FG SANCTION LED TO ‘WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE’ GOING OFF AIR

Read Time:1 Minute, 44 Second

By:Tajudeen Aminat

Media personality Frank Edoho has dismissed claims that he was sacked as host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, explaining that his departure followed the withdrawal of the show’s sponsor after it was sanctioned by the Federal Government.

Speaking on an episode of The KK Show published on Sunday, Edoho described reports that he was dropped from the programme as false.

Reflecting on his career, he said he spent four years at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Radio Nigeria) before moving to television, where he gained widespread recognition.

According to Edoho, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire initially went off air after its long-time sponsor, which had supported the programme for a decade, pulled out following a hefty regulatory penalty imposed by the Federal Government.

He explained that the financial impact of the sanction forced the company to discontinue its sponsorship of the popular quiz show.

“I can’t go into details, but they had to pay a huge amount of money to the Federal Government, and that affected their ability to continue sponsoring the show,” he said.

Edoho revealed that when new sponsors later showed interest in reviving the programme, he sought to become an executive producer, arguing that his long association with the show had made him a valuable asset.

However, negotiations broke down due to disagreements, and his absence from the relaunched programme sparked speculation that he had been fired.

He insisted that the reports were inaccurate, saying he felt betrayed after dedicating 13 years to the show.

“I was never dropped. The reports were false. I gave my side of the story, but I felt I was thrown under the bus after all the years I had invested in the programme,” he said.

Edoho hosted Who Wants To Be A Millionaire from 2004 to 2017 before stepping down in September 2017. The show was suspended that year after its sponsor, MTN Nigeria, withdrew support.

It returned to television in 2022 after a five-year hiatus with new sponsors, a revamped format, and Edoho back as host.