TV

Quiz fans divided over Ingrams’ guilt as Major Charles insists tape played in court was ‘edited’

Charles and Diana Ingram were convicted in 2003

Quiz came to its conclusion on ITV last night and has left viewers completely divided over whether Major Charles Ingram and his wife, Diana, were guilty.

The couple were accused of cheating after Charles won the £1million jackpot on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Michael Sheen has won rave reviews for his portrayal of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host Chris Tarrant in Quiz, which has dramatised the scandal over three consecutive nights.

ITV quiz cast (Credit: ITV)
Quiz dramatised the Ingrams’ cheating scandal (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Quiz: Chris Tarrant believes there is ‘no question’ the Ingrams were guilty

A jury found them guilty

Charles’s string of bumbling guesses all being correct soon sparked suspicion amongst the production team.

Tecwen Whittock, a contestant waiting to be next in the hotseat, was allegedly feeding Charles the correct answers by coughing.

The trio were found guilty of ‘procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception’, and each recevied a suspended jail sentence and fines.

Charles and Diana have always professed their innocence (Credit: ITV)

Charles and Diana have repeatedly professed their innocence, with the Major even appearing on This Morning after the court case.

“I should make one thing clear and I’ll only say it once and then move on,” he said.

“We didn’t cheat on that show. There was no plan to cheat on that show. I won that money perfectly honestly and fairly and squarely.”

Quiz viewers have doubts over the conviction

Despite the evidence leading to a jury conviction, Quiz has left doubts in the minds of many viewers.

Others are sure they did it

However, others are still absolutely certain the Ingrams, and Tecwen Whittock were cheaters.

Charles questions the evidence

Charles Ingram himself has been vocal on Twitter since the drama began, insisting the tape played to the jury of the coughing had been edited.

Charles hits out

Charles has also hit out at Chris Tarrant, insisting in a reply to a follower that Chris should have heard the coughing “with all his experience.”

Another follower asked how Charles could stand Tarrant’s alleged “constant jibes” at him.

Charles responded that “Tarrant is not the person people think he is.”

The Ingrams to appeal

The Ingrams’ lawyer, Rhona Friedman, has revealed the couple are appealing their convictions.

They want them overturned on the basis that new audio analysis casts serious doubt on the evidence used to prosecute them.

She will allege it may have been altered before being presented to the jury.

“Speaking to them and meeting them, I just know that they did not do it,” Ms Friedman told The Guardian.

Read more: Quiz vs real life – who are the people behind the TV drama?

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Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)