Eddie McGuire speaks out after Channel Nine's shock decision: 'Sadness'

Eddie McGuire has confirmed the news that Australia’s longest-running TV quiz show Millionaire Hot Seat will come to an end in 2024 after 15 years on-air.

The TV host and former Channel Nine CEO made the announcement on 3AW on Friday morning, telling listeners that a yet-to-be-announced show will soon take its place.

“It's with great pride and joy, but also sadness, that I announce this morning that Millionaire Hot Seat will go into hiatus at the end of January next year,” he said.

“So we will finish off this year and there'll be a replacement show at five o'clock on the Nine Network after we hit our 25th anniversary when we go into 2024.

“I've had the privilege of being in everybody's lounge room for a long time every night at 5 o'clock and I love the fact that so many people come and say, ‘I sat with my grandparents and we did these things together’. It's been a great privilege.”

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Eddie went on to say that he loves how diverse the show is, and shared a sweet story involving one contestant who walked away with a quarter of a million dollars.

“I had one guy who came on during the global financial crisis and he was dressed in a suit and was a businessman,” he recalled.

“He won about $250,000 from memory. We walked out and I normally go and get changed and come on for another show, and this guy had the wobbles. I asked him, ‘Are you OK?’ and he said, ‘You know, this was my last chance, I had to sell my house tomorrow if I didn't win anything here. This is not life-changing. It's life-saving’.”

Eddie began hosting Who Wants To Be A Millionaire when it first launched on Channel Nine in 1999, and went on to host its spin-off Millionaire Hot Seat in 2009.

The show, which airs daily at 5pm, has seen over 15,000 contestants compete and recently celebrated its 2500th episode.

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A total of $94 million has been given away throughout the show's history, with only two people walking away with the grand prize of $1 million.

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