'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire': Catherine O'Hara rakes in $250k, turns highest-winning celebrity on the show

'The Schitt's Creek' actress was left with no choice but to go with her instincts and it served her well
PUBLISHED MAY 15, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

American-Canadian treasure Catherine O'Hara of 'Schitt's Creek' fame became the first-ever contestant in the history of this season to win $250,000, more than any other celeb in this season of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'. She had passed the $32,000 mark in the previous episode and on May 14, she traded the 50:50 lifeline in favor of soliciting the help of her advisor, Jeopardy! contestant - Brad Rutter one last time in the game. 

Last week, we saw the actress navigate all questions with the help of the highest-earning Jeopardy! contestant. So much so that it led to fans tuned in on the episode tweeting, "Watching Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and shocked that Catherine has not answered one question by herself. Common sense and process of elimination can help but every question, 'Hey Brad? What is it?'."

Another user tweeted, "I don't think I'll ever look at Catherine O'Hara the same again after her time on #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire. I'm so glad they weren't life-saving questions..my gosh!"

This week too, her strategy remained the same. For the 11th question with a $64,000 prize attached to it, she used her 'Ask the Host' lifeline, and host Jimmy Kimmel offered his insight about the restaurant-based question. Next up was Rutter who helped her one last time regarding a 'Killing Eve' based question in the episode, helping her win $125,000.

The only time she trusted her gut was to answer the $250,000 question. Here too, she first called her friend, production designer Tom Duffield. However, time ran out and he could not help her with a response. That resulted in O'Hara being left with no choice but to go with her instincts and it served her well.

However, she couldn't raise the bar any further and bowed out after an unusual question with unusual options popped up on her screen. The question was related to Yap Island's currency with options like poisonous snakes and fossilized feces to pick from. After quitting, she was asked to pick an answer, and had she chosen to play it, she'd have won $500,000.

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