Squid Game: The Challenge crowns first winner

Finalists Sam Wells (Player 016), Mai Whelan (Player 287) and Phill Cain (Player 451) were the last competitors standing

The winner of Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge has been revealed after the reality show saw 456 people compete for a huge cash prize.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the final of the show

Inspired by the Korean dystopian show Squid Game, competitors had to take part in memorable challenges from the series.

At $4.56m (£3.66m), the winner's prize is thought to be the biggest cash prize in the history of reality TV.

The challenges included in the series included Green Light, Red Light where players had to run to cross a line while a huge doll of a girl sings - when the singing stops, they must too or risk being "killed".

In the initial series, characters would be shot, however in the spin-off reality version, radio-controlled exploding dye was used to eliminate the losers.

Finalists Sam Wells (Player 016), Mai Whelan (Player 287) and Phill Cain (Player 451) were the last competitors standing for the final episode which was streamed on Netflix earlier.

At 55, Mai was one of the show's oldest competitors

Winner 55-year-old Mai was born in Vietnam before moving to the US where she spent two decades in the navy, changing jobs to work as an immigration adjudicator before retiring.

In the end, the victor was decided by a game of rock, paper, scissors.

"All that Netflix money and they couldn't think of anything better?," quips runner-up Phill.

With two daughters and a granddaughter, Mai tells BBC Newsbeat she's used to this game of chance.

"I was like: 'Oh my God, this is my expertise'," she says.

Although she insists her victory was chance, Phill who she was up against adds: "She read me like a book".

'It's there to test you'

The moment Mai won, she didn't know whether to "cheer or cry" after becoming so close to her competition.

"I told Phill I can't celebrate without him," she says.

Meditation was a key part of getting through the gruelling challenges for Mai.

"I get up early in the morning, I take my shower, go take a walk around the dorm and then I just sat there and meditated.

"It helped me relax and kept my mind focused for the day," she adds.

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The reality show, which was filmed in Bedford, has been renewed for a second series by Netflix but the first is facing legal claims from some participants who want compensation for injuries they say they suffered on the show.

The claims include hypothermia and nerve damage.

A show spokesperson said in a statement: "We take the welfare of our contestants extremely seriously."

For anyone thinking of signing up for the next series, the finalists emphasise the importance of building relationships.

"Trust that kindness and compassion will really carry you forward," says Phill. "Trust your friends and just have fun with it."

Sam adds that it's best to "embrace the chaos" of the show.

"Don't get too wound up because it's there to test you mentally, physically, emotionally," he says.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.