Sirasa Lakshapathi

About the ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ (WWTBAM) International Concept

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is a primetime game show featuring members of the public, first produced in the United Kingdom on the ITV network in September 1998.

The original concept was to create a format and system which would be able to offer an unprecedented top prize of One Million Pounds for contestants who would be successful in answering a sequence of general knowledge questions. In reality, the game's extraordinary success was by no means dependent on a contestant winning the top prize.

The first UK series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? was produced as 10 thirty-minute pro-grammes stripped in primetime on subsequent days. This was a unique and innovative scheduling decision taken by the ITV network, but the programme was not originally conceived to be aired in such a fashion. It is clear from the success of WWTBAM throughout the world that it is the format which is strong and that any variation of schedule can be deployed without reducing WWBAM's ability to deliver extraordinary audience shares.

Over the years WWTBAM has been refreshed and updated in many different guises and this document outlines all the successful changes that have been made in terms of both gameplay and visual/audio elements.

THE FORMAT

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is designed as a primetime quiz show. The running time can be between thirty and sixty minutes including commercials.

The first contestant is chosen from ten short-listed contestants who are all present in the studio. They are asked a ‘Fastest Finger First’ question* which requires them to place four events or names etc. in the correct order. The contestant who answers correctly in the fastest time is chosen to play the main game first. There can be, and generally is, more than one participant per programme.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? has one host who asks a number of multiple-choice questions, each with four answers and only one being correct, to one contestant at a time. If the contestant answers correctly, they win an amount of money. They are then shown the next question and four answers, the correct one of which is worth a greater sum of money. In most cases, this is double the previous sum. If the contestant answers correctly again, they win a greater amount of money. If they answer any question incorrectly, they are eliminated from the game and their winnings go back to a previous ‘safe’ amount which, if the contestant was in the process of answering:

1. # 1st question • ₨1,000
2. # 2nd question • ₨2,000
3. # 3rd question • ₨3,000
4. # 4th question • ₨5,000
5. # 5th question • ₨10,000 (guaranteed sum)
6. # 6th question • ₨20,000
7. # 7th question • ₨35,000
8. # 8th question • ₨50,000
9. # 9th question • ₨75,000
10. # 10th question• ₨125,000 (guaranteed sum)
11. # 11th question • ₨200,000
12. # 12th question • ₨300,000
13. # 13th question • ₨500,000
14. # 14th question • ₨1,000,000
15. # 15th question • ₨2,000,000

A contestant can decide to stop at any time, after having viewed the next question, and collect the money they have accumulated to that point. For assistance, the contestant can use one, two or three ‘lifelines’ at any time.

A contestant can only use each lifeline once but is not obliged to answer a question even if they have used one or more.

The lifelines are:

• ‘Fifty: Fifty’

Two answers are eliminated, leaving the correct answer and one randomly selected incorrect an-swer.

• ‘Ask The Audience’

Each member of the audience is equipped with a keypad with the letters A, B, C & D on it. When requested, they press the button within fifteen seconds or less to indicate which they think is the correct answer. No matter how many members of the audience press the keypad (and often, some do not register their opinion in time), the computer displays the results as a percentage.

• ‘Phone A Friend’

The contestant is allowed to talk on the telephone to one of up to five pre-arranged friends and ask their advice as to what they think is the correct answer to a question. The friends do not know the question in advance and are only mentioned by the contestant once the host allows the participant to do so. They have thirty seconds to answer.

After question-ten, the contestant will be eligible for the 'Switch’ lifeline.

• ‘Switch’

This lifeline activates, only after the contestant successfully answers the level 10 (Rs. 125,000) question. If a contestant does not like a particular question, then the question may be “switched” to be replaced with another question. Once the contestant has decided to use this lifeline, the music stops and the host asks the contestant what he/she thinks the answer may be before the question is changed. In a walkaway situation, the answer tabs are highlighted as to what answer the contestant has given, and what is the correct answer. Once the answer has been revealed, the director cuts the question strap off the air and the computer is reset and ready to reveal the new question. The new question is cued in over the shot of the host and the contestant and the game resumes as normal with the music re-cued.

Once a contestant leaves the hot seat, for whatever reason, they are replaced by another who goes through the same process. If the running time of the programme expires while a contestant is play-ing they are invited to return on the next programme to continue.

It is important that there is a keyword for the contestant to use to indicate to the host (and the computer operator) that the answer can be locked in. In Sri Lanka, it is referred to as the ‘Final Answer’. Once this has been said, there is no going back – the contestant cannot change his/her mind. Final answers can be held over a commercial break to create suspense, but it is important that a question does not remain “open” during any break in recording, or in any other circumstances, so there is no opportunity for a contestant to receive clues/answers from any individual.

Every contestant must bring a ‘Friend’ with them on the recording day. The ‘Friend’ can also be a member of the family or a colleague. Anyone who does not bring a friend with them will be denied the opportunity to take part in the programme. (For celebrity specials, a friend is permitted, but not necessary).

Once having been on the hot seat, the contestant can never return to it during the “normal” pro-gramme. Special dispensation from 2waytraffic international is required to allow a former hot seat contestant to return.

“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” Rules and procedures for shows cast through auditions

PART A: ENTRY AND PARTICIPATION

1. APPLICATION STAGE Applicants may enter the competition by dialling 7788

2. AUDITION STAGE 2.1 Sirasa TV shall select candidates from the pool of applicants at its sole discretion and its decision shall be final. Only selected Applicants will be contacted by the Sirasa TV and no correspondence will be entered in to.

2.2 Once contacted by telephone the Candidate shall receive an invitation to audition for the studio stage. Sirasa TV shall use reasonable endeavours to offer the candidate an audition at his/her proffered location and at a time convenient to the candidate. In the event that no such offered date is convenient to the candidate, s/he shall be deemed unavailable and disqualified from the competition. Once the candidate has confirmed his/her intention to attend the audition, he/she shall do so at the time and location offered by the number (“Unique reference number”). This number is personal to the candidate and non-transferable.

2.3 Attendance at the audition shall not guarantee the participation of the candidate in any television programme.

2.4 Attendance at the audition shall be at the candidate's sole cost and expense.

2.5 The candidate shall bring to the audition his/her unique reference number together with photographic ID and proof of current address (by way of example, a current passport, photo driver's licence and/or recent utility bill). Failure to supply satisfactory proof of identity shall result in disqualification.

2.6 The form of the Audition shall be explained to each candidate by a staff member of the Lakshapathi team on the candidate's arrival at the audition venue. The candidate shall follow the instructions given by staff members in order to be considered for selection as a contestant.

3. AUDITION STAGE

3.1 Sirasa TV shall select contestants from the pool of candidates at its sole discretion and its decision shall be final. Only selected candidates will be contacted by the Lakshapathi team.

3.2 Each contestant shall be notified of Sirasa TV's decision by telephone within one calendar month of his/her Audition. A maximum of five attempts at a reasonable time of day will be made to contact such contestant via the telephone numbers provided by the contestant in his/her On-Line Entry Form. Failure to make contact on the fifth such occasion shall result in disqualification. 3.3 Once contacted by telephone the contestant shall receive an invitation to attend the Studio for the Studio stage. Sirasa TV shall use reasonable endeavours to confirm a Recording Date and/or to offer the Contestant a recording date at a time convenient to the contestant provided that the contestant acknowledges that such recording date is subject to change. The Lakshapathi team shall endeavour to confirm the recording date as soon as practicable. In the event that no such offered date is convenient the contestant, s/he shall be deemed unavailable and disqualified from the competition. Once a confirmed recording date is notified to Contestant, s/he must confirm his/her intention to attend not later than 5 (Five) working days following such notification, failing which such contestant shall be disqualified. 3.4 Attendance at the studio shall not guarantee the participation of the Contestant in any television programme. 3.5 The Candidate shall bring to the studio stage his/her Unique reference Number together with photographic ID and proof of current address (by way of example, a current passport, photo driver's licence and/or recent utility bill). Failure to supply satisfactory identification shall result in disqualification. 3.6 On arrival at the studio on the recording date each contestant shall be met by a representative of the company. The contestant shall then be required to sign an agreement which sets out that the contestant shall comply with all reasonable instructions of the Sirasa TV and its representatives, consents to the recording of his/her contribution to the studio stage and to the broadcast and all other exploitation of such contribution; and consents to the publication of his/her and image in all media worldwide. 3.7 Contestant shall not leave the Set unless so instructed by the Lakshapathi team or its representatives. Failure to comply with this paragraph shall result in his/her disqualification from the competition.

4. THE COMPETITION 4.1 At the studio stage the company shall select 10 contestants to compete with one another in that part of the competition known as “Fastest Finger First” in order to select a show player. 4.2 Each show player shall be invited to answer up to fifteen general knowledge questions of increasing difficulty with multiple choice answers so as to afford him/her the opportunity of winning a maximum of Rs. 2 Million (two million rupees). 4.3 The show player shall be shown one of up to fifteen general knowledge questions together with four possible answers and invited to give an answer. The show player shall not be obliged to answer but the game will end at this point if no answer is given. If available, the show player may choose to use a lifeline prior to answering the question. 4.4 If the show player answers a question incorrectly his/her participation in the game will end and his/her prize fund will decrease to the maximum stipulated for the question group for which the show player is currently playing (as shall be explained in detail at the studio stage) and shall be entitled to payment in the amount of such prize fund. 4.5 A show player must use each lifeline once only and may use any one or all his/her lifelines on any question. 4.6 A show player may nominate a person as the “Phone a Friend” Lifeline option. The show player shall have the choice of whether or not to make use of the response given by such person during the use of such lifeline, and Sirasa TV shall bear no responsibility in this regard. No contractual or other relationship shall exist as between Sirasa TV and such person and Sirasa TV shall accept no liability whatsoever in relation to the participation of such person in the competition. Such person shall not confer with others nor consult any reference materials when responding to the show player over the telephone. 4.7 When the show player's game ends for whatever reason, the remaining nine contestants at the studio stage in question may be invited by the host at his sole discretion) to participate in the “Fastest Finger First” part of the competition in order to select a new show player. 4.8 Sirasa TV in its sole discretion shall determine whether enough material has been recorded at any one studio stage and may end the competition at any point on the recording date. In the event that a show player has had insufficient time on the recording date to progress as far as possible in his/her game, such show player shall be invited to the studio stage on the next recording date. 4.10 Payment of prize money to show players (as applicable) will be made on or after the fifteenth day of the month following the month in which the relevant studio stage took place.

Top Prize Winners – Sirasa Lakshapathi

Season – 04 Ms Apeksha Kumari – Rs. 2,000,000/= A student from Ja-Ela,

Season – 05 Mrs Chandima Pathirage – Rs. 1,000,000/= Housewife from Horana

Season – 06 Uruwarige Wannila Aththo – Rs. 1,000,000/= Indigenous Community Leader from Mahiyanganaya

Mr. Moksha Madusanka – Rs. 2,000,000/= Banker from Elpitiya

Season – 07 Ms. Hansani Kavindi – Rs. 2,000,000/= University Student from Elpitiya

Season- 08 Ms.Shukra Munawwar – Rs.2,000,000/= Student from Galle [1]

Awards won by the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in Sri Lanka:

Raigam Tele Awards 2012 – Best Game Show– Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Sinhala)

State Television Awards 2013 - Best Trailer – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Sinhala)

State Television Awards 2015 - Best Trailer – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Sinhala)

Raigam Tele Awards 2016 – Best Game Show – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Sinhala)

• Official website
• Sirasa TV LIVE