Chi vuol essere milionario? (pronounced [ˈki vˌvwɔl ˈɛssere miljoˈnaːrjo]; English translation: Who wants to be a millionaire?), originally titled Chi vuol essere miliardario? (pronounced [ˈki vˌvwɔl ˈɛssere miljarˈdaːrjo]; English translation: Who wants to be a billionaire?), is an Italian game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The show is hosted by Gerry Scotti and broadcast on the Italian TV station Canale 5.
| Chi vuol essere milionario? | |
|---|---|
 Logo as Chi vuol essere miliardario? | |
| Also known as | Chi vuol essere miliardario? |
| Created by | David Briggs Mike Whitehill Steven Knight |
| Presented by | Gerry Scotti |
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Original language | Italian |
| No. of seasons | 15 |
| Production | |
| Production companies | Endemol (2000–2011) Wavy (2018–2020) |
| Original release | |
| Network | Canale 5 |
| Release | 22 May 2000 – 29 July 2011 |
| Release | 7 December 2018 – 5 November 2020 |
In the original version (Chi vuol essere miliardario?; 2000–2001), the main goal of the game was to win Lit. 1,000,000,000 by answering 15 multiple-choice questions correctly. There were three "lifelines" – 50:50, Phone-a-Friend and Ask the Audience. If a contestant answered the fifth question correctly, they left with at least Lit. 1,000,000. If a contestant answered the tenth question correctly, they left with at least Lit. 32,000,000. There was one winner of the show, Francesca Cinelli.
In 2002, after the changeover to the Euro, the show changed its name into Chi vuol essere milionario?.
In 2011, the Guinness World Records confirmed Gerry Scotti as the presenter who has hosted the most episodes of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? format (1,593, on 5 May 2011).[1]
The game's prizes
| Payout structure | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question number | Question value | ||||
| 2000–2001 | 2002–2007 | 2008–2010 | 2010–2011 | 2018–2020 | |
| 15 | Lit. 1,000,000,000 (€1,000,000) | €1,000,000 | |||
| 14 | Lit. 500,000,000 (€500,000) | €300,000 | €300,000 | ||
| 13 | Lit. 250,000,000 (€250,000) | €150,000 | €150,000 | ||
| 12 | Lit. 125,000,000 (€125,000) | €70,000 | €70,000 | ||
| 11 | Lit. 64,000,000 (€64,000) | €35,000 | €30,000 | €30,000 | |
| 10 | Lit. 32,000,000 (€32,000) | €16,000 | €20,000 | €20,000 | |
| 9 | Lit. 16,000,000 (€16,000) | €8,000 | €15,000 | €15,000 | |
| 8 | Lit. 8,000,000 (€8,000) | €4,000 | €10,000 | €10,000 | |
| 7 | Lit. 4,000,000 (€4,000) | €2,000 | €7,000 | €7,000 | |
| 6 | Lit. 2,000,000 (€2,000) | €1,000 | €5,000 | €5,000 | |
| 5 | Lit. 1,000,000 (€1,000) | €500 | €3,000 | €3,000 | €3,000 |
| 4 | Lit. 500,000 (€500) | €300 | €2,000 | €2,000 | €2,000 |
| 3 | Lit. 300,000 (€300) | €200 | €1,500 | €1,500 | €1,500 |
| 2 | Lit. 200,000 (€200) | €100 | €1,000 | €1,000 | €1,000 |
| 1 | Lit. 100,000 (€100) | €50 | €500 | €500 | €500 |
| |||||
Francesca Cinelli's billion lire question
18 March 2001 (gave a right answer)[2]
| Lit. 1,000,000,000 (15 of 15) – no time limit | |
| If you were Albert King, what would be your profession? | |
| ⬥ A: Writer | ⬥ B: Television journalist |
| ⬥ C: Formula One driver | ⬥ D: Musician |