Millionaire duo protest innocence

Millionaire duo protest innocence

Ingram and his wife Diana still say they did not cheat

The army major and his wife found guilty last week of cheating on game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? have insisted they are innocent.

Charles Ingram and his wife Diana appeared on ITV's GMTV on Tuesday, repeatedly saying they were not guilty of cheating to try and win the £1m prize on 10 September 2001.

The pair were found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the programme last week, along with college lecturer Tecwen Whittock, after the prosecution said a series of Whittock's "coded coughs" had helped Ingram win the top prize.

Ingram also told the show he has contemplated suicide after seeing a tape of the show, and only his daughter's intervention prevented him killing himself.

The former army major said he "literally had pills in one hand a glass of water in the other" while in a hotel room on his own.

Tecwen Whittock claimed during the trial his coughs were due to asthma

He said his daughter had sent a text message of support and "that was enough to remind me not only of my innocence but that I have a family to look after".

The Ingrams were given suspended jail sentences and have been ordered to pay fines, as has the college lecturer.

The couple must each pay £15,000 and were ordered to pay £10,000 costs while Whittock was fined £10,000 with £7,500 costs.

ITV is running the episodes of the show featuring Mr Ingram on Easter Monday.

Ingram, a Royal Engineer, said footage of the quiz show shown during the trial was "unfair and unrepresentative".

"I firmly believe the tape has been enhanced in terms of volume," he said.

Appeal

The footage is also due to be shown on Tonight With Trevor MacDonald later this month.

The major added that the video tape shows a "distorted" view of the environment in the studio.

His wife said she would not watch the repeat of the programme, adding there was "no way" she could be a "criminal mastermind".

The defence counsel argued during the case that Whittock had been suffering from hay fever and asthma.

Ingram said the couple intend to appeal against their conviction and their legal team is currently investigating.