Series 1 (UK)

Series 1
Host	Chris Tarrant
Start Date	4th September 1998
End Date	25th December 1998
Number of Episodes	11
Prize Winnings
£64,000 Winners	6
£16,000 Winners	2
£8,000 Winners	2
£2,000 Winners	2
£1,000 Winners	7
£500 Winners	1
Total Winnings	£443,500
Average Winnings Per Contestant	£22,175

The first series of the UK version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was the very first series of the show to air anywhere in the world. It premiered on ITV on 4 September 1998 and ran for ten consecutive nights until 13 September 1998, with a Christmas Special following on Christmas Day 1998. The series was hosted by Chris Tarrant.

Episodes

• Episode 1 (4th September 1998)

Graham Elwell (£64,000)
Rachel da Costa (£500, continued)

• Episode 2 (5th September 1998)

Rachel da Costa (£8,000)
Arlene Harper (£1,000 - lost on £8,000)
Ross Jackson (£300, continued)

• Episode 3 (6th September 1998)

Ross Jackson (£64,000)
Tina Bird (£1,000 - lost on £2,000)
Samantha Thomas (£100, continued)

• Episode 4 (7th September 1998)

Samantha Thomas (£16,000)
John Stewart (£2,000, continued)

• Episode 5 (8th September 1998)

John Stewart (£16,000)
John McKeown (£64,000, continued)

• Episode 6 (9th September 1998)

John McKeown (£64,000)
Craig Logue (£2,000)
Judith Beacroft (£4,000, continued)

• Episode 7 (10th September 1998)

Judith Beacroft (£1,000 - lost on £8,000)
David McNab (£1,000 - lost on £4,000)
Matthew Asbury (£4,000, continued)

• Episode 8 (11th September 1998)

Matthew Asbury (£64,000)
David Thompson (£8,000)
Eva Whittam (£100, continued)

• Episode 9 (12th September 1998)

Eva Whittam (£64,000)
Derek McMorrow (£500, continued)

• Episode 10 (13th September 1998)

Derek McMorrow (£1,000 - lost on £32,000)
Donna Minors (£2,000)

• Christmas Special (25th December 1998)

Dave Reagan (£64,000)
Andy Woodcock (£1,000 - lost on £2,000)
Donna Clark (£1,000 - lost on £4,000)
Cheryl Turner (£500)

Lifelines

• 50:50
• Phone-a-Friend
• Ask the Audience

Trivia

• This was the only series, anywhere in the world, to air in 1998.
• This was the only series of the UK version in which Fastest Finger First consisted of simply answering a multiple-choice question in the fastest time. The more familiar format, of putting four answers in the correct order, was introduced in the next series.
  • The original Fastest Finger First format continued to be used on both Australian versions of the show - the original version and the later Hot Seat version, and also used on the first season of Spain version.
• The show's very first contestant, Graham Elwell, walked away with £64,000 without using his Ask the Audience lifeline.
• In the very first episode, for unknown reasons, the £100-£1,000 question soundtrack did not play during the first 5 questions for both contestants; however, it did play during the £1,000 question. As this was the launch show episode, it may have simply been a mistake, given that a handset telephone was also used for "Phone-a-Friend" during Graham's run.
• Cheryl Turner remains the only contestant on the UK version to have won £500. Sheridan Booth walked away with this amount in series 3, but was later stripped of his winnings when it was discovered that he had a criminal record.
• Craig Logue remains the only contestant on the UK version to have used all three lifelines on the £1,000 question.

Preceded by None

UK Series Series 1

Succeeded by Series 2