Jeremy Clarkson and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire contestant had shocked reaction when he called wife and man answered

As if being on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire wasn't stressful enough already, putting your fate in the hands of someone else if you decide to 'phone a friend' must be even worse.

You're hoping they won't show you up and that you've picked the right person, as you really don't want them to embarrass you on national television getting the question wrong when you use a lifeline.

Spare a thought then for one unlucky contestant, who in an hour of need decided to call his darling wife for help with a tough question - only for a random man to answer. Awkward!

Host of the show, Jeremy Clarkson, was left squirming when a man answered instead of the contestant's wife.

Had they just blown up a man's life on a game show? It was more fitting for a chat show instead, move over Jeremy Kyle.

The confused contestant was a science teacher from Lincoln, called JP Hogan, and he appeared on the show in 2020.

JP tried to call his wife when he needed help with a question which could land him £8,000 with her help.

The contestant had to call his wife for help (pic: ITV)

Clarkson had asked: "Which of these days is part of the weekend in Germany?"

There were four options to choose from: Donnerstag, Mittwoch, Sonntag, or Dienstag.

Unfortunately for JP, he chose science as a career rather than languages, and needed his wife's help, as he said some of her relatives had lived in Germany.

He explained: "My wife's auntie has lived in Germany for over 50 years, my wife's been there a few times.

"My wife, who at different times would probably have been in the audience, is at home as one of my Phone a Friends."

He was hoping that wife Elizabeth would be able to help him.

Clarkson quickly asked if he was alright to tell Elizabeth what money was at stake, but they both went quiet when they heard a man answer instead of the dulcet tones of his wife.

They couldn't understand what the man was saying, with Jeremy awkwardly telling the player: "That was a man who just answered your phone..."

"Relax, relax! It could be completely innocent," he reassured an uncomfortable JP.

They tried to call the phone again, and it was second time lucky as she answered: "Hello?"

There was an awkward moment when a man answered (Pic: ITV)

Jeremy asked if she had company, and she said yes.

Social media users were keen to get to the bottom of it, with one asking: "Break time question: who was the man that answered the phone when JP phoned his wife? #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire."

It seems not all was lost though, as one social media user had got to the bottom of it.

They insisted: "The man answering was literally an automated voice saying 'sorry there is no service'. Jeremy was JOKING about an affair."

Elsewhere, other viewers let Elizabeth off the hook, saying when she said she had company she meant that a show employee was there with her making sure she didn't cheat and ask Google for help.

Despite the awkward moment, his wife knew the answer - Sonntag, by the way - so he went on to win £64,000.

Phew!