£64,000 game show bonus for Reuben's Retreat

A charity will receive a £64,000 windfall after a former Coronation Street actor won the money on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper on the Weatherfield cobbles for 16 years, donated her winnings to Glossop-based Reuben’s Retreat. 

The Chorley-born actor is a patron of the charity, which supports families of children who have complex medical needs as well as those who have lost children. 

“It is run by my friend Nicola Graham after she lost her little boy, Reuben, to cancer aged 23 months,” Julie said on the celebrity edition of the show, hosted by Jeremy Clarkson. 

“They offer counselling and respite and breaks away to help people rebuild and recharge.  

“It is a beautiful place and they’ve taken over an old, converted hospital in Glossop, near where I live, and they are doing the final phase of the build now, so anything I can take away today will be so useful.” 

During her run on the programme, Julie answered questions about baseball, the musicals of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and different species of fox, before coming a ‘cropper’ on one about music videos, cashing out at £64,000. 

It was her second appearance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire after splitting £16,000 on the Christmas Day 2003 edition with fellow Lancastrian actor Connie Hyde. 

They took the money after deciding not to risk giving an answer to a Jonathan Swift quote. 

A spokesperson for Reuben’s Retreat said: “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who tuned in and cheered on as well as those who liked, shared or left lovely comments on our social media posts covering our wonderful patron, Julie, as she worked her magic and used her outstanding knowledge to win us an incredible £64,000 on the iconic Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. 

“We are absolutely thrilled and exceptionally grateful to Julie for choosing to support Reuben's Retreat as part of our One in a Million campaign and help us continue building together to complete the retreat. 

“As we prepared to get together as a team and watch Julie in action this weekend, our Retreat was busy with a packed animal therapy session and a family staying at our lodge to relax, recharge, remember & rebuild.  

“Thank you to everyone who has donated to our campaign so far. The more we raise, the more we renovate and the more we renovate, the more families we can reach.” 

Also appearing on the episode was former world champion boxer Tony Bellew, who also scooped £64,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, despite almost crumbling on a question about biscuits.