Television gameshow format Who Wants to be a Millionaire? is coming back to Nigerian TV screens after being off-air since 2017.

The news was announced at an event in Lagos. Themed The Rebirth, the new season will once again be hosted by Nigerian TV presenter Frank Edoho, who fronted the original  which aired between 2004 and 2017.

The producers said the ultimate prize to be won on the show is N20m (US$48,000). The new season will start broadcasting in March and will run for 52 weeks.

To update the format, a new lifeline named Ask the Host has been introduced to aid contestants when they are stuck on questions while others include 50-50, Call a Friend and Ask the Audience.

Edoho took to Twitter to say: “I assume you know by now that I have been offered the role of host of WWTBAM Series 2. My immense gratitude goes to all of you for hoping that I get the job. Thank you for your kind wishes and felicitations. God bless you all.”

The show is sponsored by payments and financial technology company UP, in collaboration with BLK Hut Media, producer of the Nigerian version of the show, under licence from format owner Sony Pictures Television.

Agada Apochi, managing director of UP, said: “We are sponsoring Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? to entertain, educate and excite Nigerians. The return of WWTBAM is coming with a bang that would create lasting memories in the audience’s minds. It is going to keep them on the edge of their seats as new millionaires emerge from the show.”

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? started in the UK, created and produced by production company Celador for ITV in 1998. The Nigerian version aired on NTA and Silverbird TV from 2004 for 13 years. Sony acquired the rights to the globe-trotting format in 2008.

tagged in: Agada Apochi, BLK Hut Media, Frank Edoho, Sony Pictures Television, UP, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?