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.
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.
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.”
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.