The COVID-19 pandemic affected many television productions from 2020 until 2022. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was no exception.
Many game shows had to make changes from adapting the set slightly to accommodate social distancing, to changing the game mechanic altogether. Ages-old shows, such as Wheel of Fortune, used a plastic holder to avoid contestants touching the same spoke on the wheel, and many versions of Deal or No Deal separated contestants with boxes using plastic screens. Many shows removed audiences or used a virtual or socially distanced one, many of the latter requiring social distancing and/or face coverings, and many not returning to pre-COVID arrangements after the pandemic was over, such as Countdown and Pointless in the UK, which both permanently removed audiences.
Millionaire was not exempt from these changes. Below is a list of precautions versions produced during the pandemic took to control the spread of COVID-19; the most obvious of which was the temporary removal (or, in some cases, permanent removal) of the Ask the Audience lifeline, due to social distancing regulations. For a list of contestants who appeared on the show without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, see Contestants who appeared on the show without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Note that as the pandemic lessened in severity, some of these changes may have been reversed, and are indicated as such when possible.
Arab World[]
The one-off revival of the show in 2021 used a socially distanced audience (30%), and to prevent a much less representative audience vote as seen in the Netherlands, replaced the lifeline with Ask Three of the Audience.
Australia[]
Millionaire Hot Seat[]
The show removed the audience and replaced it with nets onto which images were projected. The Ask A Friend lifeline was replaced with Ask the Host and contestants waiting for their turn were socially distanced within the studio. This was later partially reversed around halfway into the fourteenth series.
Classic version[]
The show was revived in 2021 for a series as filler to replace sports competitions cancelled due to the pandemic. As with Hot Seat, the Ask the Host lifeline replaced the audience.
Austria[]
Die Millionenshow did not need to change too much: the show removed the audience, and the Ask the Audience lifeline was replaced with a variety of lifelines, which changed regularly, including Ask A Friend, Ask Three of the Audience, a second Phone-a-Friend and Ask the Millionaires were all used at various points in the pandemic. Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed - 5 experts, 50% or 100%.
Azerbaijan[]
The number of people in the audience was reduced to 75%. No lifelines were changed. In 2022, the audience returned to full capacity.
Brazil[]
The show used a virtual audience with large screens in the studio, and the virtual audience voted as part of Ask the Audience. Product placement was also projected onto these screens at various points in the programme. The virtual audience was ditched for the 2022 series, along with a change to the set design.
Bulgaria[]
The revival of the show in 2021 used a socially distanced audience (30%).
Chile[]
Costa Rica[]
The show removed the audience and Fastest Finger First. The Ask the Audience lifeline was replaced with Plus One.
Croatia[]
The show removed the audience, and replaced Ask the Audience with Three Wise Men. Also, the Fastest Finger First has 4 contestants instead of 6. These changes were reversed (except FFF) in Season 11.
Denmark[]
Denmark removed COVID-19 restrictions rather quickly compared to most. The show never removed the Ask the Audience lifeline, in one season the audience was reduced to 50%.
Finland[]
Episodes recorded before the pandemic were broadcast in 2020. In the new series in 2022, the show has a full-capacity audience in face masks. In 2023, the face masks were removed.
France[]
The show was axed by TF1 in 2020, and the last series was filmed from the contestants' homes, with a reduced top prize of €300,000, retitled Qui veut gagner des millions? - A La Maison. The show went in and out of the studio, and studio contestants played under the same rules as at home, but with no audience.
Germany[]
The show used a socially distanced audience and did not use the Ask the Audience or Ask One of the Audience. The show replaced them with Ask a Friend and Ask the Millionaires respectively. The show's Die 3-Millionen-Euro Woche special week played the game under COVID rules. Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed - 18 experts, 50% or 100%.
India[]
Kaun Banega Crorepati[]
The show forwent an audience in Series 12 and replaced Audience Poll (used a socially distanced audience - over 50%) with Phone-a-Friend using videocalls. To accommodate for potential delays in video calling, the time was extended from 30 to 45 seconds. The winning contestants from the FFF walked straight up to the Hot Seat.
Evaru Meelo Koteeswarulu[]
The revival of the show in 2021 used a socially distanced audience (30%).
Kon Honaar Crorepati[]
The revival of the show in 2021 used a socially distanced audience (50%).
Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran[]
No on-screen protocol was taken. Shooting was completed in early March 2020.
The Netherlands[]
The show's revival used a socially-distanced audience (20%) and used the Ask the Audience lifeline, which led to much less representative results.
Nigeria[]
The reboot series lacked an audience. Ask the Audience was replaced by Ask the Host.
Poland[]
The show removed an audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Switch the Question. Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed - 50% or 75%. The show separated its contestants in Fastest Finger First with Plexiglas screens.
Portugal (Hot Seat)[]
The revival of the local Hot Seat format started filming before lockdown in Portugal, and restarted after the end of the lockdown. Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed - 100% (before pandemic), 75/50% (in pandemic). This series used Phone-a-Friend and Switch the Question as possible lifelines.
Russia[]
The show forwent the audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Ask the Host, for which Dibrov would wear a special 'Ask the Host' t-shirt. The unlicensed 2023 season reversed all of these changes.
Slovenia[]
Ask the Audience was replaced by Switch the Question. Contestants in Fastest Finger First wore a face covering and reduced only 4. Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed, After pandemic over, these changes were reversed (except FFF)
South Africa[]
The revival of the show in 2021 used a socially distanced audience (50%) with face masks.
Spain[]
The show used a reduced audience, but still used Ask the Audience. Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed.
Sri Lanka[]
Depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed - 50%, 75% or 100%.
Sweden[]
The show removed an audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Ask the Star. In the spring 2022 season, the audience returned, but the Ask the Star lifeline remained.
Turkey[]
The show removed an audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Ask the Expert, but they can only consult them for 60 seconds. In 2021, the audience returned, but depending on the pandemic situation, the audience capacity changed - 30%, 50%, and later 100%.
Ukraine[]
The show removed the audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Plus One and Switch the Question. This was kept when the show was recommissioned after the pandemic.
United Kingdom[]
The show separated its contestants in Fastest Finger First with Plexiglas screens. The show removed an audience and replaced with screens which showed various patterns mirroring the video floor under the Hot Seat. Ask the Audience was replaced with a second Phone-a-Friend. This was reversed in Series 38.
United States[]
The show removed an audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Ask the Host. In addition, Ask the Guest was introduced. In the 2024 season, the audience and Ask the Audience lifeline returned to replace Ask the Guest, while Ask the Host remained.
Vietnam[]
The Vietnamese version removed an audience and replaced Ask the Audience with Plus One and also added Two Wise Men in place of Ask Three of the Audience. When the audience returned, the COVID lifeline changes stayed on a permanent basis.
Overview[]
| Country | Audience removed | Ask the Audience/Plus One lifeline replaced? | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full capacity | Reduced capacity | Virtual audience | No audience | Ask the Host | Ask Three of the Audience | Plus One | PAF (extra) | Switch the Question | Ask the Star/Expert/Millionaire | Two/Three Wise Men | No change | |
| Arab World | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Australia HS | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Australia (Classic) | ||||||||||||
| Austria | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ (extra) | ✘ | |||||||
| Azerbaijan | ✘ | |||||||||||
| Brazil | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Bulgaria | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Costa Rica | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Croatia | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Denmark | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Finland | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| France | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Germany | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||
| India (KBC) | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| India (EMK) | ✘ | |||||||||||
| India (KHC) | ✘ | |||||||||||
| Netherlands | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Nigeria | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Poland | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Portugal | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Russia | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Slovenia | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| South Africa | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Spain | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Sri Lanka | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Turkey | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
| Ukraine | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||
| United Kingdom | ✘ | ✘ (extra) | ||||||||||
| United States | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||
| Vietnam | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||