Ant and Dec spark fury as ITV Limitless Win contestants lose £250k prize despite ‘correct’ answer: ‘Pay up!’
Viewers of Ant and Dec’s Limitless Win have accused the show of a major error that potentially cost contestants Richard and Lorna £250,000 during Saturday night’s episode.
The controversy erupted over a question about the length of a Henry vacuum cleaner’s electrical cable on the ITV game show.
The returning couple, who had already secured £30,000 from a previous appearance, found themselves at the centre of a social media storm after their answer was deemed incorrect by hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
The episode, which aired on January 11, saw fans quickly take to social media to challenge the show’s official answer, with many claiming evidence that the contestants’ response should have been accepted.
The question posed to the couple asked: “In metres, how long is the electrical cable on a standard Henry vacuum cleaner?”
Richard and Lorna carefully debated between eight and 10 metres for their answer.
“I’ve seen the eyes, and the hat, and the nose, but I’ve never seen how long the cable is,” joked McPartlin as the couple locked in their final answer of eight metres.
The pair were then told the correct answer was 10 metres, costing them two lives and the chance to bank £250,000.
The moment proved pivotal in their game, as they needed to provide the exact figure to secure the quarter-million-pound prize.
The couple had been hoping to use any winnings to take “friends and family to a big villa somewhere in Europe.”
Viewers quickly took to social media platform X to express their outrage, sharing supposed evidence that suggested both answers could be correct, including screenshots from Henry packaging.
“Interesting. Google has the henry cable at 8.4m. Interesting for £250k,” wrote one viewer.
Another demanded: “Pay up @ITV #limitlesswin Clearly they were right!”
“Henry hoover cable, 8.4mtrs, they guessed 8, then programme came up with 10 mtrs…. gone right off this quiz show,” posted another frustrated fan.
Several viewers shared screenshots from Google searches showing the cable length as 8.4 metres, while others pointed out that genuine replacement power cables for Henry vacuum cleaners are available in both 10-metre and 8.4-metre lengths.
The debate intensified as more viewers found conflicting information about the standard cable length across different sources.
In response to the controversy, ITV issued a statement defending the show’s answer.
“The correct answer was given as 10 metres. The source of this answer, as referenced on the show, is the official Henry website,” an ITV spokesperson told media outlets.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Lily Allen ‘spiralling’ as she checks into £8k-per-week trauma clinic after split from David HarbourSir Steve Redgrave suffering 30-year health battle causing issues with Dancing on Ice preparationMacy Gray blasted for ‘fuming’ reaction to ITV Masked Singer axe after storming off stage
A representative for ITV further emphasised: “All questions on the show are verified by professional third-party verifiers to ensure accuracy.”
Despite the debate over the vacuum cleaner question, Richard and Lorna still walked away with their previously banked £30,000.
The game show, which launched in 2022, allows contestants to climb a limitless money ladder by answering questions that require numerical answers.
Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win continues on Sunday, January 12 on ITV1 at 8pm.