Overview

• Friends, relatives and neighbors gathered at The Colliers in Tyldesley on 27 August for a community screening described by his widow as a celebration of Tim McCarthy’s life.
• McCarthy, 64, died from terminal cancer in July after filming the episode in October 2024, having pursued the appearance as a personal goal during his illness.
• Only his wife, Rachel, and their three children knew the result ahead of broadcast, with friends learning the outcome at the screening due to the show’s confidentiality rules.
• Tributes highlighted his decades in education, including leading Avondale High School/Stockport Academy and founding the Aurora Academies Trust, as well as his love of pub quizzes.
• Some outlets reported that the episode ended with a large jackpot for the team, a detail not consistently confirmed across the coverage provided.