Jeremy Clarkson's Hilarious NSYNC Mispronunciation Delights Millionaire Audience
Television presenter Jeremy Clarkson, aged 65, sparked widespread amusement among viewers of ITV's popular game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire with a comical blunder during a recent episode. The incident occurred as Clarkson read out a music-related question to contestant Daniel Keeble, leading to a moment of unexpected humour that quickly went viral on social media platforms.
A Questionable Pronunciation
The question posed to Keeble centred on a single that re-entered the UK Top 40 charts in 2024, following its feature on the soundtrack of the film Deadpool and Wolverine. The multiple-choice options presented were Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natasha Bedingfield, NSYNC, or Kate Bush. However, Clarkson's delivery of the boy band NSYNC's name became the highlight of the segment, as he pronounced it by individually spelling out each letter: 'N-S-Y-N-C', rather than using the common pronunciation 'N-Sync'.
This misstep did not go unnoticed by the show's audience or online followers. Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their reactions, with one user commenting, 'Love how Clarkson spells out all the letters of NSYNC.' Another added, 'Jeremy spelling out the band name NSYNC like that is wild behaviour,' while a third humorously noted, 'NSYNC feeling humbled by Jeremy Clarkson.' A fourth viewer chimed in, 'Jeremy saying 'N-S-Y-N-C' rather than 'N-Sync.''
Context and Further Banter
The song in question, 'Bye Bye Bye' by NSYNC, gained renewed popularity after appearing in the superhero film, featuring a dance sequence by Deadpool, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds. Beyond the pronunciation gaffe, Clarkson also engaged in light-hearted banter with contestant Daniel Keeble regarding his casual attire. The Clarkson's Farm star remarked, 'I must say, I do admire the way you've made no effort at all with your wardrobe,' prompting laughter from the studio audience. Keeble sarcastically replied, 'Ah, thank you!' to which Clarkson added, 'I do approve of it, 'I'm going on television, I think a shirt or t-shirt and some jeans.''
Earlier in the year, the long-running programme expanded its format with a spin-off titled Millionaire Hot Seat, also hosted by Clarkson. This version features six contestants who have only up to 30 seconds to answer questions when in the hot seat. In a notable episode, a contestant named Lucy faced a challenging celebrity question that cost her thousands of pounds. The query asked, 'Which of these people was oldest when they first achieved the following?' with options including Leonardo DiCaprio winning an Oscar, David Beckham receiving a knighthood, Barack Obama becoming US President, or David Bowie earning a BRIT Award.
Lucy reasoned aloud, correctly noting that David Beckham was knighted recently around age 50 and Leonardo DiCaprio won his Oscar in his 40s, but she admitted uncertainty about David Bowie's BRIT Award win. Choosing Bowie as her answer, she soon discovered her mistake when Clarkson revealed, 'Your luck's run out, that is the wrong answer. It is actually David Beckham, you were right, he was 50. Barack Obama was 47, Leonardo DiCaprio was 41. David Bowie was 37 when he got his BRIT.' This incorrect response caused the jackpot, contested by all six players, to shrink from £1 million to £250,000.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire continues to air on ITV1 and ITVX, maintaining its status as a beloved quiz show with moments of both tension and humour, as exemplified by Clarkson's recent on-air antics.
