A former Harwich police sergeant has appeared on TV gameshow, Deal or No Deal – and was rewarded for a cheeky comment he made to host Noel Edmonds.

Darren Deex, 28, got a £100 on-the-spot prize for a quip about Edmonds’s dress-sense. He asked Darren what was the most outrageous thing he’d seen on the show, and the Harwich dad quipped “your shirt, Noel”.

Darren, now an inspector, based in Chelmsford, got the call to appear on the show on his birthday – and thought it was a wind-up.

Wife, Gemma, 25, said: “It wasn’t until we got the confirmation letter we started getting excited, and a bit nervous.”

In the game, contestants can win as much as £250,000 – or just a penny. Darren is sworn to secrecy about how he fared until it is broadcast on Channel 4, at 4.10pm next Thursday.

Gemma said: “Darren had a really good time. He said Noel was a good bloke and a really good laugh. It was a great experience for him.”