Who wants to be a millionaire? A Maldon teacher has been left "on cloud nine" after scooping £32,000 on ITV's big money game show.

Paul Callow's appearance on Who Wants to be a Millionaire was watched by millions on Saturday night.

But it had been an excruciating eight-week wait between filming the show and it being screened.

Mr Callow, 43, of Randolph Close, Maldon, said: "I have been trying to get on the show for five years and had several near-misses but I finally got there.

"Being there was really surreal, like playing it on a computer but actually being in the game."

After winning Fastest Finger First, Mr Callow found himself in the hot seat opposite Chris Tarrant.

But, having answered ten questions correctly to accrue a prize fund of £64,000 he was asked the £125,000 question: "According to legend, which flower is named after a boy accidentally killed by the god Apollo?"

Sadly his answer of Gladiolus caused his winnings to plunge £32,000. The correct answer was Hyacinth.

He said: "I will certainly never forget the answer to that question for a very long time. But I was more than happy to be walking away with £32,000, it was like a dream."

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Published Tuesday, November 15, 2005

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