Regis Philbin will again serve as host of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (Photo courtesy of ABC)
Story Created:
Aug 9, 2009 at 1:09 AM PST
Story Updated:
Aug 18, 2009 at 1:12 PM PST
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" will begin an 11-episode run on ABC Sunday, marking the 10th anniversary of its premiere on U.S. television.
The quiz show that made "Is that your final answer?" and "I'd like to
use one of my lifelines" catch phrases, will air at 8 p.m. Sunday through
Thursday through Aug. 23.
Regis Philbin will again serve as host.
Several modifications have been made to the original format, including
time limits for each question.
The "Double Dip" lifeline, where contestants can give two answers to a
question, has replaced the "50/50" lifeline, where the four choices were
reduced to two.
An "Ask the Expert" lifeline has been added, with longtime ABC News
reporter Sam Donaldson serving as the expert Sunday.
Experts on later episodes include ABC News chief Washington
correspondent George Stephanopoulos; former "CBS Evening News" anchor Connie Chung; and record-setting "Jeopardy!" contestant Ken Jennings.
Each show will end with a celebrity fielding one question for $50,000 to
benefit their charity of choice. Singer Katy Perry is Sunday's celebrity
contestant.
Celebrities on later episodes include Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast
and "Dancing with the Stars" champion Shawn Johnson; cooking show host Rachel Ray; professional basketball star Steve Nash; country singing star
Wynonna; actress Patricia Heaton; rapper Snoop Dogg; and television personality Lauren Conrad.
Thanks in part to its unprecedented top prize of $1 million, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" became a ratings and cultural phenomenon shortly after its Aug. 16, 1999 debut. It ushered in an era where big-money game shows and competition programs of various sorts became staples of prime-time programming.
ABC would eventually air 'Millionaire' four nights a week, leading to a ratings decline and its cancellation in 2002. A spinoff, "Who Wants to Be a Super Millionaire," with a top prize of $10 million, aired for 12 episodes in 2004 on ABC.
A syndicated version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" hosted by Meredith Vieira has aired since 2002.
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" initially aired in England. Versions have aired in more than 100 nations worldwide, the most for any television series.
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" has also earned its place in movie history as its Indian version served as the backdrop for the Academy Award-winning film, "Slumdog Millionaire."
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