Tipping Point fans ‘can’t cope’ with ‘extraordinary’ Ben Shephard response

Viewers of Tipping Point went into fits of laughter as one contestant gave a wildly incorrect answer to a historical question.

The repeat episode broadcast on ITV this week showed host Ben Shephard quizzing Londoner and primary school teacher Hanifa about historic events of 1989. Eager to claim the prize money on the line, Hanifa stumbled at her very first attempt.

During the show, Ben posed the question: “At the Malta Summit in 1989, which US president declared the end of the Cold War? ” In what was an astonishing reply, considering she even mentioned doing A-Level history, Hanifa pondered: “I should know this as I did A-Level history… I’m debating between two. J.F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln.”

This was particularly perplexing given that Abraham Lincoln’s assassination occurred way back in April 1865, well over a hundred years prior to the end of the Cold War, while John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, decades before the Malta Summit.

George H.W. Bush was actually the US president who proclaimed the end of the Cold War at the summit, yet Hanifa ventured a guess for JFK, reports the Mirror.

Upon accepting her mistake, Hanifa acknowledged her significant miss, stating she was “way off”. However, online fans found much amusement in her answer, with one social media user emphatically posting: “Absolutely, and I can’t emphasise this enough, f***ing extraordinary.”

Another was equally stunned, remarking: “I only got a C in AS History and I’m still shook.”

One bemused viewer tweeted: “Reminder that the format of Tipping Point makes it very possible to be this wrong and still end up winning £10,000.”

Meanwhile, another was flabbergasted: “The fact that my first thought seeing the question was President Bush and she… she did A-Level history and is mentioning Abraham Lincoln? In 1989?? I would have forgiven the Kennedy mention but damn.”

The revelation came as Ben Shephard shared a behind-the-scenes secret from his game show Tipping Point while presenting on ITV’s This Morning during its new segment Coin Drop. When a coin became jammed and failed to drop, he commented: “Hold on a sec, so we have a little incident here!”

He explained the mishap, saying: “This occasionally happens on a show that I do. You never see it though because we can edit it, but this is live. So I’m going to take this out and we’re gonna drop it again.”

He humorously blamed Cat for the malfunction, suggesting it was her fault the board jammed.

Coin Drop has taken over from This Morning’s Spin to Win, much to the dismay of fans who are upset about the £2 entry fee Spin to Win was free to play. Despite the cost, participants can still win a hefty sum of up to £20,000.