Television host Stephen Mulhern has expressed his sheer disbelief after a nail-biting episode of the revived Deal or No Deal saw a contestant walk away from a life-changing £100,000 prize.
The Tense Final Moments
During the episode that aired on ITV at 4pm on 13 January 2026, contestant Sonia found herself in an incredibly strong position as the game reached its climax. With only three values left on the board—£10,000, £5,000, and the coveted £100,000 jackpot—the tension in the studio was palpable.
The Banker, hoping to avoid a huge payout, made Sonia an offer of £22,670 to end the game there and then. After a moment of deliberation, Sonia decided to accept the Banker's deal, taking the guaranteed money off the table.
The Cruel Twist of Fate
In a gut-wrenching reveal, Sonia then opened her own box to discover what she would have won had she continued. To the astonishment of the host, the studio audience, and viewers at home, her box contained the £100,000.
This meant that if she had rejected the Banker's final offer and played on, she would have secured the show's top prize. Instead, she went home with the sum of £22,670.
Mulhern and Viewer Reaction
Following the broadcast, an amazed Stephen Mulhern took to social media platform X to share his reaction. "I can’t believe it! The £100k box reached the table AGAIN today," he wrote. "And our player didn’t take it! The tension was off the scale."
He also teased fans about the ongoing series, asking: "Is this the series where someone finally lands the jackpot?" and encouraged viewers to tune into brand new episodes every weekday at 4pm on ITV and ITVX.
Fans of the show quickly echoed the host's sentiments online. One viewer wrote they were "gutted" for Sonia, while another praised her "incredible" game but noted she went against her gut feeling. A third viewer marvelled at the drama, commenting on how intense "opening a couple of shoe boxes" could be.
This dramatic episode comes after Mulhern had promised viewers in October that they "wouldn't believe what was coming" in the new series, describing the return of real tension and real offers from the mysterious Banker.
