Paul Smith OBE first pitched his idea for the television quiz show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, in 1995. Though ITV first rejected the idea, stating that “viewers didn’t want to watch other people winning lots of money”, the show was later given the green light. Fast forward a couple of decades, and the programme's popularity has skyrocketed - it is broadcast in over 105 countries and has evolved through numerous presenters.
Paul founded the production company, Celador, which held the rights to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire until 2006, when it was bought by 2waytraffic. Celador also produced the film Slumdog Millionaire in 2008, based off of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire it tells the story of a young boy who wins £1 million on the Indian version of the show. The film won four Golden Globes, seven BAFTAS and eight Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. It also grossed £270 million at the box office. Representative of Paul's winning format, Slumdog Millionaire is symbolic of the hopeful nature of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
Paul sold the rights to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2006 for more than £100 million, which some report to be the first time a television format has been sold in its entirety. When asked about his decision to sell the rights, Paul replied that since he has been working from 1981 he "now [wants] to have a life without so much pressure and concentrate on other activities, as well as have more leisure time." Paul now focuses his attention on giving show-stopping business motivational speeches, which have the power to reinvigorate a workplace's culture. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2012, Paul's impact on British entertainment has gone down in history.
