Highlights
- Roman Dubowski became only the seventh winner of the £1 million jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
- A past visit to The Courtauld Gallery helped him answer the final question
- The retired IT analyst plans to buy a new home and travel after his win
An art gallery visit proved unexpectedly valuable
For Roman Dubowski, a trip to an art gallery turned into a £1 million memory.
The retired IT analyst from Stockport became just the seventh person to win the top prize on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? after recalling a detail from a painting he had seen years earlier at The Courtauld Gallery.
Dubowski said winning the ITV quiz show, hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, felt “unreal” and only fully registered once he got home and sat down with a cup of tea.
The £1 million answer came from a famous painting
The final question asked which trademarked logo, used since 1876, is referenced in Ulysses and appears in works by Édouard Manet and Pablo Picasso.
The possible answers were Bass Ale, The Famous Grouse, Coca-Cola and Stella Artois.
Dubowski immediately thought of Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, which he had previously seen in London. He remembered the distinctive red triangle on the beer bottles in the painting, a long-standing symbol of Bass Ale.
He still used his 50/50 lifeline before making his final decision. When only Coca-Cola and Bass Ale remained, he chose Bass Ale and secured the jackpot.
One earlier question nearly ended his run
Before reaching the final question, Dubowski admitted he experienced self-doubt over a question about the ingredients of basic mayonnaise.
Asked what is mixed with vinegar, mustard and oil, he turned to the audience for help. With 93 per cent selecting egg yolk, he followed their advice and moved forward. He later admitted he feared that question could have ended his run.
A quiet celebration followed
Instead of a lavish celebration, Dubowski chose a quieter approach. He said he went home, made a cup of tea and spent time processing what had happened over the previous day. His sister was the first person he called and he said she was “absolutely thrilled”. He also plans to share some of his winnings with his niece and nephew.
Third attempt finally paid off
Dubowski had previously tried twice to get on the programme. He first applied when Chris Tarrant hosted the show and tried again after lockdown without success.
After seeing a recruitment advert last year, he decided to apply once more. That decision turned an old museum visit into one of British television’s rarest quiz show wins.
