In a festive television moment that had viewers both laughing and on the edge of their seats, rugby star Joe Marler made a dramatic exit from the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Christmas Special, securing a hefty sum for charity.
The Boxing Day Quiz Show Drama
The celebrity edition of the iconic quiz show returned to ITV on Boxing Day, hosted by Jeremy Clarkson. The episode featured Joe Marler, the 35-year-old rugby union player and star of The Celebrity Traitors, in the hot seat. Marler was playing to win a potential £1,000,000 for his chosen charity, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
After a strong start, Marler successfully navigated the questions to reach the £64,000 milestone. However, the next question, worth a life-changing six-figure sum, brought his run to a sudden and humorous halt.
'I Want To Leave Immediately'
The stumbling block was a tennis-themed poser. Marler was asked: 'Which of these multiple winners of the Wimbledon men's singles title has NOT been victorious in consecutive years?' The multiple-choice answers were Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Faced with the tricky question, Marler was candid about his lack of specialist knowledge. 'I wouldn't even know how to try and work it out,' he admitted to Clarkson. 'I love my sport, I love a bit of tennis, but I'm not a hardcore fan of it.'
He then delivered his now-viral line: 'I'm gonna have to... I want to leave. I want to leave immediately, if not sooner.' After Clarkson prompted him for the official phrasing, Marler confirmed: 'I want to leave immediately, if not sooner. Final answer.'
The Reveal and Reaction
Clarkson confirmed that Marler would be leaving with his £64,000 prize for CALM. Ever the provocateur, the host then asked what answer Marler would have guessed. The rugby player suggested he would have picked Pete Sampras, reasoning the other three were more dominant in their eras.
Clarkson, however, insisted on revealing the correct answer. 'If you'd have said Pete Sampras, you'd now be leaving here with £32,000. The wrong answer. The correct answer is Rafael Nadal,' he declared. Marler had therefore made the perfect decision to walk away with his substantial winnings intact.
The moment sparked a wave of positive reactions on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). One fan wrote: 'I love Marler. He's always top quality #whowantstobeamillionaire,' while another called for him to get his own show. Others simply celebrated the impressive charitable donation, with messages like: '£64,000! A nice win for Joe!' and 'Congrats, Joe Marler, for winning £64k for his charity!'
The Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Christmas Special, featuring Joe Marler's memorable appearance, is available to stream on ITV X.
