For most of us, questions about mayonnaise barely register in daily life. But for Roman Dubowski, though, one almost changed everything. After years of soaking up trivia and keeping up with relentless quiz practice, Roman, a retired IT analyst from Stockport, Greater Manchester, became the seventh million-pound winner ever on the UK’s ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’One last exceptionally easy question, a bit of panic, and now he’s part of British television history. The show’s been running since 1998, yet so few have managed to win it all.For those who missed it, Roman’s victory aired on April 26, 2026, making him only the second contestant during Jeremy Clarkson’s time as host to take the top prize, after Donald Fear’s win in 2020. Per ITV, Roman called the moment “unreal.” Straight after, he did what most British people probably would: brewed himself a cup of tea.
Roman Dubowski wins ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’: The final question that led him to win
Oddly enough, Roman nearly crashed out at the GBP 1,000 question, not some nail-biting million-pound finale.The question seemed pretty basic: What key ingredient is missing from mayonnaise? (It’s egg yolk.) But in that stressful split-second, Roman reconsidered, and he started doubting if mayonnaise already had egg, thanks to “egg mayonnaise sandwiches.” That flicker of uncertainty had him burning his Ask the Audience lifeline way earlier than planned.“If I got it wrong, I’d walk away with nothing,” he said. He described it as almost a moment of “shame and humiliation.”
Roman Dubowski’s ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ journey: What we know
For the unversed, getting into the Millionaire Hot Seat wasn’t a fast process for Roman. He’d actually tried to get on the show twice before, starting all the way back in the Chris Tarrant days, but got nowhere. He tried again in 2022, made it to auditions, but still didn’t get picked. This was attempt number three, spanning twenty years.As ITV put it: third time lucky. Roman never expected the million-pound ending either. “I thought I’d win maybe £32,000 or a five-figure sum,” he admitted. “I never thought I’d win £1 million.”In fact, before appearing on the show, Roman had pretty modest hopes. He thought, maybe he’d win enough to redo his kitchen. Instead, he’s got the whole house handled.Now that he is a millionaire, Dubowski plans to buy a new home, share with family, especially his niece and nephews, donate to charity, and splurge on travel. After visiting 58 countries, he’s now eager to see New Zealand and South America, maybe at the front of the plane this time. After surviving the mayonnaise question, sitting in economy seems beneath him!
More on Roman Dubowski: ‘An encyclopaedia in a shirt’
On the show, once Roman got past the early stumble, he picked up steam. He passed question after question calmly, saved lifelines smartly, and kept his head in the game. When the final question came, he still had lifelines left: he used 50:50 to clinch it, with “Ask Jeremy” in reserve. Clarkson, clearly impressed, named him “an encyclopaedia in a shirt,” which is probably his highest form of praise, just below not mocking your parking.However, beneath all the excitement, Roman’s win seems more joyful because of the journey he’s had. His mother Teresa died in November, just before filming was set. Although he was thinking of pulling out, he decided she’d have wanted him to see it through.“I think she would have been delighted and, of course, proud,” he said. His father, Wiktor, encouraged his love of learning, keeping a battered encyclopaedia always at home. That million-pound win wasn’t just luck or knowledge; it was a lifetime of curiosity coming full circle.And after winning the show, Roman got inducted into an exclusive club as well: The Millionaires’ Club.Since the British version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ started, only seven people have answered all 15 questions for the jackpot. Roman’s now part of that tiny group, alongside legends like Judith Keppel, Pat Gibson, Ingram Wilcox, Donald Fear, and a few others. In Clarkson’s era, he’s only the second.
