'hilarious'
QUIZ viewers were in hysterics tonight as Major Charles Ingram's Millionaire cheating trial was adjourned because of a coughing outbreak in the courtroom.
They couldn't believe the moment really happened as Judge Geoffrey Revlin was forced to temporarily suspend the hearing as members of the jury spluttered.
One viewer wrote on Twitter: "LOL was that mass coughing in the courtroom real or fake??! #couldntmakeitup."
Another posted: "TRIAL SUSPENDED BY COUGHING!! that's beautiful (and true) #Quiz."
A third wrote: "coughing fits in the middle of their court case bloody typical #quiz."
The bizarre incident made national headlines the next day and had Charles's defence lawyer Sonia Woodley, played by Helen McCrory, frustrated in tonight's show.
Meanwhile last night viewers blasted Charles's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire cheating plot.
As they watched the ITV drama recount the fraudster's time in the hot seat, many were stunned the disgraced former Army major thought it would work.
Charles relied on coughs from fellow contestant Tecwen Whittock and his wife Diana to bag the one million pound prize.
He was also wildly erratic, flip-flopping between answers as he bought time to hear the right answers.
One viewer wrote on Twitter: "If Charles Ingram acted out his "thought process" better than this, people would've been a lot less suspicious.
"I know it's easy to say now but it's just so obvious with him ruling something out then changing his mind. #Quiz."
A second shared: "Watching this it’s so amazing they thought they could get away with it. He could have at least seemed competent haha. #Quiz."
While a third posted: "The Major and his team made it so obvious. Changing his mind multiple times before going for answers he's never heard of before. #Quiz."
Show bosses were suspicious midway through the prize-winning show, and acted swiftly in its aftermath to alert the police.
In the first episode viewers praised Michael Sheen for his "perfect" portrayal of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host Chris Tarrant.
The actor, 51, was uncanny as Tarrant in the first episode of ITV's three part drama.
Sheen captured Tarrant's voice, mannerisms and even his look and viewers flocked to Twitter to compliment him.
One wrote: "Martin Sheen absolutely brilliant again as Chris Tarrant. To go with his impeccable performance as Brian Clough & sensational David Frost #martinsheen #talent #quiz."
A second shared: "#Quiz Like Millionaire itself this took time to get going, but it's getting intriguing now. The main pleasure was watching the utterly brilliant Michael Sheen as Chris Tarrant."
While a third said: "Obsessed with Michael Sheen’s perfect impersonation of Chris Tarrant in #Quiz. Absolute masterclass."
Actress Sian Clifford thinks it's 'impossible' to say if the Ingrams are guilty of cheating on quiz show.
The 38-year-old actress plays Diana Ingram in the new ITV drama.
The series follows Charles Ingram and his wife before, during and after his infamous £1 million win on ITV quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2001, which was dogged by claims someone had coughed at the right answers to help him succeed.
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While Charles was eventually convicted on a single count of procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception after a lengthy trial.
However, Sian insists she didn't make a judgement about whether the couple were involved in the coughing scandal or not when she took on the role.
Speaking at a screening of the series, she said: "You know it was a question that we tossed around every single day but I don’t know whether it’s important to answer that question because we don’t answer that question on the show.
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"I think we do present something that’s very balanced. I think it’s more important to answer the question of whether or not they should have the criminal conviction.
"That’s something else I’m interested in the show examining. So I don’t sit on either side because I think it is impossible to answer."
Sian met with the Ingram's while on set and praised the couple for being "so generous with their time."
She added: "They were so sweet and it was really important to me to not engage at all with what was written about them at the time.
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"You know she was painted as this sort of Lady Macbeth character and that’s a character I’d love to play and I don’t think that’s who she is.
"She struck me as an introvert, and a nerd and someone who’s actually quite shy and very sweet, definitely naïve.
"And I really wanted to get to that and protect them and be sensitive towards them but also protect the integrity of [writer] James' [Graham] remarkable script which I think is completely balanced."
ITV drama Quiz offers first look at the moment the Ingram's are arrested
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