Speaking on Melbourne’s 3AW, Eddie McGuire has announced that January 2024 will see Millionaire Hot Seat take a hiatus.
“It’s with great pride and joy and also sadness that I announce this morning that Millionaire Hot Seat will go into hiatus at the end of January next year,” McGuire said on Friday morning.
“We will finish off this year and there’ll be a replacement show at five ‘clock on the Nine network after we hit our 25th anniversary when we go into 2024.
“I’ve had the privilege of being in everybody’s lounge room for a long time every night at five o’clock and I love the fact that so many people come and say, ‘I sit there with my grandparents and we did these things together’. It’s been a great privilege.”
Reflecting on some highlights from his tome on the show, McGuire recalled one man in particular.
“I had one guy who came on during the global financial crisis and he’s dressed in a suit, he was a businessman.
“He won about $250,000 from memory. We walked out and I normally go and get changed and come on for another show, and this guy had the wobbles.
“I asked him, ‘Are you OK?’ and he said, ‘You know, this was my last chance, I had to sell my house tomorrow if I didn’t win anything here. This is not life changing. It’s life saving.
“It changed my life, it changed a lot of people’s lives. Thank you for all your support.”
Nine’s director of television, Michael Healy, said: “Long-term fan favourite Millionaire Hot Seat, and its predecessor, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, have been fundamental pillars in our Channel Nine schedule for 24 years and will continue to be through 2023.
“For 2024 there will be a change, but for this year we look forward to bringing more triumphant stories to those who love the show and who play along with Eddie.
“For the past two and a half decades Eddie McGuire has made the show come to life, uncovered the great stories of our contestants, and has had the pleasure of handing over total prize money of more than $90 million.
“We thank him for his commitment to the show over those years and for the shows still to come, and look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Eddie into the future.”