Donald Fear, a history and politics teacher from Telford, appeared as a contestant on the fifth episode of the 35th series of the UK version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on September 11, 2020. He was the sixth UK contestant to legitimately win £1,000,000 and seventh million pound winner overall, and the first crowned by host Jeremy Clarkson. His appearance was notable because he only used one lifeline, whereas all other top prize winners used all of their lifelines in order to reach the million.
His brother Davyth appeared on the show before him on the fourth episode of the 33rd series, winning £500,000. Donald has jokingly said that beating his brother was the more important thing about winning. He was the first top prize winner to have access to four lifelines, unlike the previous ones who only had access to the usual three. However, Donald only used the 50:50 on the £32,000 question, unlike the other top prize winners who had used all of their lifelines in their run to the top prize.
He is the only contestant in the UK to use one lifeline through his way to win the top prize. He is also the third in the world to do so after John Carpenter and Sidi Ahmed Weld Ali, although Carpenter famously used his Phone-a-Friend to call his father and tell him he would win the million.
Donald Fear is the third of four children. He was born in Bristol, but moved to Manchester as a young child. His family moved in his teenage years to Cornwall, where one of his teachers was Charles Causley. He studied history and politics at Swansea University, where he won the Professor Glanmor Williams Prize for History and the John Rees Memorial Prize for best joint honours student in the Arts Faculty. He then taught at various schools in Telford and Shrewsbury before becoming Head of Government and Politics at Haberdashers' Adams, Newport, Shropshire. Donald taught history for 33 years before early retirement.
Donald is an enthusiastic quizzer and table tennis player. He married Debra Churchill, a gynaecology nurse, in 1987 and they have four children together - Cat, Ali, Izzy and Chris.
WWTBAM Run
Donald wins the million
On 11 September 2020, Donald appeared on the ITV programme Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? where he became the sixth person to win £1,000,000. He is the first person to win the jackpot in over 14 years. His appearance was notable because he only used one lifeline, whereas all other jackpot winners used all of their lifelines in order to reach the million. He is the brother of Davyth Fear who had won £500,000 the previous year. This family feat is unprecedented in the history of the programme.
In a publicity release before the broadcast of the programme, host Jeremy Clarkson said he believed Donald to be the ‘best entrant in the programme’s history’. Donald planned to give £700,000 of the prize to his family, and to use the remaining £300,000 on a "comfortable retirement". Straight after winning the jackpot, he and his family went on a caravan holiday to Whitley Bay to celebrate.
Donald's £1,000,000 question asked which of four pirates died off the coast of modern North Carolina in 1718. He correctly answered "Blackbeard" upon remembering a history lesson he had taught 8 years before the show. Donald was congratulated by students at Haberdashers' Adams, who remembered Donald teaching them the lesson.
Fastest Finger First
Fastest Finger First Question
Put these port cities in order from south to north.
⬥ A: Marseille
⬥ B: Hong Kong
⬥ C: Durban
⬥ D: Rotterdam
The right order is CBAD. 2 of the 5 remaining contestants got it correct, but Donald was faster in 4.86 seconds.
Donald's Run to the Million
Clarkson expressed his amazement at Donald's knowledge throughout his run of all fifteen correct answers. "It's like sitting next to the internet in a pink shirt," he said, describing him as "an encyclopaedia with a moustache". Once Donald Fear left the stage, Clarkson subsequently remarked about him, "He was like a sponge! There's no piece of information that hasn't lodged in his head!"
£100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
In the UK, the abbreviation NHS stands for National 'what' Service?
⬥ A: Humanity
⬥ B: Health
⬥ C: Honour
⬥ D: Household
£200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed
Which Disney character famously leaves a glass slipper behind at a royal ball?
⬥ A: Pocahontas
⬥ B: Sleeping Beauty
⬥ C: Cinderella
⬥ D: Elsa
£300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed
What name is given to the revolving belt machinery in an airport that delivers checked luggage from the plane to baggage reclaim?
⬥ A: Hangar
⬥ B: Terminal
⬥ C: Concourse
⬥ D: Carousel
£500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these brands was chiefly associated with the manufacture of household locks?
⬥ A: Phillips
⬥ B: Flymo
⬥ C: Chubb
⬥ D: Ronseal
£1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed
The hammer and sickle is one of the most recognisable symbols of which political ideology?
⬥ A: Republicanism
⬥ B: Communism
⬥ C: Conservatism
⬥ D: Liberalism
£2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
Which toys have been marketed with the phrase 'Robots in Disguise'?
⬥ A: Bratz Dolls
⬥ B: Sylvanian Families
⬥ C: Hatchimals
⬥ D: Transformers
£4,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
What does the word 'loquacious' mean?
⬥ A: Angry
⬥ B: Chatty
⬥ C: Beautiful
⬥ D: Shy
£8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
Obstetrics is a branch of medicine particularly concerned with what?
⬥ A: Childbirth
⬥ B: Broken bones
⬥ C: Heart conditions
⬥ D: Old age
£16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
In 'Doctor Who', what was the signature look of the fourth Doctor, as portrayed by Tom Baker?
⬥ A: Bow-tie, braces & tweed jacket
⬥ B: Wide-brimmed hat & extra long scarf
⬥ C: Pinstripe suit & trainers
⬥ D: Cape, velvet jacket & frilly shirt
£32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these religious observances lasts for the shortest period of time during the calendar year? '50:50' lifeline used
⬥ A: Ramadan
⬥ B: Diwali
⬥ C: Lent
⬥ D: Hanukkah
Donald used his 50:50, the only time he used a lifeline during his run.
£64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
At the closest point, which island group is only 50 miles south-east of the coast of Florida?
⬥ A: Bahamas
⬥ B: US Virgin Islands
⬥ C: Turks and Caicos Islands
⬥ D: Bermuda
Before the question, Donald set his second safety net at £64,000.
£125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
Construction of which of these famous landmarks was completed first?
⬥ A: Empire State Building
⬥ B: Royal Albert Hall
⬥ C: Eiffel Tower
⬥ D: 'Big Ben' Clock Tower
£250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these cetaceans is classified as a 'toothed whale'?
⬥ A: Gray whale
⬥ B: Minke whale
⬥ C: Sperm whale
⬥ D: Humpback whale
£500,000 (14 of 15) - Not Timed
Who is the only British politician to have held all four 'Great Offices of State' at some point during their career?
⬥ A: David Lloyd George
⬥ B: Harold Wilson
⬥ C: James Callaghan
⬥ D: John Major
£1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed
In 1718, which pirate died in battle off the coast of what is now North Carolina?
⬥ A: Calico Jack
⬥ B: Blackbeard
⬥ C: Bartholomew Roberts
⬥ D: Captain Kidd
Donald said he knew the answer, having taught piracy as part of the 'Crime and Punishment' history unit that Year 8 learn. As such, he went for it and won the million. Donald Fear: Millionaire
Gallery
Trivia
Donald said he would use the money to try and help family members struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also to follow his dream of becoming a tour guide. Donald resigned as a teacher after his big win.
In an interview regarding his million pound question, Donald said he had taught piracy to a group of Year 8 students about eight years prior to his appearance on the show, and remembered the date of 1718. "I'm a dates man," he said. "You can't be a history teacher for 33 years without knowing a few dates, and the date 1718 and Blackbeard leapt out at me instantly."
In a publicity release before the broadcast of the programme, host Jeremy Clarkson said he believed Donald to be the ‘best entrant in the programme's history'. Clarkson expressed his amazement at Donald's knowledge throughout his run of 15 correct answers. "It's like sitting next to the internet in a pink shirt," he said, describing him as "an encyclopaedia with a moustache".
ITV announced the previous month that there would be a new millionaire on the upcoming series, and maximised ratings by stripping the five-episode series across weekdays (knowing full well the millionaire would turn up in the final episode). It worked - 5.7 million viewers tuned in, the fourth biggest audience since 2010.
According to Jerome Singh, who won £125,000 on Series 36, Donald's million-pound win inspired him, also a humanities teacher, to go on the show, after seeing Donald's job advertisement for his history and politics job, which said "Reason for leaving: I just won a million pounds!".
His win is similar to John Carpenter's win in the US version, as both contestants breezed through the questions but struggled on one. Compared to John, Donald has used only a single lifeline throughout his run (50:50).
