Terry Crews to Debut as New Host of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE, 9/8

Actor, author, fitness enthusiast, Old Spice pitchman and former NFL player Terry Crews ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The Expendables 3") will make his debut as the new host of the nationally-syndicated version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" when the iconic game show launches its 13th season in national syndication on Monday, September 8, 2014. Crews will infuse his contagious enthusiasm, larger-than-life personality and Boundless energy into the long-running franchise as each contestant sets out to win $1 million. Go to MillionaireTV.com for time and channel.

As America's richest game show, "Millionaire" continues to be the only show to offer a $1 million prize to each and every contestant. Since "Millionaire" debuted in syndication in 2002, contestants have won nearly $90 million. The show features contestants from all over the country and all walks of life, and remains a game in which anyone can win big. Featuring cleverly-written trivia questions that reveal fun and entertaining facts, the game offers a playful learning experience combined with dramatic suspense that keeps contestants and viewers alike on the edge of their seats.

This season will see the debut of a new lifeline called "Plus One," in which the contestant's companion seated in the audience can be asked by the contestant to come down to the stage and help answer the question at hand. This lifeline marks the first time that companions have the opportunity to join in the game and help out his or her contestant by talking through and hopefully answering the answer correctly together.

The popular "Thousandaire" game, in which an audience member comes on stage to answer one question for $1,000, returns this season, and it's now joined by two new mini-games -- "Fastest Feet" and "Team Millionaire" -- giving the audience even more ways to win! "Fastest Feet" harkens back to Primetime "Millionaire's" "Fastest Finger" game; it's a challenge in which four audience members are given themed cards and are tasked with physically putting them into the right order to split a $1,000 prize. And "Team Millionaire" Partners two audience members with each other to win up to $1,000.

HOW TO PLAY "WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE"
In every show, contestants on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" are given the extraordinary chance to win life-changing money by answering 14 entertaining pop culture and general knowledge trivia questions.

Contestants are given three lifelines in case they need help or get stuck on a question with the goal of reaching the top prize on the show -- "Ask the Audience" (the contestant polls the audience to get their opinion on the correct answer to a question); "Jump the Question" (the contestant can skip or "jump" a question, but forfeits the money attached to the question); and the new "Plus One" lifeline.

The game is divided into two rounds. In the first round (questions 1-10), questions are shuffled and the monetary values behind the questions are randomized and hidden. Contestants do not find out the monetary value of each question until after they correctly answer it. With dollar values ranging from $100 to $25,000 in the first round, contestants can answer an easy question and be rewarded as much as $25,000, while a relatively hard question might only land them $100. Money earned from each correct answer is added to the contestant's "Millionaire Bank." Contestants who walk away from the game in the first round are able to take home half of their accumulated Millionaire Bank. Contestants leave with $1,000 if they answer incorrectly on a question at any point in the first round of the game.

In the second round (questions 11 - 14), contestants play "Classic Millionaire," with only four questions remaining - valued at $100,000, $250,000, $500,000 and finally, $1 million. In "Classic Millionaire," the questions get progressively harder. If a contestant walks away from the game in the second round, he or she is able to take home their entire accumulated Millionaire Bank. Even if the contestant answers incorrectly during the second round, they will still walk away with $25,000 in winnings.

About "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire"
"Millionaire" airs across the country weekdays in national syndication. Go to MillionaireTV.com for time and channel. "Millionaire" is produced by Valleycrest Productions Ltd. and is distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. James Rowley serves as executive producer of "Millionaire," which is taped at the Connecticut Film Center in Stamford, Connecticut.

Photo credit: DISNEY-ABC Television

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