Moment Charles and Diana Ingram's defence attorney claims innocence

Moment Charles and Diana Ingram’s defence barrister points out there are 192 coughs during explosive finale of Quiz -as the couple’s real-life lawyer launches a new appeal and claims ‘the case is full of holes’

• Warning: Spoilers ahead 
•  Charles and Diana Ingram’s defence barrister Sonia Woodley points out there were 192 coughs during the episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 
• Charles, now 59, and wife Diana notoriously cheated their way to win £1 million on gameshow Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2001, and the couple were found guilty of deception in 2003 
• Comes as criminal defence lawyer in the Ingram’s new appeal slams evidence 

The tense moment Charles and Diana Ingram’s defence barrister Sonia Woodley points out there were 192 coughs during the episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in which the couple are accused of cheating, is shown in the nail-biting final episode of Quiz tonight.

Woodley, played by Helen McCrory, is seen calling Paul Smith, played by Mark Bonnar, to the stand during the court case that sees the Ingrams on trial, based on the real life 2001 coughing scandal.

She argues that the 19 coughs that occurred at the same time as the correct answers were isolated before being shown to the judge, before pointing out that there were a total of 192 coughs at every point of the show that were not shown to the court.

This comes as a new interview given by criminal defence solicitor Rhona Friedman, who is behind the former army major’s new appeal, that has been launched as new docudrama Quiz airs on ITV, claims the case is ‘full of holes’. 

Charles, now 59, and wife Diana notoriously cheated their way to win £1 million on gameshow Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2001, and the couple were found guilty of deception in 2003.

Charles given a 20-month suspended prison sentence after it emerged that accomplice Tecwen Whittock, who was a future contestant, had coughed to indicate correct answers throughout the show.

The tense moment Charles and Diana Ingram’s defence barrister Sonia Woodley (seen) points out there were 192 coughs during the episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in which the couple are accused of cheating, is shown in the nail-biting final episode of Quiz tonight

Speaking during tonight’s episode, Woodley says to producer Paul: ‘Once you’re told about the coughs it’s hard to unhear them – so these are 19 coughs that you heard that occurred on the correct answers? Do you know how many there were in total that night?’

She continues: ‘There were 192 coughs picked up on that recording. From all over the place. Only they didn’t fit the narrative – so they were left out. You left them out of the famous tape, that was edited and redited’.

Explaining his side from the stand, Paul replies: ‘We have to find a way to show what happened’.

Woodley hits back: ‘Yes but this is your version of what happened, the jury are looking where you want them to look. The moment for instance when Mrs Ingram is coughing is a creative choice made by those who are editing it. 

Charles, now 59, and wife Diana (seen played by actors in Quiz) by notoriously cheated their way to win £1 million on gameshow Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2001, and the couple were found guilty of deception in 2003

‘The volume of the 19 coughs is raised, but if I wanted the jury to hear it at the original volume I couldn’t – because your version is now the only version of events’.

Paul Smith explains: ‘Well they had to be isolated in the way that the Major  would have heard them in the way he was looking out for them in order to replicate the experience.’

Woodley then uses the example of Judith Keppel, the 12th winner of the show, who was the first person to win £1 million on the show in 2000.

She says: ‘I will now play the Judith Keppel tape. The £2,000 question you hear a cough before she commits to the correct answer, similarly on the £4,000 question. 

She argues that the 19 coughs that occurred at the same time as the correct answers were isolated before being shown to the judge, before pointing out that there were a total of 192 coughs at every point of the show that were not shown to the court

Woodley then uses the example of Judith Keppel, the 12th winner of the show, who was the first person to win £1 million on the show in 2000

‘Again a cough on the £8,000 question and the £64,000 question. And on the £500,000 and on the £1 million question.

‘Now I don’t think she cheated, you don’t – why do you think the Major cheated?’

Paul retorts: ‘I know how contestants play and he did not play normally – I could tell immediately’.

But Woodley responds: ‘Oh really, what time did you arrive at the funeral that night?’.

Paul then replies: ‘Well at the very end – I didn’t actually see him play live’.

But Woodley claims ‘So you were told and have pursued him doggedly ever since’.

Concluding, Woodleyh says: ‘Of course this is personal, this is my show and my life. I know he cheated’. 

Michael Sheen and Helen McCrory star as Charles and Diana Ingram in hit docu drama Quiz

Michael Sheen is seen playing Chris Tarrant in Quiz, the docudrama based on the WWTBAM coughing scandal

Tonight’s episode also shows how the Ingrams are pelted with eggs, before their dog is shot dead and they pull their children out of school. 

A tense moment also sees Charles questioning Diana over the nature of her relationship with accomplice Tecwen Whittock, before accusing her of ‘pulling him into her family quiz obsession’. 

Ahead of the final episode of ITV’s hit drama tonight, a new interview given by criminal defence solicitor Rhona Friedman, who is behind the former army major’s new appeal, that has been launched as new docudrama Quiz airs on ITV, claims the case is ‘full of holes’.

Ms Friedman said it was ‘ludicrous’ to suggest a conspiracy took place on the game show in 2001.

She told the Telegraph: ‘There is a lacuna at the heart of this evidence,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t a conspiracy – it’s just ludicrous.’

The lawyers claim that the evidence was not considered by the jury during the trial and that it undermines the prosecution case.

They also claim the integrity of the audio evidence could have been compromised because it came from the prosecution and was not referred for independent analysis to the Forensic Science Service.

Ms Friedman added that there were ‘gaps’ in the ‘chain of continuity’ of the audio evidence.

The final episode of Quiz will air on Wednesday 15th April at 9pm on ITV.

Paul Smith, played by Mark Bonnar, is called to the stand during the court case  in tonight’s epiode of Quiz

Charles, now 59, and wife Diana Ingram (seen in recent years) notoriously cheated their way to win £1 million on gameshow Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2001, and the couple were found guilty of deception in 2003 

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