Teacher 'overwhelmed' since Who Wants To Be A Millionaire win
- Published
A teacher who became the first person to win the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire jackpot in 14 years said he was "overwhelmed" by the response.
"I didn't expect the tsunami of interest," Don Fear, from Telford, said, adding people had "fallen over themselves" to congratulate him.
Former pupil and pub quiz mate Patrick Campbell told the BBC he was "in tears" when Mr Fear claimed his £1m prize.
Mr Fear is the sixth million-pound winner in the show's 22-year history.
He and Mr Campbell, 33, have been doing weekly quizzes at the Red Lion in Wellington for about seven years.
"Don was my history teacher, myself and a few school friends set up a pub quiz and we kept in touch with him on Facebook and various things.
"We knew what a clever man he was so we invited him to join," he said.
Mr Campbell said watching his former teacher was "so surreal" - "I could tell from the look of his eye he was confident he knew the answer".
"That winning moment, I was in tears. I know what a lovely man he is, we're all so thrilled for him."
Mr Fear returned to his school - Haberdashers' Adams Grammar school in Newport - after the show aired on Friday but has since announced he will retire at the end of term in December.
The history and politics teacher said students and staff were clapping and cheering him as he went in and that "quite a few pupils are trying to tap me up for a tenner".
After a 33-year career, Mr Fear said he would "miss school hugely" but hopes "a new career as a travel guide is on the cards", with Canada first on his wish-list.
"And then really it's a case of you name the place and I want to go there."
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, external, Twitter, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk , external
- Published11 September 2020
- Published5 March 2019