‘I’ve Watched Every Episode Twice’: £100k Drop Superfan Loses His Entire Fortune On The Very First Question
After eight years of following a television game show, one devoted fan finally got the opportunity to compete for himself. But despite knowing the programme inside out, Simon’s long-awaited appearance on The £100k Drop ended in spectacular fashion when he and his teammate lost every penny on the opening question.
Simon had spent years immersing himself in the Channel 4 show, watching every episode twice, catching up on behind-the-scenes footage and YouTube clips, and even visiting the studio three times before getting his chance to play.
When he finally appeared in front of host Davina McCall, he made no secret of just how much the programme meant to him.
“I’ve watched every episode twice, all the behind the scenes footage, the YouTube clips, and been to see it in the studio three times,” he explained.
For someone who had followed the show so closely, the opportunity to compete must have been a dream come true. Unfortunately, his knowledge of the programme would not be enough to save him from an unexpectedly short-lived appearance.
How The £100k Drop Works
Originally known as The Million Pound Drop, the game show returned with a smaller top prize of £100,000 in 2018.
The format puts contestants under pressure from the very beginning. Each pair receives £100,000, divided into 40 bundles worth £2,500 apiece, and must work through eight multiple-choice questions to protect as much of their money as possible.
For every question, contestants distribute their remaining cash across the answer or answers they believe are correct. Each possible answer is represented by a trapdoor, and any money placed on an incorrect option disappears when the door opens.
Whatever survives all eight questions belongs to the contestants.
Simon entered the competition alongside Maggie, a longtime friend he had chosen as his partner because he trusted her to remain calm under pressure. The pair appeared ready to put their knowledge to the test, but their first decision would prove disastrous.
One Pasta Question Wiped Out Their Entire £100,000
Their opening challenge concerned the origins of a familiar pasta sauce name.
Davina McCall asked: “The name of which pasta sauce derives from an Italian phrase literally meaning ‘in sailor’s style?’”
The four possible answers were carbonara, puttanesca, marinara and arrabbiata.
Simon immediately leaned towards marinara, reasoning aloud to Maggie: “Marina sounds sort of fishy, doesn’t it?”
However, Maggie was unconvinced. Simon had picked her for her cool head, but she quickly challenged his instinct.
“No, that’s too fishy,” she replied.
The pair then made their decision, placing a staggering £72,500 on carbonara and the remaining £27,500 on puttanesca.
It was an enormous gamble. With their entire £100,000 resting on just two answers, they needed at least one of those options to be correct to keep their hopes alive.
Then came the moment every contestant dreads.
First, the trapdoor beneath puttanesca opened, wiping out the £27,500 they had placed on it. Simon’s expression said plenty about what was happening, but the worst was still to come.
The trapdoor beneath carbonara opened next.
Their remaining £72,500 vanished, leaving Simon and Maggie with nothing after a single question.
Eight Years Of Fandom, Over In Minutes
For Simon, the result was particularly painful. He had spent eight years following the show, learning its format and watching countless contestants face the same nerve-racking decisions. Yet when his own turn arrived, his journey ended almost as soon as it began.
His appearance lasted barely more than a couple of minutes, bringing his hopes of winning a share of the prize money to an abrupt end.
To his credit, Simon appeared to take the crushing defeat in good spirits, at least on the surface.
Rather than letting the disastrous result turn into an argument, he tried to explain his original thinking to Maggie.
“Oh well, it’s alright. It sounded fishy didn’t it, so that’s why I said…”
His response suggested he was attempting to laugh off the mistake, even after watching the entire £100,000 disappear.
Still, losing such a substantial sum on the very first question was hardly the ending either friend would have imagined when they stepped onto the set.
Simon and Maggie had entered the competition hoping to make the most of their long-awaited television appearance. Instead, one question about pasta sauce brought their game to an immediate halt.
And after such a painful start, the pair might have needed a little time to cool off once they returned home, if only to make sure their friendship survived the experience.