A retired gardener has become only the second contestant to win the double jackpot of £20,000 on ITV’s Tipping Point.
Tom, 69, from Lincolnshire, said he had hoped to use the money to fund a family trip to Perth, Australia, where his second cousin is due to get married.
But due to coronavirus-related restrictions on international travel, he instead decided to split the money between himself, his wife and their two daughters.
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Tom fended off competition from three other contestants before tipping over a double jackpot token in the final round, throwing his hands up into the air and shouting: “That’s wonderful.”
Host Ben Shephard praised him for “dominating” the previous rounds, before adding: “It’s only ever been won once by Clive. You are joining a very elite group.”
Tom had started out strong, knocking eight counters off the machine during his first round, including a doubling counter.
The show, which has aired since 2012, sees members of the public tackle general knowledge questions to win counters which they use on an oversized arcade-style coin pusher machine, with only the eventual winner walking away with any money.
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Previously only one contestant, Clive Rushden, had gone home with the £20,000 jackpot, scooping the money in March 2020.
Speaking following his win, Tom said: “I’ve a lovely wife, two fabulous daughters and two young grandchildren.
“My hope was to use any winnings to sponsor a family trip to Australia – my second cousin was due to get married in Perth.
“For obvious reasons we weren’t able to travel, so I simply split the winnings four ways.”
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Tom said he and his wife are long-standing fans of the programme and that she had “dared” him to apply.
“I’d not slept the previous evening but the coffee did a great job in keeping my eyes open,” he joked.
“It was a great day though I often need to pinch myself to remind me it wasn’t all just a dream.”
Recalling his successful start to the show, he said: “The first round questions are comparatively straightforward but when one of the contestants quickly passed to me, I thought I may well be first out, as the machine often isn’t generous in the early stages.
“So when a few counters dropped – including a double – I knew I was in with a chance of progressing.
“To win a jackpot is every contestant’s dream, but the double jackpot was unbelievable.”
Tipping Point airs on ITV.
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