Detectives from Scotland Yard are investigating a claim of cheating on quiz show " Who wants to be a Millionaire."
British newspaper reports today said police were called in to investigate whether Army Major Charles Ingram, who won the jackpot of one £1 million sterling, was helped by someone coughing in the audience.
Scotland Yard said only that its Special Inquiry Team was investigating an allegation of deception in connection with the programme.
It said it had received the allegation on September 14th, but there had been no arrests.
The British press claimed today that the show in which the major won the jackpot was due to have been screened last week, but the broadcast was suspended after the attacks in the United States.
The paper quoted Major Ingram as saying: "I don't know what there is to investigate."
The Ministry of Defence said Major Ingram remained in his post at Uphaven in Wiltshire and had not been suspended from duty.
"There is an individual who is a member of the armed forces who is helping with (police) inquiries," a ministry spokeswoman said.
ITV and the show's producer, Celador Productions, said in a statement that police were investigating "apparent irregularities" relating to an episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
"Until these investigations are concluded ITV has postponed transmission of parts of the episodes in question," the statement said.
Celador said the major's wife, Diana, and her brother Adrian had also each previously won £32,000 on the show. Diana and Adrian have also written a book about how to win.