1% Club winner clinched eye-watering prize but family were floored by what they saw on TV

A lucky contestant on The 1% Club has walked away with a staggering £99,000, describing the win as beyond his wildest dreams.

Daniel O'Halloran, a 24 year old from Rock Ferry on the Wirral, outshone his competitors to claim victory on the ITV quiz show, hosted by comedian Lee Mack. The programme, which aired last in May 2023, tests contestants' logical reasoning and mathematical skills.

Interestingly, it was Daniel's mother who signed him up for the show, a favourite amongst his family. When he travelled to Manchester for filming in July 2022, he never imagined he would walk away with the grand prize.

The 1% Club begins with 100 hopefuls who compete to reach the final round. Here, they must solve a question that only 1% of Brits can answer correctly, all vying for the chance to win the £100,000 jackpot.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Daniel said: "I was quite confident in getting to the latter stages of the show, but I never in my wildest dreams imagined taking home that much money. I thought if I got to £10,000 with no money to fall back on, I'd take the £10,000 and wouldn't gamble."

In the initial plan, he had decided to stick to the safe limit of £10,000, a decision also supported by the audience and fellow players. However, he took a daring turn and went ahead to opt for the question that clinched the £99,000 deal.

When the maths whizz found his answer was spot-on, he was over the moon. He said: "I lost control of my body. I was running around celebrating on stage in total shock. I never thought I'd be standing there on the show, let alone winning it."

Daniel admitted that keeping his triumph a secret was a Herculean task, revealing: "It was very difficult, there were some moments I nearly blurted it out or my family would ask me and I couldn't keep the smile on my face. I only told my grandma and a few friends."

He did let his grandmother in on the secret but led his parents to believe that the £10,000 he secured on the show was the extent of his winnings.

The big reveal of his success came as they all gathered to watch his episode air, with Daniel recounting the sheer delight: "When they were watching it, they couldn't believe I'd done it. It was the best thing to see."

His family's reactions were priceless, according to Daniel: "They were in total shock - they said some things you probably couldn't print in the paper! They couldn't believe I'd kept it secret."

Post-broadcast, Daniel has been basking in the limelight, with locals recognising him: "It's been crazy. People in shops and in the streets have been asking me about it. I'm overwhelmed by how kind everyone has been."

Not only that, but he also extended his heartfelt gratitude to the show and his co-contestants: "All the other contestants were great and probably got me through it! Lee Mack was lovely too."

Even with this success, Daniel remained pragmatic about his new fortune, outlining his intentions for the lump sum: "I've got to be sensible, maybe look towards the house, pay the mortgage off. But I've got to enjoy it as well. I can't take this for granted."