A Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? winner was hit with heartbreak just weeks before filming the hit quiz show.
The contestant opened up about the emotional ordeal ahead of their life-changing appearance.
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Roman Dubowski became the seventh contestant to take the jackpot on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Credit: ITV
Roman said: ‘I didn’t expect to win a million. It’s taken a while to sink in’ Credit: ITV
Roman Dubowski became TV’s newest quiz millionaire on last night’s show.
The retired IT analyst is only the seventh contestant to win the jackpot on ITV’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
But soon after Roman was finally picked for Millionaire, tragedy struck, with his Italian mother Teresa passing in November.
His episode was due to be recorded in December.
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Roman — who is the first of two contestants to win a million on the new series — recalled: “I thought, ‘Should I carry on being on the show?’
“And once the funeral ended, I thought, ‘No, let’s carry on. You can’t live in the past all the time’.
“She would have wanted me to do it. I think she would have been delighted and, of course, proud.”
Roman also talks with huge affection about his Polish father Wiktor, who he credits with giving him his thirst for knowledge.
He said: “My father had this sort of Eastern European idea of, ‘You have to read books to get on’, which was nice.
“There was a well-thumbed version of the Hutchinson Encyclopedia in our family home.”
Roman, who competes in two local quiz leagues in his Manchester area, was forced to Ask The Audience on the mayonnaise question and also used his Phone-a-Friend lifeline for the £4,000 question where he was asked to name a Japanese fashion retailer.
That saw him enlist help from his sister Danuta.
In return, he has pledged to give his niece and nephew a share of his winnings, plus donate some to charity.
When Roman came on the show, he hoped he might win enough to get himself a new kitchen — and bagged enough to buy himself a whole new house.
But he’s also keen to splash out on more trips abroad. With 58 countries already crossed off his list, it’s one of his top pastimes.
Only the next time he jets off somewhere, probably to South America or Japan, he might go first class.
Now he has bagged a million on national TV, he’s conscious he might get recognised out and about — and asked for money.
But since he isn’t willing to leave the corner of the country he wants to always call home, he’s developed a cunning plan — growing a beard.
He said: “I’ve always wanted one, but deep down the reason I’ve got it this year is it gives me a bet.”
“I’ve always wanted one, but deep down the reason I’ve got it this year is it gives me a better disguise. So, yeah, I’m prepared.”
The star plans to grow a beard to stop getting recognised Credit: Unknown
He’s also keen to splash out on more trips abroad Credit: ITV
