Contestant Loses £186,000 in Phone A Friend Fail

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host  was stunned as a contestant lost out on £186,000 after a disastrous Phone A Friend attempt with her dad.

The  game show crowned its latest jackpot winner last week when Roman Dubowski took home the £1million prize, but one of this week's players was not as lucky.

Jen Essery Lillikakis became the second-biggest loser in show history after taking to the hot seat hoping to win big to pay for an exotic honeymoon with her newlywed husband Kyri, who was seated in the audience.

She tackled the early questions - on topics including art, Shakespeare, sportswear brands and cookery - with ease, before being left baffled and ultimately left losing the second largest sum of money the show has ever seen.

Upon reaching £32,000, Jen opted to Ask The Audience which musical instrument is closely associated with since the 1880s – steel drum, ukulele, kazoo or washboard.

The audience correctly pointed her to ukulele, with the contestant setting her safety net to £64,000.

On the £125,000 question, Jen utilised the 50/50 and Ask The Host lifelines.

It asked: 'Which of these multiple winners of the best actor Oscar has only been nominated twice for the award but won on both occasions – Sean Penn/Daniel Day-Lewis/Adrien Brody/Anthony Hopkins?'

She correctly answered Adrien Brody, followed by also successfully advancing past the £250,000 question.

Unfortunately, Jen's luck took a big downturn on the £500,000 question.

This asked her: 'According to Guinness World Records, which of these has travelled at over 260 miles per hour during a competitive game or match? Tennis ball, ice hockey puck, badminton shuttlecock or table tennis ball.'

She used the sole remaining lifeline, Phone A Friend, to ask her dad Chris, but he didn't know the answer.

Host Jeremy issued a stern warning: 'You are now completely on your own and have no more lifelines. If you get this wrong, if you go for it and get it wrong, you lose £186,000.'

Jeremy also pointed out to Jen that she could choose to not answer the question and walk away with £250,000.

She responded: 'Would I be more annoyed at giving it a go and getting it wrong… or not giving it a go?'

Jen selected ice hockey puck, only to soon discover the correct answer was badminton shuttlecock.

Reacting to the big loss, Jeremy said: 'Oh my god you have just lost £186,000! It is unbelievable you took a punt on that. You need a bravery award for that.' 

Taking it on the chin, Jen said: 'Well, that's fine. I have won £64,000.'

She now holds the title of the show's second-biggest loser, surpassed only by Nicholas Bennett, who answered the £1million question incorrectly last year and lost out on £375,000. 

Last week, retired IT consultant Roman Dubowski

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire airs on ITV1 and ITVX.