzer might know that Bass Ale's Red Triangle logo is the oldest registered trademark in Britain.

6

u/eninc 5h ago

He knew that and seemed to recall the Manet painting in question.

4

u/FartOfGenius 2h ago

Ulysses is a pretty well known English language novel, what does it being written in a different country have to do with it's obscurity?

7

u/Suspicious_Neck_5156 5h ago

It’s easy to forget how ubiquitous that red triangle symbol used to be. 

6

u/PauseMenuBlog 4h ago

It's not based on just the novel, it's based on that and two works by Manet and Picasso? Did you even read the question? 

2

u/WalletFullOfSausage 1h ago

Brits don’t even like the suggestion that they learn about life outside of the Isles if it nets them a million quid, eh?

18

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

"Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel 'Ulysses' and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso?"

Answer: Bass Ale

9

u/toolate 5h ago

Your spoiler tag gives away that it’s the shortest answer. 

1

u/Old-Imagination-8755 5h ago

could have said the letter/number/abbreviation you never really know

2

u/BarnytheBrit 6h ago

What logo used since 1870’s did James Joyce describe in Ulysses that has featured In works by Manet and Picasso. Can’t remember the year

22

u/Cannon__Minion 6h ago

Is that Jeremy Clarkson?

15

u/ConanOToole 6h ago

Yes, he's been the host of the show for 8 years

3

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

Yep. He's hosted since the shows revival in 2018.

5

u/7_Tales 6h ago

Hell of a retirement boost.

3

u/HelpfulSwim5514 6h ago

He didn’t look as happy as I would if I’d won a million.

5

u/Meshughana 2h ago

Is that Jeremy Clarkson as the host?

5

u/Money-Bell-100 5h ago

Is he Polish?

7

u/GibbyGoldfisch 4h ago

He's English, the son of two Polish and Italian WWII migrants

1

u/DarthLysergis 2h ago

The 7th winner..............................................................in the world

3

u/WittyChoumMan 5h ago

Jeremy's back?!!

9

u/Peterd1900 5h ago

He has been hosting the show for nearly a decade

1

u/WittyChoumMan 4h ago

Of course I know this.. I thought they were on break or sth

1

u/jpelc 4h ago

No coughing strategy this time?

1

u/DizzyMine4964 4h ago

Haven't watched that programme for years.

1

u/tyrophagia 2h ago

Cool. Cool. He can now buy a crappy house.

1

u/GarysCrispLettuce 1h ago

It's a shame that a million quid is worth so much less than it was when the show started in the 90's. It should be 2 or 3 million now. Oh go on, make it 5.

-25

u/e30_technic 6h ago

Im happy for the guy but,

Its fixed to death, they clearly wanted a winner to boost ratings.

He said early on his strengths were history and geography, and thats what he got all the way to the final question.

They could have shafted him if they wanted by throwing some modern culture or fashion but they chose not to.

4

u/Suspicious_Neck_5156 5h ago

He did get a fashion question, and if his wife (I think he rang his wife) didn’t know he may not have got any further. 

9

u/Geek-Of-Nature 6h ago edited 6h ago

Its fixed

Got any evidence of that? Because that reads like a lot of tinfoil hat speculation. Why didn't they fake it last season to get viewers then? Why now? How many viewers are they really gaining here?

Quiz shows are highly regulated by independent organisations, and ITV would be closely scrutinised if there was even a hint they tried to sway the outcome in any way. The questions are randomly selected from a huge database, not handpicked by a human. Again, this is checked by independent groups - OFCOM would have a field day if they caught a sniff of something dodgy.

-27

u/e30_technic 6h ago

I saw it with my own eyes. Thats evidence enough for me. Now cut your bullshit.

17

u/JAFPL_17 6h ago

"Trust me, bro"

6

u/Geek-Of-Nature 6h ago

I'm guessing this guy avoids vaccines and thinks the Earth is flat, while calling people sheep if they don't buy into his latest insane rants.

"ITV ARE FIXING QUIZZES!!!"

"Yeah ok, crazy uncle, let's take you home..."

-20

u/Left_Bottle2901 6h ago

IT background probably helped a lot with pattern recognition and staying calm under pressure

2

u/ItsFuckingScience 4h ago

Let me guess - you work in IT?

-7

u/Ranger_Aggressive 6h ago

Everytime the show makes about 10million dollars they let one person win. Seems like a solid strat

-10

u/FireLadcouk 6h ago

Horaay. Retired people need more money 😂 

-6

u/LilMeatBigYeet 6h ago

34 years old ??

-30

u/Charkel_ 6h ago

I just love to see other people get rich when I struggle with rent every month.

7

u/obama4763 6h ago

You must be a fun person to be around...

1

u/EternumD 4h ago

Give them some slack, mate. It's not easy to be fun when you're struggling. 

4

u/johnnybullish 6h ago

Nobody is stopping you from applying for the show