A former gameshow contestant who won £1million and celebrated with hosts Ant and Dec has called the moment the worst of his life after returning to a life of crime
A contestant who became a millionaire thanks to a gameshow fronted by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly has revealed how the big money win ruined his life. Nathan Hageman, from Ayrshire bagged the huge jackpot on their Red of Black? TV show.
But he has since said friends and loved ones turned on him after the win as he turned to a life of crime. Following the big win, he soon found his fortune evaporated and he ended up in and out of jail. The former bricklayer turned to crime after squandering the case on a lavish lifestyle.
Among his convictions were stealing from a nurse. He was also outed for being a dine-and-dash scammer. Earlier this month he was convicted again, this time for threatening a businessman.
READ MORE: Nancy Guthrie door cam man suspect ‘picked up kidnap clothes at Walmart’READ MORE: Tragic note left by arrested BGT star found dead with favourite song playing
But he insists that winning the show was “the worst thing that ever happened to me”. Speaking to the Daily Record, he said: “There were so many stories published after it about me, but all the stories that were told were exaggerated or made up. I never got to tell my side of any of it or how any of it affected me.
“I got blackmailed and threatened by people who knew me because they knew I had money. I got blackmailed by an ex-partner, while my friends ended up threatening and blackmailing myself and my mother.”
After being in prison before the show too, it was thought his win would be an opportunity to turn his life around. However, three years after winning the jackpot in 2011, he was back behind bars.
In 2024, he was also jailed for 12 weeks after stealing from a nurse at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where he was living at that time.
Five years before he appeared on the TV show, Hageman had been jailed for beating up his ex-girlfriend. At the time, it was revealed ITV knew about the jail term when he applied. However, they are said to have claimed they were unaware it was for a domestic abuse offence.
Following the show, domestic violence campaigners and charities called for him to be stripped of his winnings. But ITV and Simon Cowell, whose firm produced the show, said that their hands were tied.
Among the luxuries Hageman is said to have splurged his cash on including flash cars and a holiday to Cuba.
F or more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
