NEW YORK – The drought of winners on ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire will end with a flourish next week - and the network hasn't been shy about telling people.
Sometime during the week, a contestant will win more than $2 million, which ABC claims will be the richest quiz show prize in television history.
The show hasn't had a grand prize winner since July 11, when David Goodman of Olney, Md., became the sixth millionaire and the second in a week.
Starting in January, ABC added a bonus prize of $10,000 for each show since Goodman's victory. The jackpot has since climbed above $2 million.
ABC has been busily promoting the upcoming victory in commercials, although it's careful not to say when exactly it will happen. The timing is good for the network: Millionaire has sagged a little in the ratings and a competitor, NBC's The Weakest Link, is due to premiere April 16.
After the $2 million-plus winner, a second contestant next week will win $1 million, according to ABC.
Since Goodman's victory, eight contestants have reached the final question. But all of them declined to answer and decided to walk away with $500,000.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox