Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: Roman Dubowski Wins £1m Jackpot 2026

Published: 27 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

In a moment of television history that has ended a six-year drought, Roman Dubowski, a retired IT analyst from Stockport, has become the seventh person ever to win the £1 million jackpot on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. The victory, broadcast on ITV last night, saw Dubowski navigate a series of high-pressure questions with such poise that host Jeremy Clarkson dubbed him “an encyclopaedia in a shirt.”

Roman is only the second person to win the top prize during the Clarkson era, following Donald Fear’s legendary run in 2020. Despite an early “near-miss” at the £1,000 mark that forced him to use his ‘Ask the Audience’ lifeline on a basic cooking question, Roman maintained his composure to reach the final question with two lifelines still in his pocket.

The final hurdle between Roman and the jackpot was a sophisticated art and history question that tested the limits of his general knowledge:

“Which of these trademarked logos, used since 1876, is mentioned in James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ and depicted in paintings by Manet and Picasso?” A: Coca-Cola / B: Bass Ale / C: Marmite / D: Levi’s

Having seen the Manet painting (A Bar at the Folies-Bergère) at The Courtauld Gallery in London, Roman used his 50/50 to narrow the field before confidently locking in Bass Ale. The correct answer made him the first millionaire crowned on the show in over 2,000 days.

While many winners might reach for the champagne, Roman celebrated his “unreal” achievement with a simple cup of tea. After thirty years in the same home, he plans to use his winnings to start a new chapter:

Relocation: Roman intends to move to a new house, a dream he says the jackpot has allowed him to pursue “at the right time in my life.”

Family First: He has pledged to look after his niece and nephew.

Adventure: A long-awaited trip to New Zealand is at the top of his post-victory bucket list.

Financial Freedom: “It removes financial stress completely,” Roman said. “That’s what makes the biggest difference.”

Before Roman’s triumph, only six other contestants had scaled the mountain in the UK version of the show:

Judith Keppel (2000): The first-ever winner.

David Edwards (2001)

Robert Brydges (2001)

Pat Gibson (2004)

Ingram Wilcox (2006)

Donald Fear (2020): The first winner of the Jeremy Clarkson era.

While Roman’s win has been met with widespread celebration, it has also sparked a debate on social media regarding the value of the prize. Commentators on Reddit and X noted that £1 million in 2026 holds roughly 50% less purchasing power than it did when Judith Keppel won in 2000. However, for Roman, the sum remains “life-changing,” even if he is determined not to let it be “personality-changing.”

As ITV celebrates its first jackpot winner in six years, the “Roman Dubowski” episode is already being hailed as a masterclass in quiz-show strategy. For the retired analyst who had previously applied twice without success, the third time was indeed the million-pound charm.

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