McIntyres

Fans of Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel watched on as a lollipop lady took home one of the biggest jackpots in the show’s history after a dramatic final question

Michael McIntyre made dreams come true after an elated contestant on The Wheel bagged one of the biggest ever jackpots on the show. Lollipop lady Sally from Gateshead went all in in the final showdown, surprisingly choosing the game’s lowest-ranked celebrity to help her with the final question.

It saw her have the chance to scoop a £110,000 jackpot, doubling what she had banked in the cash builder throughout the show. After picking former rugby star Joe Marler as her famous face to help her, he joked: “I’m not doing it. I feel sick,” as he looked stunned she had gone for broke.

But together the pair somehow managed to unearth the right answer, correctly revealing that Jade Jones had medalled in the Olympics in Taekwondo. Sally, who had earlier this year recovered from lung cancer, had doubted herself after locking in the answer.

READ MORE: BBC The Wheel contestant’s heartwarming plan for £110k win revealedREAD MORE: The 1% Club apologises after major mishap leaves fans frustrated

Both she and Joe looked far from convinced they were onto a winner. But thankfully for the north-east based contestant, the ticker turned gold, giving her the huge six-figure sum.

The gobsmacked contestant couldn’t believe it as she gasped: “Oh my God,” before removing her glasses to wipe away the tears. She was in so much shock that she kept asking the celebs around the wheel, including Jill Scott and Roman Kemp, if this was really happening.

Revealing to comedian Michael how she would be spending the prize, she sobbed how she would treat her husband and friends who had helped her through her tough cancer treatment: “We can get the van and we can go off on our adventures,” she revealed.

“I can treat my friends to thank them,” she said before breaking down in tears again to a round of applause from the celebs and the audience. “What a year,” she continued.

“What a year, of course,” Michael replied. “You got the all clear this year.” “Oh my God,” she again exclaimed before revealing: “I’m not going to hang my lollipop up, mind! I love it… Oh my God. Did that just happen?”

“And well done Joe as well,” Michael added in between applause. He had helped whittle down the question to two answers, with Sally picking the correct one for a dramatic end to the popular gameshow.

Sally’s tears weren’t the only shed on the show on Saturday. Michael McIntyre said, “I wasn’t expecting this,” as the first contestant also down in tears.

Hannah, a data analyst from Macclesfield, revealed a special connection she had with rugby star Joe. “I struggled with mental health for quite a while,” she said.

“I never really had a hobby,” she went on before pausing as she began to tear up. “I was always kind of a lost kind of person growing up; I didn’t know if I was coming or going. This said person brought out a podcast about mental health and rugby”.

As she welled up again, she then told Michael: “I now play rugby; it is a massive passion of mine and if it wasn’t for Joe, then I wouldn’t be doing it.”

READ MORE: Suitcase packing cubes save so much space there’s ‘room for gifts’ now 45% off

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

MICHAEL McIntyre is a familiar face on TV and the comedy circuit, often using his family life as a source for his hilarious material.

Here we get to know his beloved wife Kitty Ward, who was no stranger to the spotlight even before she got together with the famous funnyman.

Who is Michael McIntyre’s wife Kitty?

Kitty Ward is the wife of world-famous comedian Michael McIntyre.

She is the daughter of the late film star Simon Ward and sister of Young Sherlock Holmes actress Sophie Ward.

But unlike her celebrity relatives, Kitty keeps her private life under wraps.

She reportedly works as an aromatherapist in London.

Read more on Michael McIntyre

BAKED BLUNDER

Michael McIntyre’s Big Show viewers rip into ‘scripted and fake’ BBC prank

record breaker

Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel fans in tears as contestant breaks show record

Kitty has provided plenty of comedic material for her husband over the years – the most famous being his hilarious sketch about Kitty trying to put her tights on.

Michael and Kitty live together in Hampstead, London, 

When did they get married?

Michael and his wife Kitty tied the knot in 2003.

He wrote in his 2010 book Life and Laughing: “She was the girl I had been looking for. In the romantic comedy that was my life, this would have made a good ending.

“We would fall happily ever after. Within moments of seeing her and chatting to her I was totally up for that ending. ­Unfortunately, she wasn’t.”

But the comedian managed to woo Kitty, and the pair began dating.

He revealed on Desert Island Discs that his family found it difficult to accept he had a girlfriend.

McIntyre said: “Unfortunately my grandma didn’t really like it when I got a girlfriend. She was trying to break us up which was funny for a while but then it became quite vicious, an untenable ­situation.”

However, Michael developed a strong relationship with Kitty’s own parents – Alexandra and Simon Ward, an actor who starred in Young Winston.

After he passed away in 2012, Michael revealed: “He was one of my closest friends. He would come to my gigs in the early days.”

Do they have any children?

The pair have two sons together named Lucas and Oscar.

Both of Michael’s sons have been the subject of his comedy sketches.

In a sketch about the nightly struggle of putting his sons to bed, the comedian joked: “You never love your children more than when they’re unconscious, but still breathing.”

In another gag about his kids, he said: “My son’s got two words: car and map, that’s all he can say. ‘Car, car, map, car!’

“I’m fairly worried he’s trying to escape. So if the next word is passport, we’re in serious trouble.”

When is the Wheel back on TV?

The Wheel is spinning its way back onto BBC One and iPlayer.

STRICTLY NEWBIES

All the stars in line to replace Tess and Claudia on Strictly

TUM HELP

The 30g diet hack that ‘PREVENTS deadly bowel cancer’… as cases surge in under-50s

Hosted by Michael, three contestants and seven celebrity experts will once again be answering questions for cash prizes as the show enters its sixth season.

The new series kicks off on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 8.20pm.

The Wheel returned to screens on Saturday night with comedian Michael McIntyre back at the helm

Viewers of Michael McIntyre‘s The Wheel were left underwhelmed by the latest episode of the BBC quiz show.

Saturday night (July 19) saw the return of the gameshow with comedian Michael McIntyre once again steering the ship.

A new group of celebrity experts, including Harry Redknapp, Carol Vorderman, Nick Grimshaw, Andi Oliver, Tom Read Wilson, Angela Scanlon, and Chunkz, joined him to assist contestants in their quest for a substantial cash prize.

READ MORE: Michael McIntyre pictured with rarely seen wife Kitty as he leads stars at Wimbledon

READ MORE: Holly Willoughby red-faced as ex-boyfriend’s steamy texts read out on-air

Despite the star-studded lineup, fans quickly voiced their displeasure upon realising they were watching a repeat. One viewer vented on social media: “@BBCOne really going for it this Saturday night with 5 (FIVE) game shows back to back.”

Another expressed confusion: “Don’t understand why they repeat quiz shows.”, reports the Daily Record.

A third remarked: “As soon as we saw Angela’s topic we knew it was a repeat,” alluding to Angela’s speciality subject of ‘redheads’. Yet another commented: “Love the show even if it is a repeat.”

Some viewers also reported feeling queasy while tuning in. One person wrote: “Has anyone every got motion sickness on The Wheel whilst it’s spinning?” Another shared: “Can’t watch The Wheel on the BBC. It makes me feel dizzy and sick.”

However, there’s a silver lining for fans of the show, as a brand-new sixth series of Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel is set to air later this year.

In April, the BBC announced that it had commissioned two more series each of Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel.

Michael McIntyre has expressed his delight over the success of his hit shows, stating: “I’m so proud of the success of both The Big Show and The Wheel. This will take the Big Show up to its 10th series, which is an amazing achievement for everyone involved.”

The comedian went on to say: “The Wheel was a show we made in lockdown while we couldn’t film the Big Show, but it’s become equally beloved.”

He also shared a humorous anecdote: “Someone came up to me recently while I was walking the dog and said they “loved The Big Wheel”, I have no idea whether they meant The Big Show, The Wheel or both shows, they may have just come from The London Eye”.

Watch Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel on BBC One and iPlayer.