'Millionaire' winner cleared for payout

Chris Tarrant presents the television quiz

The makers of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? have paid £125,000 to a window cleaner three months after they witheld his winnings while they investigated his criminal past.

Colin Hallett won the money on the ITV quiz last November, but the payout was frozen after he was said to have failed to reveal his criminal record.

It's been a long time but the wait's been worthwhile

Colin Hallett

Programme-makers Celador launched the investigation after receiving a tip-off about Mr Hallett.

The rules of the competition prohibit anyone from participating if they have a recent conviction.

'Most unfair'

The 46-year-old from Essex had a 1997 conviction for driving away from a petrol station without paying £5.

At the time his prize money was originally frozen, Mr Hallett told a national newspaper: "I'll be gutted if, for the sake of £5, I won't get a penny of the £125,000 I won."

A spokesperson for Celador said it would be "most unfair" to retain the money because of this offence.

Mr Hallett was also jailed for two years in 1990 for arson.

But since this conviction is now spent in the eyes of the law, Celador said he was eligible to receive his prize money.

A spokesman for the company said: "Celador and ITV are satisfied that Colin Hallett had no intention of deliberately contravening the rules of the competition and had, in fact, gone out of his way to make sure that he was eligible to apply.

'Deserved'

"Mr Hallett co-operated fully with Celador pending an investigation of the facts and it transpired he had one very minor conviction in 1997.

"In the circumstances, Celador and ITV feel it would be most unfair not to pay Mr Hallett his winnings and are releasing the money to him."

Mr Hallett told a newspaper in Essex he had always "deserved the money".

He added: "It's been a long time but the wait's been worthwhile.

"There'll be a few drinks in it for pals and I hope to also help a few charities. I'm not sure what I'll spend the cash on, although I've always said I wanted a new car."