Ian Lygo
Encyclopedia
Ian Lygo a civil servant, from Hemel Hempstead
, is the former sole holder of the record for the most consecutive appearances by a contestant on a television
game show
, having made 75 appearances on the UK
game show 100% in late 1998, with the 75th appearance occurring on 14 December of that year. On November 30, 2004, this record was tied by Ken Jennings
on Jeopardy!
. However, because Jennings lost on his 75th appearance, Lygo is the sole holder of the record for most consecutive wins on a game show. Since he won £100 for each game, his total winnings were £7,500.
Unlike Jennings, however, who was defeated and became a national folkhero and wanted spokesperson, Lygo would not be afforded the same treatment.
After his 73rd win, Grundy Productions
, the producers of 100%, informed Lygo that they had changed the rules. From now on they were limiting the number of wins to only twenty-five, after receiving letters from viewers saying they were fed up of him winning day after day, week after week. "I was given no warning," Lygo told The Daily Mirror
. "The producer came up and said, 'We are changing the format.' He said there was a new limit. I had no choice in the matter. I was told I could do two more shows and that was that. I wanted it to be made plain on the show that I was being stopped, but that didn't happen. The announcer (Robin Houston) just said, 'Well done' and 'goodbye.'" According to UKGameShows.com, he believed that retiring after 100 episodes would have been more fitting with the show's theme. Lygo was, however, given a bottle of champagne by Grundy for his achievement.
In part because of Lygo's run, the producers later decided to restrict the number of consecutive wins to 25.
Lygo also holds the record for the highest individual show score—not counting special shows—on 100%. His score was 87%.
Lygo has a degree in history from the University of Kent
. He was chosen for the show after an audition at a hotel in Devon
. He works for the Highways Agency
.
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
, is the former sole holder of the record for the most consecutive appearances by a contestant on a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, having made 75 appearances on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
game show 100% in late 1998, with the 75th appearance occurring on 14 December of that year. On November 30, 2004, this record was tied by Ken Jennings
Ken Jennings
Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Jennings III is an American game show contestant and author. Jennings is noted for holding the record for the longest winning streak on the U.S. syndicated game show Jeopardy! and as being the all-time leading money winner on American game shows...
on Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
. However, because Jennings lost on his 75th appearance, Lygo is the sole holder of the record for most consecutive wins on a game show. Since he won £100 for each game, his total winnings were £7,500.
Unlike Jennings, however, who was defeated and became a national folkhero and wanted spokesperson, Lygo would not be afforded the same treatment.
After his 73rd win, Grundy Productions
Grundy
Grundy may refer to:Places:*Grundy, Virginia, a town in Buchanan County, Virginia, USA*Grundy County, Missouri, a county in northern Missouri, USA*Grundy County, Illinois*Grundy County, Iowa*Grundy County, Tennessee...
, the producers of 100%, informed Lygo that they had changed the rules. From now on they were limiting the number of wins to only twenty-five, after receiving letters from viewers saying they were fed up of him winning day after day, week after week. "I was given no warning," Lygo told The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror is a British national daily tabloid newspaper which was founded in 1903. Twice in its history, from 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was changed to read simply The Mirror, which is how the paper is often referred to in popular parlance. It had an...
. "The producer came up and said, 'We are changing the format.' He said there was a new limit. I had no choice in the matter. I was told I could do two more shows and that was that. I wanted it to be made plain on the show that I was being stopped, but that didn't happen. The announcer (Robin Houston) just said, 'Well done' and 'goodbye.'" According to UKGameShows.com, he believed that retiring after 100 episodes would have been more fitting with the show's theme. Lygo was, however, given a bottle of champagne by Grundy for his achievement.
In part because of Lygo's run, the producers later decided to restrict the number of consecutive wins to 25.
Lygo also holds the record for the highest individual show score—not counting special shows—on 100%. His score was 87%.
Lygo has a degree in history from the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
. He was chosen for the show after an audition at a hotel in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. He works for the Highways Agency
Highways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
.