A LUCKY player scooped £250,000 and kept it hidden for seven months – but this is what gave her secret away.
Tegen Roberts bagged herself the “lifesaving” sum while studying for an English degree – but a new luxury lifestyle on a student budget raised some eyebrows.
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The 32-year-old had submitted herself as a contestant on Deal or No Deal for two years, and was eventually selected.
After appearing on screen with host Noel Edmonds, the speech and language therapist took home £250,000.
However Tegen was forced to keep quiet about the windfall until after the episode aired to the public.
But, despite trying to conceal her winnings, she splurged out on holidays, a new Audi and a Man United shirt signed by Wayne Rooney.
She laughed: “People did start questioning why I was suddenly driving around in an Audi Convertible – so it was really hard not to say anything.
“I had a great experience on the show, and that’s enough for me. The £250k was just a really happy bonus.
“I was ridiculously lucky, and I thought to myself at the time ‘what will be will be.’
“By the end of the show, the two boxes left were £20k and £250k – so I knew I’d be coming away with at least some money.
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“Then, of course, I opened up the £250k box. I’ve never screamed so much. It was absolutely amazing news.”
The life-changing sum of money arrived at an important time for Tegen, just 21 at the time.
She was battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma and unable to work, so tried her luck on the game show in a desperate bid to pay for private treatment.
In the end, the student was able to receive it on the NHS at Derriford Hospital.
Tegen instead used the money to get herself on the property ladder, purchasing a “bog standard” home in Cornwall.
The cash stretched to pay for trips around Europe, including Spain, Greece, Italy, France and Croatia.
And fortunately the 32-year-old has now been in remission from cancer for 10 years.
People did start questioning why I was suddenly driving around in an Audi Convertible – so it was really hard not to say anything.”
Tegen Roberts
Tegen “couldn’t believe it” when she appeared on Deal or No Deal in 2011, after being invited to audition in Bristol the year before.
During her episode, the young student faced a tricky decision, as she knew one box had £20,000 in and that the other had over twelve times as much value.
The new series of Deal or No Deal is set to start at an unconfirmed date later in 2023 – and Tegen thinks lots of people should apply.
The former winner said: “It’s going to be so nice to have new people on it, it’ll be an amazing experience for them.
“I really do wish I could go back and do it all over again.”
She explained she had spent two weeks in a hotel with four other contestants from her episode back in 2011.
She says they “really bonded” – going out for dinner together, as well as spending full days in the studio.
She said: “People always used to say the contestants seem really close – and that’s because we were.
“We became really good friends in those two weeks.”
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