Former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host Chris Tarrant has launched a scathing attack on Charles Ingram, branding him "a rotter and a cad and a bandit".
In 2003 Ingram and his wife Diana were found guilty of deception after they were accused of cheating their way to the top prize on the ITV gameshow in what became known as the "Coughing Major" scandal.
The saga was turned into three-part drama Quiz - broadcast by ITV this week - with Hollywood actor Michael Sheen playing the part of Tarrant.
"It was actually very well done but it is a drama, it's not factual," Tarrant told Radio X. "So most of those conversations were made up because that's what playwrights do.
"I mean the bottom line is he's a rotter and a cad and a bandit and he was guilty. No question in my mind at all that he was guilty!"
The final episode of the show portrayed the Ingrams in a more sympathetic light, with the dramatisation of their trial suggesting that they could be innocent after all.
"At the time I think we were getting audiences of something like 13 or 14 million," Tarrant continued. "We sold it to 132 countries around the world – America, Australia, India etc - so why would we go out on a limb to try and prosecute one of these guys?
"Of course we thought he was guilty, no question! And nothing has changed my mind to be honest. It was very well done though!"
The final episode of the show was watched by 5.8 million viewers, according to overnight ratings data.
Neil Wilkes
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